If you’re preparing to move, you may be considering finding a way to move that is cost conservative (after all, you did just purchase a new home). Many people consider packing and moving themselves rather than investing in a professional removalist team.
Today, we’ll look at the benefits and risks of moving yourself compared to hiring a removalist team. Is there one right answer?
The short answer is, no.
What’s right for you will likely depend on your budget and the specifics of your move. Let’s take a look.
Packing and Moving Yourself
In this scenario, you are your own boss. You are responsible for securely packing all your belongings and transporting them to your new home. If you opt to take on the task yourself, you’ll still need to budget for your move so you can purchase boxes, tape, packing materials, bubble wrap, and rent necessary moving equipment like dollies, moving blankets, and a truck.
Advantages of a Self-Move
- Puts You in Control: Moving yourself allows you to create your own schedule. You can pack boxes on your own time rather than having everything ready for professional packers to come in. Overseeing when and how long you pack gives you flexibility that you wouldn’t have with a professional team coming in. And no need to worry about booking a professional moving team in advance—when you take on the job yourself, you can move any time that is convenient for you (provided you’re able to rent a truck).
- Costs Less (Maybe?): This is the go-to reason most people opt to take on a relocation themselves—they want to save money. Packing and moving yourself saves you from paying a professional team…but it also means you’re going to have to spend money on things that would have been included in the removalist’s fees (like renting moving equipment). Couple that with the petrol costs for making multiple trips between your old home and new, and there’s a chance the money you save by moving yourself is quite minimal.
Disadvantages of a Self-Move
- Physically Exhausting: It can take weeks to properly pack your home and carving out time to pack everything after a long workday or on weekends can be physically and mentally exhausting. The same goes for moving—making multiple trips loading and unloading instead of letting a team do it for you is backbreaking work and can lead to injury if you aren’t careful.
- Comes with Some Risk: Odds are, you have little experience when it comes to properly packing household items. You may start off strong but, as exhaustion and boredom set in, it’s likely you’ll start cutting corners—throwing random items together in a box without including proper padding. This can increase the odds that items break during your move. Again, the same goes with moving. Stacking boxes on your own with no real understanding of how to secure items in your car or truck can result in damage, and loading/unloading heavy items without proper training or equipment can leave you injured.
Hiring Professionals
Hiring a professional removalist team means you get to sit back and let experienced movers take care of your move for you. If you can afford it, consider hiring both packers and movers.
A good removalist will visit your home before your move to provide you a quote for exactly what it should cost to pack and move your home.
Advantages of Hiring Pros
- Amazingly Efficient: You won’t believe how quickly a pro team can pack up your belongings. Professional packers know exactly how to pack mirrors, artwork, delicate china, and other fragile items to ensure they are moved safely. They have also been trained on exactly how to pack in the most efficient way possible. Professional movers make short work of loading and moving your belongings, accomplishing in just a few hours what may have taken you days to complete on your own.
- Reduces Stress: Taking a step back and allowing packers and movers to do their jobs frees up your time for other important tasks related to moving. You’ll be able to make phone calls, ensure electricity and internet services are set up at your new address, and a million other things that would have to wait were you packing and moving yourself.
Disadvantages of Hiring Pros
- Can be Costly: Depending on the team you hire, the size of your home, and the location of your new address, hiring a professional team can be a sizable investment.
- Uncomfortable for Those who Like Control: If you have a hard time letting others be in control, you may find allowing strangers to touch, pack, and move your items awkward.
As you can see, there is no cut-and-dry answer. The right choice for you will be determined by your budget, the level of personal effort you want to expend, and the distance of your move. Before you resign yourself to tackling a move on your own, we encourage you to contact us at Holloway Removals. We would love to give you a custom quote for your move…and we think you might be surprised just how reasonable a Sydney removalist team can be.
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