Moving can be stressful,  time-consuming, and it can be very expensive. Hiring professional movers to relocate to a new city will likely cost you several thousand dollars. If you want to avoid handing your hard-earned money over to movers and moving boxes, then here are some moving tips for you to prepare for y9our move.  Whether you’re moving to the best community across the street or moving to a new state, there are some excellent tips to consider to help you prepare for your move. These moving tips save money at the same time.

Purge Before Packing

Before you start packing your stuff, you will want to declutter your house, seriously in every single room. Start with decluttering your closets, pantries, cupboards, and getting rid of unnecessary items. Old clothes and shoes can be donated to charity. If you have some nice items that you no longer use, consider selling them on one of the apps such as Offerup or Poshmark. It is simple and you can sell things and turn some of your trash into cash!

Call your local animal shelter or wildlife and wetlands center to find out what kind of donations they take. Often times they will take old pet supplies such as pet beds, bowls, and pet food holders. They also utilize old bedding and towels and use them to take care of injured animals.

You can also donate old furnishing and items that you do not need to charity. There are several companies that offer free donation pickup. Keep in mind, the less clutter that you have the less you have to move.

Find Free Moving Boxes

One of the very first things to do when planning your move is to find free moving boxes. If you buy boxes at moving companies, they can be very expensive, especially if you are buying large boxes. There are many places where you can find free moving boxes. Ask local stores such as book stores when they get local deliveries, and they will likely offer to give them to you.  Other stores such as liquor stores or wine cellars receive their shipments in sturdy boxes due to the weight of the shipment. Those boxes are great to pack up kitchen pots and pans, and even wrap up glassware.

Compare Moving Companies

There are some great ways to compare moving companies. You will want to hire one that has a good reputation Once you have a list of companies that will suffice your need to check what previous customers have to say about them. It is easy to find customer reviews online for local moving businesses. You can find feedback on Yelp, Google, Facebook, and other sites. If you cannot find reviews that meet your needs, that might be a red flag. However, if you want to continue with your due diligence with the particular moving company, then you can ask the company to provide references.

Be sure to ask what services that moving companies provide. Some will completely pack for you and move the boxes, however, it is going to be more economical to pack the boxes yourself and will help you save money on moving costs.

Pack Everything Yourself

If you are hiring professional packers, that will most likely expedite the moving process, but it will likely increase the moving costs When you hire professional packers, it can get expensive. Heirlooms and certain items you may just want to pack yourself and keep in your own vehicle. Packing rates vary for the different moving companies. Be sure to ask how much packing services cost and the number of hours it will take to pack them up!  Packing yourself will definitely save you a lot of expenses with moving costs.

Storage PODS

Storage pods or portable on-demand storage is a great alternative to using moving companies. The costs involved with renting these types of storage PODS can be less expensive than utilizing professional movers and will save with your moving costs. You literally just pack your stuff in storage PODS over a few weeks, only having it taken away when you are ready. Using a storage POD can help you save money with your move. And you can pack on your time. The storage POD company will pick up the POD and take to your new location. This may be more cost-effective and save you money with moving costs.

If you need to store your items for a while,  utilizing storage PODS might not be the best option as they do not have climate control. Be sure to keep this in mind when planning your move as this will ultimately save on your moving costs

Be Flexible

If you can be flexible with the date of your move, it can save you considerable money. Ideally, schedule your relocation after the peak moving season. In general, most people tend to move in the summer months, when the kids are out of school for summer. The most inexpensive time of year to move is between October and April. So if it is at all possible to move during that time, you save lots with your moving costs.

Final thoughts

Planning your move will set you up for a stress-free move. When the house has been decluttered, it is a great time to start packing up your items. Packing your fragile items yourself is a good idea and that way you can be sure it will arrive at the new destination in one peace. By planning ahead, you will be avoiding moving mistakes that can be exhausting.

About the Author

One of the best Newport Beach Realtors Sharon Paxson has written the real estate article “6 Easy Ways to Cut Moving Costs on Your Next Move”. With experience since 2005 representing sellers, buyers, and landlords with their real estate transactions, we welcome the opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise and guide you through the home buying or selling process.