Moving Yourself

Pros

• Less Expensive

In a monetary sense, moving yourself is vastly less expensive than hiring a moving company.  If you have some favors you can call in, you can get the help of friends and family alike. Sure, you may take up their whole weekend and be depending on the gas in their vehicles, but if they are okay with that, then it may be in your best interest to move yourself.

Cons

• Hidden costs to others

While enlisting family and friends to help you move may save you a few dollars, it could end up costing your loved ones more than just gas money.  What happens if your cousin, Billy, accidentally drops a priceless family heirloom and it breaks? A lot of things can happen during a move if you do not know how to properly secure delicate or heavy items.  Aside from damage to your belongings, there are also damages that can be incurred to your loved one’s vehicles.

• You could hurt yourself

Do you know how to pack a box?  Do you know the proper way to move a china cabinet or a sectional couch without scratching the furniture itself or hurting yourself?  Chances are, you probably have never had to move such large items, meaning that you are not aware of how easy it would be to hurt yourself.  There are certain tools that professional moving companies utilize to protect their belongings and themselves. You will want to have a plethora of tools at your disposal such as back braces, hand carts, and moving straps.  Keep in mind, if you hurt yourself halfway through your move, that could seriously set you back in many ways. While you may have saved some money upfront, you will now have medical bills as well as probably having to hire a moving company anyway.

• Time Consuming

Most of us do not have to move very often, that being said, you will probably be scouring the internet for tips and tricks to make your move as seamless as possible.  In fact, that is probably how you ended up here! Aside from the hours of research, you will do, you will also need to take the time to organize helpers, materials, and tools.  You will not only be the mover, but also the project manager, possibly knit-picking your free help as to how they are packing your beloved items. Since you will be the project manager, every single thing that comes up will need to be run by you, taking up your oh-so-valuable time from the moment you even begin to think about moving until you are surrounded by boxes in your new home, exhausted, and ready to just be done.

Hiring a Moving Company

Pros

• Organized

Professional moving companies do this all day, every day.  When was the last time you moved? Do you think that perhaps someone with daily experience might be able to offer you some solid advice on the best way to move from start to finish?  The answer is undoubted, yes. While you may be able to scour Pinterest for the best methods to stay organized during a move, a professional moving company will know EXACTLY what to do to stay organized, as it is their job.  They will be able to take away the task of micromanaging, leaving you to focus on the big picture.

• Materials & Tools

Professional moving companies will have back braces, dollies of every shape and size, moving straps and sliders for larger items.  They will also have boxes, bubble wrap, tape and markers on hand at all times. Professional moving companies anticipate having to move large, awkwardly shaped and heavy items, as well as the smallest and most delicate of items.  They are in the business of moving people in a way that will protect their workers’ safety as well as your belongings.

• Experts at packing, loading, and unloading

Your belongings will not be thrown together in a box haphazardly, nor will you have delicate boxes as the bottom of a moving truck, under heavier items.  Professional movers are acutely aware of the ramifications of packing and loading things in an irresponsible way, and so they are extremely careful and practiced at what they do.

Cons

• More expensive upfront

There is no way around it, the upfront cost of hiring a moving company will certainly be more expensive than moving yourself.  Generally speaking, it costs somewhere around the realm of $2,000 to $2,500 to move a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. That being said, you will have the assurance that your move is done not only in an efficient and time-saving manner but that you will be able to focus your energy in other areas that will need it.