Everyone wants to save a penny here and there. But, even more, people want to save a few $100s certainly when it comes to moving to a new home. And, you can by following these 5 ways of keeping your moving costs down.
The first thing you would want to do is to take stock of what you have. From there you would want to narrow down your inventory list to the items that you want to move with you. Is there something that is on their last legs? Why not replace them after the move? Is there something that you no longer used and have not for a few years? Maybe it would be best to donate it. Likewise, you can also sell what you are not planning to move with. Or, you can give them away as gifts. Such as second-hand new clothes for babies and toddlers.
Selling through a yard sale can be the best way to earn some cash. While donating or giving as gifts can be a marvelous way to earn karma points. And, you would be saving yourself quite a bit of money on the move itself. Movers charge by weight so this is a great way to reduce moving costs. The less weight you have the cheaper your moving process shall be.
You could opt for storage, but it would be best to think long and hard about the benefits since this too will cost some money to do and maintain. It may be worth it, in the long run, to move some items now and come back later to move the rest.
One of the best ways you can keep moving costs down in your moving process is by deciding when to move. This can be more important than where you are moving to. Peak season as you know is when all the prices go up. This not only applies to holiday destinations but to movers as well. A majority of people usually move during summer as well as over the weekends. This is because they have time to do so, certainly if they have a full-time job and kids that go to school.
However, it will reduce your moving costs if you take a few days off work to move during the working week. As well as to aim for the autumn or spring months instead of summer. If the weather is good you can also aim for winter, but keep in mind that it may snow which can cause your travel time to increase a bit. Therefore, it would be best to book a moving company for the work week as well as when it is not summer. This will have a massively positive impact on your bottom line since the movers will not charge you as much as they would for peak-season moves. They are less in demand, but still have to work throughout the year.
Or you can DIY your move without a moving company. This will take more organization on your side in terms of packing material, and renting a truck depending on the amount of luggage going into transit. It is an option to reduce moving costs, but strongly consider if it is worth it in terms of stress levels.
When you have booked your moving company or decided to go the DIY move route and decrease the number of objects you are taking with you, now you can get to packing. You can source second-hand boxes from grocery stores etc. And, make sure that you buy the right packing materials for the move such as first-hand tapes that stick.
But, one of the best ways you can reduce moving costs is by using what you have as packing materials. This means that you use your suitcases, and bags as “boxes.” It is what they are designed for after all. You can also use towels, and clothes as cover and cushioning for more delicate items such as glasses, plates, etc. Clean garbage bags can also be used as a way to protect your clothes on the trip without you even having to take them off the hanger. Just dap the bag over the outfit and it is ready to move. And, it will save time on unpacking.
If you are moving your dresser or a table with drawers, then you can take out the individual drawers and wrap them up instead of emptying them. However, if you have delicate and important items in the drawers it would be best to pack them separately.
Also, keep your important documents on you while you are traveling.
Books. If you are a lover of books, then you may find it hard to leave them behind. This could be that you would like to pass them down, re-read them or use them for your studies or as part of your job. Books contain a wealth of knowledge, and other experiences. Therefore, it is on much of a surprise that you may not want to depart without them. However, a lot of them together can be heavy and take up space. This space may be better used for other items that will keep the weight, and therefore, the moving cost down.
But, there can be a solution. The solution is that you ship your books from one place to another. This will require you to research which company can offer this service as well as the details of it. For one thing, you can speak to FedEx or USPS (United States Postal Service) to see what they offer. There is Media Mail which offers a cheaper rate of book shipping when compared to the standard costs of shipping. Furthermore, you can also ship other types of media outside of only books.
Friends and family can also help you keep your moving costs down. This is because they can help you with the process of packing, or lifting the packed items into the car/ truck. Plus, if you are nice you can offer to pay them for a beer or a drink for their services. However, make sure that you are aware:
Among other tips on how to ask for moving help the most important one is to be very grateful for their effort and time. Also, let them know in advance that you would like their help. As well as to make sure you are prepared for their help. As in you know what they can do and that the items are ready for them to work with. Plus, make it fun not just for them but yourself as well.
One of the best choices you can make to decrease your moving costs is by working with Shyft. We are the world's first tech-driven moving platform that organizes your entire moving process for you. From the first meeting to turning your new home key in the new door, and beyond, we are there for you every step of the way to make sure all goes well. While saving you money.
To find out more, and to get in touch with us you can check out our Shyft Moving. This is where you will find the easy-to-fill-out form. From here, we get to work helping you and your family get from one place to another, safely while keeping the costs low.
The Shyft way is that a Move Coach will give you a video call at the date and time when you say you want the meeting to be. This video call is done through the free-to-download, secure, mobile app called ShyftNext. It is during this first call that you will get to meet and see your Move Coach who will guide you through the whole moving process. Plus, they will also take down your inventory list while the meeting is happening.
This very inventory list will be 95% accurate due to the app. However, you get to make it 100% accurate, and even more to your liking. The list will be sent your way within half an hour from the end of the call. This is so you can add items, remove some if you changed your mind or were misguided, and you can even leave notes on particular items for the movers to know.
When you send your 100% inventory list back to your Move Coach, they will bring it forth along with your moving details, not the personal ones, to Shyft’s secure bidding platform. It is during this that experienced, moving companies that are all licensed, and verified by us come forward to place their bids. They want to do projects, you want a project done, it is a hand-in-hand fit together. We will gather as many moving quotes as needed along with information about the companies.
Every moving quote comes from a different relocation company. Plus, every single moving quote is fixed. Meaning you will have a wide selection to pick from while knowing exactly how much they will cost you. Yes, you decide which one to work with, with no hidden costs.
And, if you have any questions or concerns or just need advice, you can reach out to your Move Coach at any time of the day. As well as the night. Plus, over the weekends. We are on call to you, to help you out. Furthermore, we may even have some advice on how to cut down more costs.
Also, if you are in the market for new items or services, you can check out our marketplace at “Home & Lifestyle” on the site. It is here where you can find a range of products that will be delivered directly to your new home, not the current one. What is more, is that there are also plenty of services for you to use from mortgages to dog walking.
And, everything in the Shyft marketplaces comes with a discount. Shyft is here to help you get to your new home, all while keeping your moving costs down. Contact us today to get started on moving with decreasing the moving costs.
