3 Reasons Why It's Cheaper to Hire a Moving Company

Once the kids are out of the house and you no longer need the extra rooms, you may consider downsizing to a smaller home. Or maybe you desire a warmer climate or need to move to another state to start a new position for work. 

If you are preparing to move and are contemplating hiring movers, but aren't sure if it is less expensive to move and pack yourself, take a look at the three thoughts below. While DIY moving may sound less expensive, in most cases it's not.

Hidden Expenses of DIY Moving 

Often times when people are weighing the benefits of hiring movers over DIY moving they are so focused on the price of their estimate that they often forget all of the hidden expenses associated with moving your home yourself. 

Some of the hidden financial expenses are taking time off of work to pack and move, boxes and packing supplies, truck rental, and the often forgotten moving supplies, such as dollies, pads, and covers. 

Also take into consideration the impact on your social calendar as you make your DIY arrangements and purchase all of your moving and packing supplies. 

Last but not least, consider when the last time you moved was. Think of how much more stuff you have accumulated over the years, and how different you are physically since your last move. 

Even if you are 55 and in tip-top shape, moving a couch up from your basement can take quite a toll. Just make sure your moving company does not have any restrictions for moving the items in your home, like a piano or very fragile art, and that your home owners insurance covers loss and damage. 

Easier When Moving Long Distances 

Even if you enjoy road trips, moving long distances is an entirely different ball game. You have a large truck to maneuver, the truck is a gas guzzler, and you either have your car towed behind you or your spouse driving in the car—leaving you both driving solo. 

If you are moving a distance that takes you more than an hour away, hiring movers can prove to be far less expensive. Even when renting trucks you are limited to the size you can drive with a general driver's license. However, professional movers have commercial licenses allowing them to move all of your belongings in one trip instead of several small trips. 

This not only saves you time, it reduces your stress level. If you are moving out of state you can even let the movers drive while you hop on a plane to meet them at your destination. 

Helps You Stay Organized 

Staying organized while packing and moving is quite a difficult task, but not for professional movers. Movers understand the systems that need to be put in place when packing and moving your items. They will not only move your things to your new home, but they will make sure that each box goes to the appropriate room. 

If you will be packing your home before the movers arrive, make sure you understand what kind of system they would like to use to identify which room the box needs to go back into—such as color-coding the boxes that go in each room with different stickers. 

While the initial cost of hiring a mover may seem as if it is a significant expense, when you consider the factors above it is often times both financially and physically less expensive. When hiring a moving company, make sure you do your research to confirm that they are a reputable company. 

About the Author: Ace Barnes is a full-time freelance writer and researcher - he does a lot of research online, making it easy for him to share his expertise and gems of wisdom. If you're in the Dallas area, he suggests checking out North Dallas Moving and Storage for a free quick quote.

Is it In You to Move? Considerations You Have to Face

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No matter how much we try to deny it, age is an ever present deterrent for many activities. Moving from one place to another can put a great deal of undue stress on our bodies. There is nothing wrong with getting older, but it is a constant reminder that there just may be a few things we simply can't handle on our own anymore. When it comes time to move, there are a few aspects we need to keep in mind.

1. Too Heavy - Although you may be in great physical condition, there is nothing wrong with getting help to move some of the heavier objects. In fact, it is better to put as little strain on your body as possible. Many of us face a variety of illnesses and overexertion could cause some of these instances to flare up. It is wise to err on the side of caution and not give the doctor another reason to stick you with a needle.

2. Budget Planning - Moving can be quite expensive depending on how much stuff you have and how many friends and family are available to help you. It could cost a couple hundred dollars for you to move and budgeting the extra expense into your monthly allotment may be quite difficult.

3. Materials - Although this could be rolled into budget planning above, you'll need to gather materials for your move. Boxes can get expensive if you need a lot of them. And what are the chances of you using the box once you're done moving? Grocery stores and outlets of all kinds regularly toss boxes out to the recycling bins or offer these items to those who request having them.

4. High School Element - If you need additional help moving, never underestimate the power of a teenager. Many high schools will offer programs to help those in our, well, waning years. Even an ad in the paper or flyers pinned to grocery stores looking for teens to help you move could be beneficial. This is especially easy to do in the summer as teenagers are always looking for a few extra dollars for the season.

5. Avoid Holidays - If you can avoid moving during holidays, you may be better off. Holidays tend to increase traffic on the road and make for a miserable time trying to get to your location. This is aside from the fact that good help may be next to impossible to find.

6. Nice and Easy - Unless your move is spur of the moment, taking your time to pack and transport your belongings from one place to another can save a great deal of energy and stress. When you are trying to rush to get out, your valuables can be broken in transport. Moving shouldn't be a hard pressed race against the clock.

Although you may not be able to afford a moving company to help you relocate, there is nothing wrong with turning to friends and family for help. Whether you or a friend has grandchildren, there are many people you can enroll in order to help you. Most of these people can be hired for free. It's not exploitation if you guilt-trip your children and grandchildren into helping you. That's one of the joys of being a grandparent.

This article is contributed by Madoline Hatter. Madoline is a freelance writer and blog junkie from ChangeOfAddressForm.com. You can reach her at: m.hatter12 @ gmail. com.