You’ve got a lot to manage when you’re planning a move. You’re changing addresses for all of your accounts, packing up boxes, and coordinating utilities. Hiring a local moving company is a good call to reduce some of the stress, but you might be wondering how you can cut costs. Even with fair pricing, you still have ways to save when you hire a moving company!
The key thing to understand is what actually drives moving costs. Then you can figure out where your efforts will make the biggest impact. Even little steps can make a big difference in your overall costs.
What Movers Actually Charge For
When you’ve passed the point in your life of doing a DIY move, you obviously want to keep your involvement to a minimum. That being said, if you want to keep your costs down, it’s important to understand what you can realistically expect from a local moving company.
Most professional movers are going to charge based on time and crew size. That means your total cost is going to be directly tied to how long the move takes. The faster and more efficient the process, the more you save. Hiring the right company with a good amount of training for their movers and great reviews is definitely the place to start. But with a little prep work on your end, you’ll be able to save—because the slower the day goes, the more it costs.
Tip 1: Disassemble Furniture Yourself
One of the simplest ways to speed up your moving time is to DIY some basic furniture disassembly. Of course, this isn’t always possible, since sometimes you might need more hands or a little more muscle, but it’s a good thing to at least try!
By taking apart bed frames or breaking down large items, your moving crew can load those tricky pieces immediately instead of spending time on-site with their own tools. (And a good moving company should have those tools on-hand.) You don’t need to go overboard, but handling some of the obvious items in advance can be a great for streamlining your move on the big day.
Tip 2: Move Valuables in Your Own Vehicle
Some items don’t need to go on the truck. Most people already want to keep an “open first” box within reach that has their personal essentials like phone chargers and toiletries, along with key items for any kids or pets. But you can also set aside a couple other boxes of important documents, jewelry, and small electronics. Those valuables are often better kept with you, because not only does it give you peace of mind, it also slightly reduces the number of items your movers need to handle.
Tip 3: Stage Rooms for Efficiency
How your home is organized on moving day matters more than most people expect. Making sure you have clear pathways inside, and easy access points for the moving truck and entering the house, will help your movers work in a steady rhythm.
Ideally, you’ll consolidate your staging areas so they’ll be able to go room by room to collect your packed boxes and furniture. Any lose items or boxes still “in the works” can add extra time to the schedule. Even if it seems minor, strive to get everything ready for loading before the moving day starts. Rushing to finish packing items just means your movers have to navigate clutter. It’s good to have a plan for securing pets too!
Realistic Savings Examples
A few small steps can make a noticeable difference in your final moving cost—no matter the size of your property. For example, if disassembling furniture ahead of time saves even one hour on a move with a two- or three-person crew, that’s immediate savings.
Being fully packed and organized can keep your five-hour move getting stretched into seven or eight. Knowing that, right out of the gate you have some low-stress ways to keep your moving bill under control. Efficiency is your biggest opportunity to save.
Of course, when you’re hiring movers, the goal isn’t to do everything yourself. You want to be able to relax and trust the process with an experienced team. But it does pay to know where your effort actually counts. A little preparation and organization can go a long way.
At Colt Moving, our pricing is built around the exact time required to complete your move, and you don’t have to cut corners to save money. It’s just a matter of focusing on efficiency so we can work as fast and safely as possible to get you settled in to your new space. With us, you don’t have to worry about getting any hidden fees layered in later. By sticking with these moving hacks before we arrive, we can better ensure you get a stress-free moving day that stays on-budget. if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!