To pack or not to pack, that is the question. Is it better to pack up your belongings and move yourself or to hire a professional moving company to do the work for you? It seems that more people are currently choosing for the DIY move, or at least a partial DIY move. Not only is it significantly less money than having a moving company, you also have greater control over how your possessions are packed and more flexibility on when they will be delivered to your new home.
On the other hand, hiring a professional moving company reduces the stress of the process as well as the stress on your back. Here are a few of the pros and cons to doing it yourself.
1. You are responsible for all packing materials as well as the moving vehicle. While this seems simple at first – it gets a bit more complicated and there are still significant costs involved. You will need durable boxes of the correct size for your items as well as packing material like sheets of newspaper, bubble wrap and packing materials to prevent breakage. If you no longer have the original boxes for items like your television or computer, you will need to purchase packing products that are large enough and durable enough to protect them during the move.
2. Packing yourself will always take much longer than you estimate. Most DIY report that the time spent on packing was 2-3 times more than originally estimated.
3. Moving companies carry insurance that will cover your household goods while in transit. Your homeowner’s or renter’s policy most likely only protects your possessions while they are in your residence. You will want to look into purchasing additional insurance for your move.
4. You will also want to check your auto insurance policy to see if it covers a rental vehicle before you rent a truck or a van. You will want to choose among the four main types of supplemental protection plans such as damage waivers, supplemental liability insurance, personal accident and cargo insurance and auto tow protection.
5. You will have to disassemble and reassemble all your furniture yourself. Make sure that you have the proper tools and can do so without damaging your furniture or home gym equipment.
6. You need to carefully review the items that should never go in a moving truck for safety concerns: propane tanks, candles, paint, lighter fluid, nail polish remover or other flammable items. For your personal safety do not pack personal papers, open jars of food or perishables.t
7. Some items are heavier than they look. Especially your washing machine and couch. Make sure you have extra help and that you have at least one moving dolly that can be used on stairs.
Another option is to do the packing yourself but to hire a moving company to do the heavy lifting. If you choose to bring in professionals, make sure that they are insured as well as bonded. Bonding guarantees that you are protected against breakage and damage.
Give me a call today for more tips that will make your moving process a smooth one.
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