Should You Hire Movers or Do It Yourself? An Honest Guide
Should you hire movers or rent a truck and handle your move yourself? It might come as a surprise coming from a moving company, but hiring a mover isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Every move is different, and our goal is to present you with an honest list of things to consider before making the call.
1: Think about the size of your move.
You might be able to DIY your move if: You’re moving out of or into a small living space, like a studio or one-bedroom apartment. If you have a relatively small amount of furniture and belongings and you like the idea of being in complete control of how everything is handled, a DIY move might be right up your alley. If so, check out these tips for packing your more fragile items.
You might want to hire a mover if: You own a lot of furniture and belongings, particularly heavy or fragile items. Regardless of the size of your space, if it’s well-furnished, it has potential to be a time-consuming process. Not to mention, hiring a mover gives you the option to have someone else do the packing for you.
Keep in mind: Even a relatively small move can become complicated if there are additional factors to work around. If there are a few flights of stairs involved, or there’s a significant distance between the parking spot for the moving truck and your front door, or you’re worried about getting your furniture through narrow doorways, it might be best to hire a professional.
2: Evaluate the distance of your move & your familiarity with driving trucks.
You might be able to DIY your move if: You’re moving locally and feel confident driving a truck. If your new home is just a short distance away and you either have a small truckload or don’t mind taking a few trips since your new home is close by, you’ll probably be just fine handling things yourself! You’ll just want to make sure that you or someone you know feels confident driving the rental truck.
Pro tips:
Plan your route: Set yourself up for success by mapping your route ahead of time. Check the maximum height on any bridges you’ll be passing under to prevent that panicked moment mid-drive when you’re not sure if you’ll fit. Trucks can feel taller than they are if you’re not used to driving them!
Reserve parking: If you’re moving to or from a busy area with street parking, you might want to look into obtaining a temporary parking permit from your city to reserve your parking spot for the moving truck.
You might want to hire a mover if: You don’t want to deal with renting and driving a truck. If you haven’t driven a box truck before or feel anxious about the parking situation, it might be worth it to have the professionals handle it.
As for distances, we don’t have a minimum distance requirement, and have frequently moved people from one side of a neighborhood to the other. It’s not as uncommon as you would think!
3: Consider your moving inventory.
You might be able to DIY your move if: You have a manageable amount of mostly lightweight items. You might fall into this category if you’re a student or young professional with “starter furniture” made up of particle board or engineered wood.
Keep in mind: While lightweight, particle board furniture is not designed to withstand the normal stress of a move while assembled. Engineered wood is intended to go into a box from the manufacturer, to the retailer, and then to the customer unassembled. This kind of material is easily damaged, so you’ll want to be extra careful when moving it and strategic with your placement in the truck.
You might want to hire a mover if: You have large, heavy, or high-value items. Think pianos, sectional couches, antiques, appliances, armoires, or other large furniture made out of solid wood. Professional movers have years of experience in lifting, carrying, packing, and transporting items like this. Attempting to move heavy items without the proper techniques can pose a risk of injury to the item, your walls or floors, or worst of all, your body.
We hope this list helps you identify whether your move can be handled yourself, or if it warrants hiring a company. If you’ve decided that hiring movers is the right call, we’d be happy to help you figure out the details! At Charlottesville Moving Solutions, we offer straightforward quotes with no hidden fees, so you'll know exactly what you're working with before you sign your estimate.
