It probably comes as no surprise to you that moving is one of the five most stressful life events in existence.
The moving process itself is stressful with so many details to cover, from utility transfers to moving your belongings. Add in the financial strain and the emotional transition and you have a perfect storm for tying knots in your stomach.
We might not be able to change the stress of moving away from the memories in your old home. We can, however, help you with the financial component. After all, a full-service move can cost $12,000 or more.
To cut that number, try these tips for saving on moves in Sterling.
1. Pack It Up
When you hire a moving company, you can choose which services you want from them. You could choose to do no preparation and have the movers pack everything you own before hauling it. Or, you could do the packing yourself.
Doing your own packing can save a lot of money. If you have your boxes packed up and ready to haul out when the movers arrive, it’ll be a quick process. Since movers charge by the hour, “quick” translates to “affordable.”
2. Cut Out Clutter
The most effective way to cut your moving cost is to move fewer belongings. Now is the time to do a full-on, professional organizer-style clean-out. Truly analyze each item to see if you really use it and if it’ll serve a purpose at your new home.
You may be surprised by how much furniture and decor you no longer need. It may not fit with the look or layout of your new home. You could even use a floorplan for your new home to see where everything will go and get rid of anything that doesn’t work.
Take an especially critical look at hard-to-move items like fitness equipment. If your treadmill is due for an upgrade, get rid of the old one now and buy a new one after you move.
As an added bonus, you can get money or tax savings through this process too by selling or donating items. This process can take time, though, so start decluttering early.
3. Get Organized
As we mentioned above, time is money when it comes to moving. On top of having your items packed and ready to move when the movers arrive, your organizational skills could save you money too.
The more organized your items are, the smoother and more quickly the move will go. There are several ways to organize your packed items for the move.
First, label everything. Label each box and piece of furniture with the room you want it to go in so the movers don’t have to ask you.
Second, set up the space to be moving-friendly. Keep everything along the walls as much as possible. This way, movers don’t have to push items out of the way to get your items out of the house because they already have a clear path down the middle.
If your home has multiple stories, you should also try to get as many of your items onto the first level as possible.
4. Use Every Trip
In some moves, you may be going to your new home several times between the time you get access to the home and your moving day. You might go there to clean, take measurements, sign paperwork, and more.
Every time you go, bring a full load of items in your vehicle. If you’re going anyway, you might as well make the trip as productive as possible. Every item you take yourself is one more item the movers don’t have to move, and that saves you money.
When you do this, though, make sure you put those items in areas where they won’t obstruct the movers.
5. Choose The Right Day
Did you know the timing of your move can make a huge difference in your moving cost? As you might expect, most people want to move on Saturdays. For that reason, you’re likely to pay more for moving expenses on a Saturday than on a less-in-demand day during the week.
Because Saturdays are in such high demand, our moving schedules also tend to fill up more quickly for Saturdays. You may be left with a day or timeframe you aren’t crazy about because others already booked the time slot you wanted.
If you book during the week, though, you’re more likely to have your pick of days and time slots.
6. Save On Boxes
Paying your movers may be the largest expense in moving, but the material costs add up too. One way to save on those costs is to be smart about where you get your boxes.
There are plenty of free moving boxes if you know where to look. Talk to local businesses like grocery stores. They bring in loads of boxes every day to stock their shelves, and they may be happy to give them to you because it saves them money on recycling.
If you know someone who is moving shortly before you are, you could take their old boxes off their hands too. They might also have other materials you can use like leftover shrink wrap.
7. Use Your Space Wisely
The more compact you can make your items, the fewer boxes they’ll take up. That saves you money on both packing supplies and moving time.
Any time you pack something that has space inside it, put smaller items into it. For example, maybe you have several pitchers. Pack them with cups and kitchen towels. Otherwise, that space inside them goes to waste.
8. Get Creative With Packing Materials
When it comes to price, boxes cost nothing compared to specialized packing materials like bubble wrap. As it turns out, you might have more free alternatives to bubble wrap around the house than you think.
You’re going to have to pack your towels and clothes anyway. Why not use them to cushion other items? Wrapping your dishes in towels will save space and money.
If you run out of those soft items, this is also a great way to use old grocery bags. Ball them up and use them as effective cushioning materials.
While some people use newspaper for this too, we recommend staying away from it. Not only do you have to buy the newspapers, but the ink tends to rub off onto your items. No one wants to go through the hassle of scrubbing every item they own after moving.
9. Remove Hazardous Materials In Advance
Certain household products are known as hazardous materials or hazardous waste for movers. That includes items like paint, bleach, certain automotive fluids, and similar chemicals.
For your convenience, our team has a list of items we cannot move due to the risks involved. If you have these items packed up, it will cost you time (and money as a result) to go through and remove them.
Instead, go through the list and either transport the items yourself or get rid of them in advance. Look for hazardous waste disposal options in Loudon County to remove them in an eco-friendly way.
10. Endure The Weather
Summer is the most popular time to move, as are late spring and early fall, because you can often expect good weather. As convenient as that may sound, it means our movers are more in-demand and more expensive during that peak season.
To save money, schedule your move for the off-season if possible. Aim for some time between October and April.
11. Find A Place For The Kids And Pets
As much as you love your kids and pets, moving day isn’t a great day for family togetherness. For one, all the heavy moving can be dangerous for them. If movers are struggling to work around kids and pets, it also makes the move take longer, and that costs you money.
This would be a great day for your kids and pets to spend some time with friends or family members. They’ll have a great time on their outing and you’ll be able to focus on facilitating the move.
12. Use In-House Storage
Many people who move need household storage options too. You may need time to get the home set up before you bring in all your items. Maybe you have a gap between moving out of your old home and moving into your new home.
In many cases, you can save money by using your moving company’s in-house storage facility. Not only will you save by bundling those expenses, but you’ll get a more seamless move because the movers are already familiar with the facility.
Saving Money On Moves In Sterling, VA
When it comes to moves in Sterling, VA, you want the experience to be as cost-effective as possible. The tips above are a great way to work toward that goal.
If you’re in the Sterling area and you’re preparing for a move, leave it to our experienced team. Get a moving quote today to start planning.
