Two big downsides of DIY moving
DIY moving is a very tempting option for homeowners looking to save money. The reasoning goes that if you cut out the “middle man” (i.e. a professional moving company), you will save a significant amount of money. In many cases, this is false, and in most cases, DYI moving has many downsides that can cause stress and aggravation that you would not experience with a professional mover. Below are some of the downsides of DIY moving that you should consider before moving
Cost: Unless you have a moving truck, lots of friends willing to help you and no items in your home that require special handling and tools, you are going to have to spend a significant amount of money on your DIY move. You will most probably have to rent or purchase the following items:
- A moving truck that will need to be packed and returned in good condition.
- Hand trucks/dollies to speed up moving your boxes
- Moving blankets to protect items such as a wood credenza
- Extra insurance to protect your valuables
- Packing supplies to securely pack your items
When you factor in these costs, a quality professional mover may be comparable in price.
Lost time: No matter how organized you are, when you attempt a DIY move there will be many time consuming tasks that will need your attention:
- Sourcing and renting a moving truck can take up a significant amount of your time.
- You will need to spend time enlisting friends and family to help you with your move. Not only is this task time consuming, it also can put undue strain on friendships.
- Packing the truck can be terribly time-consuming process. Moving experts are remarkably adept at assessing a situation and packing up the truck efficiently, and unless you are an expert, you will spend plenty of time trying to figure out what to load first, where to place items in the truck, etc.
While there may be no tangible monetary cost to losing time, the amount of time you spend getting preparing and actually performing your DIY move can cause a great deal of stress.
These two downsides should convince you to — at the very least — consider hiring a quality moving professional with an excellent reputation. You may be pleasantly surprised by the price you receive and the time you’ll save.