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DIY Moving vs. Hiring Professional Movers

Posted on March 14, 2022

There are a lot of options when it comes to moving. Choosing which realtor to use, which house to purchase, and which furniture to relocate are all difficult decisions to make. When you include in the decision of whether to move yourself or pay movers, it’s no surprise that many people are completely overwhelmed before they ever begin packing their belongings. Thankfully, we’re here to assist you in determining which of these relocation options is best for you.

Whether you hire movers or move yourself is mostly determined by your budget, distance to the new property, move complexity, and personal preferences. There are people who are physically incapable of carrying a couch and mattress down a flight of steps. Not to add, maybe most of your friends aren’t exactly handy or capable of heavy lifting. Needless to say, many of us are left with only one option: hiring movers. There are, however, many people who have successfully accomplished several DIY moves – and saved a significant amount of money in the process.




Pros of DIY moving



You have complete control over move



The greatest advantage of a DIY move, is that you have complete control over the entire moving process. You not only get to pick the truck and all of your moving items, but you can also manage all of the boxes yourself to guarantee that nothing breaks during the move.

When you commit to a DIY relocation, you have the freedom to choose when you want to start and when you want to finish. You get to decide how to best secure your stuff if you’re moving in poor weather. You also have complete control over how the vehicle is loaded, and you won’t have to worry about movers throwing boxes and furniture into rooms.

Pack your belongings however you like



Similar to the previous point, you don’t have to stress about neatly packing all of your stuff when preparing for a DIY move. When the movers arrive, you should have all of your boxes sealed and ready to travel. You won’t have to pack odd-shaped items like lights and plants if you move yourself. You won’t have to waste time worrying about how to pack up additional stuff like pillows and blankets. You can pack as little or as much as you wish as long as everything is in the truck on moving day.

Cons of DIY moving



Heavy lifting



The fact that you’ll have to move everything yourself is the hardest part of a DIY move. Unless, of course, that duty falls on the shoulders of your beefiest (and unquestionably finest) pals. Lifting all of those boxes and heavy pieces of furniture, however, is not going to be easy – especially if there are numerous steps to contend with. If you or your pals are novice movers, you risk damaging the walls by dragging couches and beds down the stairwell. A one-bedroom apartment may be simple to manage.

Planning



It’s also necessary to plan ahead when choosing a moving company. However, managing a complete move on your own will necessitate a great deal of preparation. You’ll have to figure out how to get your things from point A to point B. You’ll also need to figure out how to correctly load the hired moving truck, including which items go in first and which go last, as well as how to organize them inside the truck.

Unforeseen difficulties happen



You may be out of luck if anything unforeseen happens, such as your couch becoming stuck in the door. You could end up wasting hours trying to remedy the situation instead of lounging on that couch inside your new house if you don’t hire experienced movers and use certain moving tools.




Pros of hiring professional movers



You won’t have to do anything



Professionals should handle the heavy lifting. After all, these professional movers were employed for a specific purpose. You won’t have to lift or carry any of your heavy furniture down the stairs or out the door if you hire a professional moving company. You won’t have to worry about strained muscles, scratched new flooring, or asking friends for assistance with the lifting. Instead, you may concentrate on babysitting your children, keeping an eye on your pet, and other necessary activities. You may also just sit back and relax.

Less stressful



In general, hiring movers alleviates a lot of the stress associated with moving day. Aside from the time-saving advantages of hiring a moving company, you will avoid having to drive a large moving truck down the highway. The driving of moving trucks is extremely difficult. It’s not much better with trailers. If the thought of loading and operating a large moving truck makes you nervous, I strongly advise you to hire movers.

You are sure that your stuff is safe



You may be confident that your valuable assets will be safeguarded. Before they start carefully packing and transporting your belongings, most professional moving companies will require you to sign a formal contract. These contracts exist purely to protect the customer in the event of property loss, so if one of your movers trips over a box, your personal belongings will be insured.

You can avoid moving injuries



An injury is the last thing you want to deal with during a move. To minimize personal injury, engage a professional moving company if you have big pieces of furniture or extra-heavy boxes in your home. An expert fleet of movers will have the equipment necessary to transport heavy things without jeopardizing their or your safety.

Cons of hiring professional movers



Less flexibility



When you hire professional movers, you give up control of the transfer. There’s not much you can do to influence when and how you move, from the date/time of pick-up to the way the movers pack your items. Worst-case scenario: if the moving company makes many stops along the route, you may have to wait weeks for your moving truck to arrive. Hiring a moving company may not be the ideal solution for individuals who prefer to be in complete control.

Impersonal



You probably don’t know your movers personally. To say the least, entrusting your valuables to complete strangers might be a bit nerve-wracking. That’s why it’s necessary to do your research, read reviews, and compare ratings before hiring a moving company to assist you with your move.