There are obvious spaces for your move: the bedrooms, your living room, and the kitchen. But when you’re estimating the size of your entire move, it’s easy to overlook the areas outside your main indoor living space.
Patios, garages, sheds, and storage areas often have a surprising amount of furniture and equipment that’s “out of sight, out of mind.” In fact, these spaces are one of the most common reasons why moving estimates change. So before your moving day arrives, how about taking a closer look at what’s being stored outside?
Why Things Get Forgotten with Moving Quotes
There’s the furniture you see every day. But then you’ve got your outdoor belongings. You use them when the weather’s nice, yet they tend to fade into the background on those “off” days.
Your grill on the patio. Those extra chairs. The gardening tools in the shed. Even your family’s holiday decorations on the garage shelving. They may not be part of your daily routine, but they still matter for your move.
The problem, though, is that your movers will have to load, transport, and unload every one of those items. And if you weren’t able to factor them into the original estimate, your move might take longer than expected.
1. Consider the Patio
Patio furniture adds up. Often, it’s more than most people first think. Loading a moving truck is about volume, and when it comes to the patio, there’s usually a lot.
Every table, chair, umbrella, fire pit, planter, outdoor sectional, and storage bin need their own truck space and handling time. Sure, a few folding chairs probably won’t make much of a difference, but a fully furnished outdoor living area can definitely add more work than some homeowners expect.
When estimating your move, try to think about your patio or deck as another room of the house. If it’s got furniture or other belongings that are coming with you, you’ll want to insert that into your quote.
2. Don’t Overlook Your Garage
Nowadays, a lot of garages function as more than just parking spaces. They’re like a bonus storage unit—hidden in plain sight on your property.
More often than not, your garage has been holding tools, lawn equipment, maybe a workbench, some sports gear, your seasonal decorations, a bunch of storage totes, bicycles, and other miscellaneous items that have somehow added up over the years. That’s why you can’t estimate your move on home square footage alone. The garage counts too!
These items take time to load and will quickly absorb valuable space on the moving truck. So before you lock in on a moving estimate, think about walking through your garage. Making a realistic inventory of everything you have can help you calculate a more accurate quote for your move.
3. Check Out the Shed
Sheds may be small, but they can be packed pretty tight! From garden tools and landscaping gear, to storage bins and outdoor toys for the kids, there can be all kinds of items tucked away in these spaces.
Since sheds are physically separated from the home, it’s easy to forget them when calculating your moving estimate. So if you have a shed, check it out! You’ll want that as part of your moving estimate from the beginning, because when you provide the right info, the more accurate your quote will be.
4. Remember Your Grill
Before moving day, it’s a good idea to remove any loose accessories on your grill. If necessary, it would also be helpful to make arrangements to move any propane tanks on your own. Different local moving companies will have their own policies about handling flammable materials, so discussing those logistics in advance can help save some headaches once the truck starts getting loaded.
How Outdoor Items Affect Moving Costs
At Colt Moving, we base our pricing on the actual time it takes to complete your move. That means patios, garages, sheds, and outdoor storage areas play into that final cost. Having “extra” items that got overlooked during the estimate phase will just lead to more loading time on the big day, along with more truck space, and potentially more crew hours.
The good news is that those costs won’t be a surprise when you can include your outdoor belongings into the planning process from the start. Before you finalize your budget for a move, make sure you’ve accounted for:
- Patio furniture and accessories
- Grills and outdoor cooking equipment
- Planters and decorative outdoor items
- Lawn and garden tools
- Bicycles and sporting equipment
- Items on your garage shelves
- Seasonal decorations
- Contents in the shed
When you organize accurate information, you’ll be better prepared to get a stronger moving estimate and a smoother experience overall. If you have any questions along the way, our team at Colt Moving is here to help!