How to Lower Your Moving Costs

moving on a budget - how to lower moving costs
moving on a budget - how to lower moving costs

The process of moving can be overwhelming, but there are ways to make it less painful if you’re on a budget. Below is an outline with helpful tips designed specifically to lower your moving costs.

1. Professional Movers vs. DIY

If you are planning on hiring professional movers, make sure to get quotes from several companies before making any final decisions. If it’s during an “off-season” for moving business then be ready to pay lower rates than what might otherwise apply – this could save up 30%! Did someone mention fall or winter? Those two seasons offer cheaper prices compared with springs and summer moves.

2. Try Not To Pay For Boxes

The best way to save money when moving is by securing your own move with free boxes. There are plenty of opportunities available on Craig’s List, including coming across recycled goods at grocery stores or liquor stores which can provide you enough material for the job!

3. Sell or Donate Non-Essential Belongings To Lower Your Moving Costs

One of the most important parts about moving is to make sure you only bring what’s necessary. All those extra things can really add weight and cost, so get rid if them before hand! You may be surprised at how much money people will pay for old bookcases or gym weights.

Consider donating old books that you don’t need anymore, especially hardcovered books. You can earn a tax deduction for your donations and they are also heavy so less weight, less cost!

4. Measure the Dimensions of Your New Space

Measure the dimensions of any new home before moving furniture in order make sure anything bulky that won’t fit nicely into the space doesn’t get moved. Sell or donate what doesn’t work out.

5. Pay Close Attention to Utility Shut off Dates to Lower your Moving Costs

Sometimes your billing cycle for utilities doesn’t work well with your moving day. Cut your services early to you don’t have to pay an extra month’s bill. While living without electricity might be tough, you could probably make it with out cable.

6. Have your Packing Done Ahead of Time

Moving companies can charge by the hour along with mileage. It’s beneficial to have your packing completed before the movers arrive so you don’t keep them any longer than necessary.

7. Stage your Boxes

Make it easier for movers and cheaper for you by staging the boxes in the garage with clearly labeled boxes with the name of the room they are going to.

8. Use What you Have for Packing

Save money by filling up containers you already have, like plastic bins or suit cases. Then use linens, or sheets to wrap up items. Any additional packing materials can be purchased from a recycled box company or local business.

9. Moving Insurance

Protect your items with moving insurance. If you do have a lost or damaged item, more than likely it will cost you more than the insurance fee to replace it.

10. Moving Expenses May Be Deducted From Your Taxes if You Qualify

Keep your receipts. If you relocated for a new full-time job that is at least 50 miles away from your previous home, you can deduct packing costs, transporting, or storing household goods.

The process of moving can be a huge undertaking, but there are ways to keep your moving costs down and make it less painful if you’re on a budget. We hope you enjoyed our outline with helpful tips designed specifically for those who want to lower your moving costs. Read more packing tips.

Moving Checklist

moving checklist to simplify your move
moving checklist to simplify your move

It’s important to have a moving checklist and these steps will help you create the perfect one for your needs.

Moving Checklist -Two Months before the move

• Prepare a budget spreadsheet to keep track of expenses.
• Research moving companies.
• Visit your new community, by visiting, you get a better idea for the neighborhoods and amenities.
• Book a Mover — The earlier you get a quote, the better chances you’ll get the date you want
• Get Insured — Confirm that your movers are insured.
• Research schools — Make sure they’re all set up with their new school and have a start date.
• Prepare A Moving Plan For Special Items — (e.g. fragile stuff, pianos, hot tub, etc.).
• Make a list of questions to ask the moving company
• Take Inventory Of Valuables — Start an inventory sheet for valuables before you move.
• Declutter your house
• Streamline Your Closet — Turn the hangers in your closet around. If you find you haven’t worn certain items donate those items.


One Month Before Your Move - Moving Checklist

• Go to your children’s school and arrange for their records to be transferred to their new school district.
• Use it or Lose it — Start using up things that you don’t want to move
• Have a garage sale.
• Donate the rest.
• Take Measurements — Check room dimensions at your new place, if possible, and make sure larger pieces of furniture will fit through the door.
• Take Inventory Of Electronics — Take inventory of all electronics and take a photo of the setup (it’s easier when you can see how they used to look when hooking them back up).
• Order Supplies — Unless we are packing you ourselves it is time to order boxes and other supplies such as tape, bubble wrap, and permanent markers.
• Painters and Repairmen — If you’re thinking about repainting your new digs, try to give yourself a few days before you have to be out of your old place as you’ll need drying time. Also, minor repairs are usually easier with out furniture in the way.
• Service Your Vehicle — If you’re moving a couple of hours away or longer, have your vehicles serviced.
• Create A Packing Schedule — Plan your packing schedule to get organized and start labelling boxes or areas of your home. Color Coding or numbering for each room can help.
• Book Storage — If you are planning on going into a storage unit now would be a good time to arrange for that.
• Check on Auto Insurance and Homeowners Insurance.
• Decide if you are taking your appliances.
• Cancel or update local memberships like the gym.
• Dispose of hazardous items that you can’t take with you.
• Confirm date


Three Weeks Before Your Move

• Do a Change of Address — Go to your local post office and fill out a change-of-address form. In most cases you can even do it online.
• Notify Friends and Family — Send a change of address postcard or email to all your friends and families with your new address!
• Notify Other Important Parties — Alert the following of your move: banks, credit cards, insurance, and utility companies and cable companies!
• Forward Medical Records — Arrange for medical records to be sent to any new healthcare providers or obtain copies of them yourself.
• Board Pets/Arrange for Babysitter, it can make things easier and less stressful.
• Confirm Parking at both locations for moving day.
• Gather All Important Documents In One Place — This includes financial statements, legal papers, passports, birth certificates, and more.
• Decide what to do with plants.
• Book Your Cleaners — Find and book a cleaner if you plan to use a professional service for your move-out or move-in.


Two Weeks Before Your Move

• Begin Packing — Start packing the things that you use most infrequently. While packing, note items of special value that may require special care.
• Pack An Essentials Bag (or Box) — Leave items out for an essentials box with everything you’ll need for your first 24 hours in your new home.
• Back-Up Your Computer — Make sure everything important is saved somewhere on a hard drive or in the cloud.
• Pack Your Valuables In A Safe Box — Use your inventory list for valuables that include items such as jewelry, expensive purses, small but precious family heirlooms, moon rocks, important files, or any other small valuables into a safe box (or boxes) that you will personally transport to your new home.
• Get Antiques Appraised — If you have antiques or valuables being moved, have them appraised and advise your moving company in case extra insurance is required.
• Label Everything — clearly label and number each box with its contents, if it is fragile or not, and the room it’s destined for. These markings should be on both the top and at least one side so you can tell what is in them even if the boxes are stacked. Consider color-coding box labels, i.e. orange = kitchen, blue = bathroom.
• Fix Minor Repairs — Take care of any minor repairs that need to be done before you move.
• Order new furniture or decor than you may need.


Moving Checklist for the Last Few Days Before Your Move

• Defrost The Freezer — If your freezer is moving with you, make sure to empty, clean, and defrost it at least 24 hours before moving day.
• Empty Your Refrigerator — The refrigerator needs to be emptied but, unless you are moving into storage or something, you can unload it at the last minute into coolers. We can put it on the truck last so it comes off first and you can get those food items back into the refrigerator as soon as possible.
• Plan for the Payment — If you haven’t already arranged to pay your mover with a credit card then make sure to cash for payment and tip (we don’t accept checks). A typical tip is 10% to 20% like most service industries. If you are moving out of town and plan on paying with a credit card it is a good idea to alert your credit card company that you will have a new charge coming through in a different zip code than normal. Sometimes card payments will be denied for security reasons if they are not alerted beforehand.
• Be Ready for the Cable and Internet Installer — Keep your tv, power cord and internet modem handy on move day (include it with the first load so it is accessible right away) if you are having cable and internet set up on move day.
• Dust Furniture and Vacuum Rugs — Ideally you would like to keep the dust and dirt at your old place and not bring it to the new one. You can wait until moving day to hit those rugs since the movers will obviously move the items on top of the rugs for you.
• Dispose Of Dangerous Liquids — Recycle or dispose of corrosives, flammables, and poisonous items.
• Empty Your Tanks — Empty oil and gas from grills, heaters, lawnmowers, and snow blowers.
• Clean Outdoor Furniture — Clean outdoor furniture BEFORE it’s moved.
• Book Your Final Walkthrough — Prepare and book for your final walkthrough with your landlord (if you’re renting or in an apartment).


On Moving Day - Checklist

• Have water bottles on hand.
• Take inventory of all belongings so you can keep track of what you have and what the movers are transporting. It may be helpful to take photos of fragile items.
• Get Up Early — Avoid sleeping in, it never hurts to have extra time on moving day!
• Prepare A Meal or Get Take Out — To avoid a full fridge, prepare or grab take-out breakfast, especially if you’ve packed everything.
• Be Ready To Move — Don’t keep your movers waiting, the sooner we’re all ready, the quicker (and smoother) the move will be.
• Protect Your Property — Layout protective equipment for flooring and doors if your mover won’t supply it.
• Start Cleaning — If you have help, have someone at the other home to start cleaning (but keep room for the movers).
• Final Walkthrough — Do a final walk-through to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. Double-check those high-up closet shelves, and take a peek on top of the fridge and kitchen cabinets!


Moving Checklist for A Few Days After Moving Day

• Clean the new house.
• Begin to Unpack — Hang pictures, reload cabinets, etc.
• Check All Safety Features — Check to see that all of the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in your new home have fresh batteries in them. Make sure that all the fire extinguishers are not expired and check any other safety devices to see if they are functioning properly.
• Have all of the locks for the house changed, because you never know how many of the previous owner’s friends and family had keys to your house. It is also a good idea to have the codes for the garage door opener changed.
• Map Out the Area — One of the first things you need to do is to find the location of the nearest hospital. You never know when you or someone you love will need emergency medical attention.
• Get To Know Your New Home — Locate the water shutoff switches, as well as the main circuit breaker (label the switches if not already labelled). Also, a good time to check your air filters!
• Review Your New HOA Rules
• Explore the neighborhood.
• Meet Your Neighbors
• Figure out trash pickup days.
• Update drivers license
• Register to vote
• Register your pet
• Relax…


Packing Tips

packing tips
packing tips

Packing Tips for Moving. As you start planning and sorting, think about what your belongings are going to go into. Also what kind of materials are you going to use to keep them sturdy during the ride.

1. Declutter to pack less.

If you don’t need it, get rid of it. Lighten the work load and your stress by decluttering before you move. 

2. Create a moving checklist.

It is helpful if you include a timeline. By visually organizing your move it can reduce stress and maintain order.

3. Don’t over pack a moving box.

This can cause breakage. We provide boxes and materials at your convenience, but if you choose your own, be sure they are durable and the correct size. Consider flattening your boxes after a move and store for later.

4. Place heavy items in small boxes

rather than large, or place them in totes. Take advantage of your suitcases! They are useful for packing as well. Lastly, make sure to pack an essential tote for the new house you’ll use immediately.

5. Label your boxes!

Nothing screams, “this sucks” than blindly guessing where to put boxes in and attempting to stay organized. This will cause stress and delay for not only you and your family, but for our professionals who are helping and extremely busy.

6. Book Early

If you are hiring movers or moving services book early. Waiting can mean paying higher prices and not getting the dates you want.

7. Schedule utilities, cable, or internet services

When the dates are finalized, you should contact your utility services to turn off in the old home and to turn on in the new one. Keep a record of the requests.

8. Keep the essentials with you

Before the move, keep everyday essentials in a bag. A change of clothes, toothbrush, must have toys for the kids, medications, water bottles, etc.

We hope you enjoyed this list of packing tips for moving. Read our blog post about packing fragile items.

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    DeCluttering Your Home

    decluttering your home
    decluttering your home

    We naturally have a thing for collecting things and a mentality that “it’ll be used later”. As the years go by, your spacious home becomes a storage for knick knacks with little room to breathe. As you are preparing yourself for the big moving day, now will be the perfect opportunity to Declutter. It is not as overwhelming as you think.

    Here are some helpful tips for Decluttering your Home:

    ORGANIZE

    Here is what you determine which items are truly going to go to a donation, to the trash, garage sale or with you. Make an area as your ‘no clutter zone’. Always start on one side of the room, one room at a time. Each room should be labeled to keep organized. Ask yourself, do you love it? Are you going to use it? If the answer is no, get rid of it. Visualize your end result.

    BEGIN WITH SMALL

    Okay! If I start on the big items such as clothing, I can tackle the small. WRONG! Once we clean out the closet and look at all of the little items around, motivation is gone and gets pushed off delaying your packing and adds stress! DE-clutter! You don’t want to be in your new home to see a box labeled ‘junk’ just to be taking space.

    SET AN ALLOTTED TIME

    We understand, your day to day is occupied with work, or  your kids, school, activities, errands or your pets. Set time for yourself each day as you are getting closer to the move day to organize and pack. Be consistent as you can daily.

    THROW ON THE TUNES

    Who said packing is stressful? It is a new chapter in your life so why not make the best of it and throw on your playlist as you sort through your items, share memories, get a good laugh in from all of those old silly costumes and Christmas sweaters, photos or sentimental items.

    Benefits of Decluttering your Home

    • Less to clean
    • Less to organize
    • Reduced Stress
    • Less Debt – Spending less time shopping for material possessions and adding to the clutter means your wallet and bank accounts remain fuller.
    • More financial freedom. Decluttering, paired with minimalism, will help you build up savings to keep you protected in case of unexpected emergencies.
    • More energy to spend on what you enjoy

    Additional Decluttering your Home Tips

    Work for 5 minutes at a time

    You can build up momentum with 5 minutes at a time.

    Fill an entire trash bag

    Get a trash bag and fill it as fast as you can with things you can donate. Doneate the things you never wear.

    Look at your home the way a first time visitor would

    Walk into your house and look at it like you were visiting a friend. What kind of first impression do you get? Make changes accordingly.

    Take before and after photos

    Choose a room or area and take a photo before you make the changes. Then quicly clean out the items in the photo and take another photo. When you see how your house could look it motivates you to continue decluttering your home.

    We hope you enjoyed our tips for decluttering your home. Read more about our tips for cleaning your new home.

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      Covid Precautions

      Covid Precautions when moving
      why should you hire a moving company

      Covid Precautions: As an essential business, the health, safety and peace of mind of our team is a priority. Our business has adapted to the world’s changes by being extremely conscious and compliant with federal and local guidelines. We make a practice social distancing when possible, sanitation precautions keeping our equipment and materials clean and those around us safe.

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        Packing Fragile Items – A How To Guide

        packing fragile items a how to guide
        packing fragile items a how to guide

        Your fragile items and sentimental values are just as important to us as they are to you. To avoid your fragile items from getting damaged during transport to your new home, you want to make sure you’re using the right materials and implement proper packing techniques.

        Use the right materials

        Materials: Bubble wrap, dish and glasses packers, packing paper, newspapers, furniture covers, tape, plastic stretch wrap, towels, rags, packing peanuts, thick sweaters.

        Packing Fragile Items

        Safely and securely pack your breakable items by taping the bottom of the box of all open seams and corners. Secure the bottom of the box with extra stris of tape.

        Build a base with cushion inside of the box with thick materials such as bubble wrap, towels or packing peanuts.

        Wrap each item with packing paper, bubble wrap or towels or sweaters. Be sure to add additional material around thin areas such as wine glass stem or mug handles. Secure with tape.

        Carefully place the items wrapped into the box always starting with the heaviest on the bottom. If you have pre-divided boxes, place the items in their compartments.

        Fill in any gaps in the box with any materials to prevent your breakables from shifting. Include adding a layer on the top prior to sealing the box.

        Mark Boxes as Fragile

        Carefully mark each box as fragile. put it on the top and several sides of the box to make sure it’s seen. You could even use colored tape to help draw attention that the item is fragile.

        Take your time

        People often rush to get all the packing done. But when you are packing fragile items, it is especially important to take your time and be aware of what you are doing. Rushing and cutting corners could cost you on moving day. Read more of our Packing Tips.

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