Pros and Cons of Self-Moving
Whether you’ve got a new job assignment, you’re looking to relocate to be closer to friends or family, or your lease has expired, you probably aren’t looking forward to packing and moving your household yourself. It may be necessary for financial reasons, but there are pros and cons to weigh when you’re trying to decide what to do.
Pros of Self Moving:
It can save you money
This is probably the top reason people want to pack and move by themselves without the assistance of a moving company.
You can find and use free boxes
Free is good, particularly when it comes to boxes. If you head to Home Depot, Office Depot, Lowe’s, or even Wal-Mart you can find boxes for sale, but free boxes can be had if you take your time and talk to store managers and staff who might be discarding good sturdy shipping boxes.
You know your things better than a moving company
Trust is a big issue when it comes to choosing a mover, and trusting your precious goods to a stranger can be stressful and overwhelming.
You can do it on your own schedule
You can pack your home up in the evenings, on the weekends, before work, or even throw a packing party for your friends to lighten the load.
Cons of Self Packing:
It can be overwhelming to plan
Few people realize the complexity of planning a move. While it may seem manageable at first, once you begin packing it’s easy to get overwhelmed and give up. Not to mention the tasks of finding boxes and packing material, securing helpers to move your furniture, locating a moving van or truck, and loading it all yourself. It’s complicated and tricky to manage a move appropriately, and it’s easy to let it overwhelm you.
Physical exertion
Unless you’re in the prime of your life and peak physical health, moving is physically exhausting. From shopping for packing materials to labeling boxes, and from spending hours on your knees while you pack to bending over, the physical exertion can easily cause serious injury and health issues.
Risk of breakage from improper packing
Since you’re not a professional, you probably don’t know the ins and outs of what kind of box to use, what types are available, what kind of packing material to use for what types of items, how full to pack your boxes, how to stack the boxes, or how to secure them in your car, truck, or van. You may have spent hours packing your boxes, but improperly packed boxes can lead to breakage and heartache.
Finding helpers can be a big problem
Even if you’re packing a small apartment, it can be a big problem to find people to help you pack and move. Even the best of friends can mysteriously vanish into thin air when they get word that you’re moving. Not only do you have to find time in your schedule to pack and move, but you must coordinate with your helpers, if you can find them at all, and you must trust them not to break or damage your belongings during the move.
Liability if someone gets hurt
Whether it’s getting hurt yourself or having to deal with the injury of someone else, liability is a looming threat. If one of your friends, a family member, or a neighbor gets hurt helping you move, you may have serious liability issues and a possible lawsuit on your hands.
Renting a truck or van can be expensive
You’ll have to pay for the rental, gas, damage, dollies, and other accessories. The costs can add up quickly, and you may wind up kicking yourself for not choosing a professional moving company.
You must drive a truck yourself
Unless you’re a professional truck driver, driving a moving van can be a harrowing and dangerous experience. You’re probably used to your car, SUV, minivan, or truck, but driving a large moving van can be hazardous to yourself, your passengers, and other drivers.
Self Move or Call a Professional Team?
While self-packing may seem like a good idea at first, it has a few pitfalls, and before you make the decision to self-move, weigh the pros and cons. You may find that hiring a professional moving company will save you time, money, headache, and hassle in the long run.
We can assist with your next move, contact us for a free quote.
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