It often happens that people who are told about a necessity to move can’t decide if they should cope with all the relocation challenges themselves or it is more reasonable to order services of a moving company for this process. It is especially difficult to make this decision for people who move for a long distance for the first time and have never experienced that spectrum of emotions yet.
Naturally, if we make a survey and ask people how they prefer to relocate, there will be supporters of each side since both of them have their pros and cons. Therefore, every person planning to move should analyze his personal situation and evaluate all the factors connected with the process to understand if he can and wants to deal with it.
Things to consider choosing the move type
When you start planning your relocation and its budget, the first thing you should do is to make up a list of things to complete. You will see that it is much longer than a list of services provided by a moving company, so it is clear that some of the tasks set require your personal participation. Naturally, if you plan to cope with everything yourself, it is important to make up a detailed schedule and complete every stage following it to meet the timeframes. However, it is possible to hire professional movers or ask someone to help you and share this volume of work with others.
However, if you can’t make up your mind whether to move yourself or turn to a moving company, you should consider the following factors:
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Timeline
It is possible to plan relocation on your own if you have enough time for that, but it is better to entrust movers with urgent orders because you will have to complete many other important tasks.
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The volume of belongings moved
Naturally, if you do not plan to take everything with and relocate only with essentials behind your back, there is no sense to hire a truck or order moving containers. You can easily fit everything in your own car or ask someone to deliver you. However, moving an apartment or home is physically exhausting and time-consuming, so professional help is a necessity.
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Money and capability
Sometimes a moving budget can be very limited and not very big, so you simply can’t afford to hire movers. At the same time, the truck rental can be expensive enough too and it is possible to get more services for the same money if you turn to a full-service company.
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Distance
It is clear that the longer distance you should cover to the final point, the more chances for your belongings to get damaged during transportation. Packing mistakes always cause minor and even significant damage you will have to cover yourself. While asking your friends for help is always an option, this can cause more problems than it solves. For one, if they break anything one of you will have to replace it and this can get very awkward socially. If they are hurt while helping you move it could cost you money as well. In this situation, hiring long distance movers is often the best choice, as these professionals know what they are doing and have done it a million times before. If anything goes wrong they will make it right as fast as they can.
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Value of your possessions
If you have many fragile and expensive items to move, it may cost you a fortune to restore their value or damages caused by the move. With professional packing and loading experience, there are fewer chances to subject your precious things to damages. Moreover, all your belongings are insured when you hire movers.
Difference between DIY and professional move
If you have considered all the factors and still have some doubts, consider the difference between DIY relocation and mover assistance.
Responsibility
DIY: full control and dealing with any issue
Professional: minimum of involvement and insurance
It goes without saying that your relocation is your own problem, but it is possible to share responsibility for it. When you do everything alone, there is nobody to blame for losses, damages and health issues faced. Instead, movers will exclude any unpredictable situations and provide compensation if necessary.
Cost
DIY: cheaper if organize everything yourself
Professional: more expensive.
You can save on planning relocation yourself, but only if you avoid ordering any other services except for truck rental. Otherwise, it would be more affordable to order a range of services in one company. Also, you should understand that if you decide to organize the move on your own, you should be ready to additional expenses.
Schedule
DIY: no time limits except for the truck rental time
Professional: a well-scheduled process without delays
It is possible to stretch the relocation process as long as you can if you plan it yourself, but you will have no chance to change anything if you order a truck for a certain time and you will need to complete everything by this time. With a moving company, this process is not your responsibility and it is usually scheduled for minutes that is very comfortable.
Capability
DIY: all the processes are performed by a person and possible assistants
Professional: a client can rest and follow the process done for him
It may be detrimental for your health to lift heavy boxes and arrange them inside the truck, let alone unloading and unpacking them on site. It is possible to withstand this loading only if you have many assistants and not much cargo. Signing a contract with movers, they take all these responsibilities and even coordination of the relocation is no longer your obligation. And the only thing that you should do is to trust the movers, relax and imagine your new house.
State of mind
DIY: very stressful and hard
Professional: minimum of stress
Undoubtedly, moving is a very painstaking process that requires strength, attention, and patience. However, sometimes you run out of not only physical but also emotional charge because of numerous tasks to be completed and professional help is a benefit in this case.
As you can see, both relocation types have their positive and negative sides, but it is up to you to decide which one is more suitable in your situation.
