7 Ways to Save Money When Moving
With all of the expenses that come with moving homes, the cost of hiring a professional mover starts to feel like one to skimp out on. While we do recommend hiring a moving company to take away a lot of the stress and exhaustion of moving, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to save some of that money. Here’s Top Dog’s 7 ways to save money when moving!
1. Choose the Right Time
The supply of movers, like everything, can fluctuate with demand, and the highest demand for moving companies is summertime. If it is within your power, try to book ahead if you're moving in June, July, and August so that you're ahead of the curve and can ensure you get a good date. If you have less control of the timing, try to at least book your move in the middle of the month. Most leases end at the end of the month, meaning the demand will be higher at those times.
2. Don't Bring What You Don't Need
The cost of a moving company can depend on both the amount of things being moved, as well as the weight of the load. Assess what you really want to bring with you so that you can save time and money on the move. No reason to pay to move things that you never use anymore anyway, then spend time and energy getting rid of it later.
3. Pack It First
If you are a busy family or have to move suddenly, having the help of a team to pack up the house is great. However, if you have the time to start early, even several weeks, you can save a good chunk of that money by packing it yourself. If you do go this route, don’t put it off till last minute or the stress will outweigh the savings. Also check with your insurance on their policy about self packed boxes. Many will only insure belongings packaged by professionals.
4. Have Everything Together
If your movers have to go to your house, storage unit, and parent’s house to collect all of your belongings, it’s going to cost you precious time and prolong the moving process. Go ahead and gather up everything so that no time is wasted, which means no money is wasted.
5. Be Prepared
If you’re supplying your own packing material, make sure you have more than enough. If you have to run and grab more bubble wrap and boxes, that’s adding time to the move and money to the bill. At Top Dog we can also supply the material to ensure safety and supply, but if you’re really trying to cut the cost, stock up on your own.
6. Organize and Communicate
Time is money, so any organization and communication that saves time will lower that bill. Clearly label boxes with the rooms they belong to and make sure the team knows which room is being used for what. One fun tip we’ve seen is getting decorative duct tape (like zebra and cheetah print) and placing them on each room, then taping the boxes with the tape that matches the room they belong. This makes for quick referencing, saving you time!
7. Ask Your Movers
If your budget is a little tight, just have an honest conversation with your moving company. Many will work with you to find ways to save money. At Top Dog Movers we want to help you move into your next adventure, and being stressed with budget isn’t a great way to start. Let us know your needs and we’ll help get you where you need to go.
