A Million Lives

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Should You Hire Movers or DIY?

Ever since the global pandemic of 2020 uprooted lives and shifted the economy, remote work has become more popular and possible. As a result, many Americans are choosing to leave the big cities, where it was once necessary to be stationed to find higher-paying jobs, in preference for the small-town life. If this sounds familiar to you, you’re probably wondering whether you should hire professionals like these Asheville movers or if you can get away with moving yourself. Let’s look at the pros and cons of both options with regard to what’s most important to you: time, money, effort and risk.

Time

Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “Time is money,” a fitting statement for the man whose face appears on the one hundred dollar bill. If you are extremely busy or don’t have enough time before you need to pack all your things and move, then hiring professionals will get the job done quickly and smoothly. If you do have plenty of time, let’s say a month or more before your moving date, then you could save a pretty penny by doing it yourself. This brings us to our next consideration.

Money

In case money is a concern for you, the DIY move is almost always going to be the cheapest option. On the other hand, keep in mind that you will still have to pay for gas, any mileage you put on your car, boxes and other packing materials. If you are lucky enough to get help from friends or family, then it would be appropriate to repay them in some way too, if not in dollars, then in food or drinks afterward. Of course, hiring movers is the most expensive option, with many movers charging up to $200 per hour. If you can afford it or if the price is worth the relief it brings you, then go for it!

However, there is a third option. Let’s say packing things and organizing boxes stresses you out the most. You can hire movers to only pack your stuff for you, leaving you to perform the load-in and drive. This may be the right choice for someone with a significant amount of things, moving somewhere within the same general neighborhood or city. Alternatively, you could pack all your items yourself and hire movers to drive for you. The latter option is ideal if the drive will be the most stressful part, as in the case of someone moving across the country. In this way, a hybrid approach to moving could save you money in areas where you already feel self-sufficient while providing you much-needed support in your problem areas.

Risk

Moving involves gutting your home, putting everything into boxes, loading it into vehicles, driving a long distance, moving things again into the new house and organizing the items in each room. Each step in this process poses a potential risk of damage to your belongings. Valuables may jostle around and fall over in the moving truck, or some items may get lost in transit.

If your belongings are lost, stolen or damaged at any point when you are moving by yourself, unfortunately, it’s all on you. If the same were to happen when working with a moving company, you could prove that damage had been done and receive some reparations, especially if you have moving insurance to cover you. That being said, the risk you take on may be higher when trusting someone else to handle your possessions. Make sure you hire vetted movers with good reviews who have clear policies on damage or lost items. If you are the kind of person who likes to be in control, then doing it yourself may be worth it to make you feel more comfortable.

Effort

How much stuff do you have?

Perhaps you have made a major move once before in your life, but this time, your situation is likely to be different from how it used to be. It’s natural to have accumulated more things over time, especially if you have a family and a house. Contrarily, you may be all on your own, living in rental properties and with relatively few possessions. The amount of effort you expend during your move will depend on how much stuff physically needs to be moved. If you fall into the first category, then hiring movers will make an enormous load more manageable. If you are closer to the second category, it might not be unrealistic for you to perform the move independently.

How much driving do you have to do?

If you are making a move right next door, then there’s little need to hire movers to drive for you. The case of a cross-country move, however, is a much more intense ordeal. Are you up for driving long distances? Would you honestly be able to do it by yourself, or is there someone available to go with you for safety reasons? Are you comfortable driving and maneuvering a large vehicle? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then working with professional movers is probably the way to go.

How much strenuous labor can you perform?

Moving does not merely require packing and driving, but also hard physical labor. Remember you will have to move that heavy mattress and each piece of bulky furniture through doors and up and down stairs. Are you strong and able-bodied enough to do this labor yourself, or do you need others to help you?

How much help can you expect from others?

You may feel confident in your lifting abilities and may only need help with a few sizable essential items. If you choose the DIY route, delve into your network of friends and family and enlist as many helpers as possible. On the contrary, don’t be caught in a pinch if no one is available or able to help you. If you are like most people, the physical labor will be too much for one person. In this case, you’ll save yourself from injury by bringing in a professional crew.

There is no right or wrong answer to moving. Every individual situation will have significant differences from the next. If you have lots of time, plenty of people to help, and little money to spare, then doing it yourself might be your best option. On the other hand, you can save yourself several headaches if you can afford to hire movers to take on the responsibility for you. The bottom line is that no matter where you are headed next in your journey, you never have to go it alone.

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12 Moving Hacks That Save Time and Sanity

Moving means new opportunities, but the process is mostly stress. These genius moving hacks get you to your destination that much easier.

Did you know an average of 40 million people move each year?

Many of them won’t plan ahead, organize, label, or ask for help. They are making obvious mistakes and making their move harder.

But moving house doesn’t have to be stressful. You don’t have to be one of those people who make the process more difficult.

Instead, you’ll take these 12 moving hacks and use them to make your move much easier. Read on!

1. Start Early with Your Moving Hacks

Just like any other big project, starting early makes everything run smoother. As soon as you determine that you will be moving, use a calendar system and moving checklist to plan out your move.

Create due dates for tasks that need to be done six, three, two, and one month out. Then create the one-month countdown so when moving day comes you are ready and everything is done.

2. Clean out Clutter

Cleaning out the clutter before you move means you’re not taking a bunch of baggage and stuff with you. Now is the time to unburden yourself!

The more clutter you get rid of, the less stuff you have to move with you. Look for items that you no longer use, are broken, or should be replaced.

Create categories for items such as sell, give away to friends and family, and donate. This will help you determine the best way to get rid of the excess stuff.

3. Break Tasks Down

Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by large tasks. By breaking them down into manageable parts you’ll feel less overwhelmed and more accomplished.

Take packing your home and break it down by room. From there, break down packing a room into areas of the room such as a closet, cabinets, and shelving.

4. Accept Help

If you are blessed enough to be offered help, don’t think and don’t hesitate. Just accept it.

Help doesn’t have to be in the form of packing and moving items. Help could be someone watching your kids for the day so you can have uninterrupted time to work.

Friends and family could also have you over for dinner so you don’t have to worry about cooking and cleaning.

5. Interview Multiple Local Moving Companies

Trust your gut and don’t go with the first moving company you contact. It’s best to interview at least three different moving companies.

This will let you get a better idea of local pricing. Your local moving companies may also give you some packing tips that you haven’t thought of yet.

6. Pack with Unpacking in Mind

Put items in boxes and onto the moving truck strategically so that unpacking is easier and your new house will feel like home sooner. Pack items that you will want first last on the truck.

Label and group boxes by what rooms they will be going into. By labeling the boxes based on the room they will be going into, you’ll save time moving boxes from room to room after your move.

You will also save time digging through boxes looking for things you’ll want right away, like cleaning supplies.

7. Pack Fragile Items Early

Many people wait until the very end to pack their dishware and glasses. Often this becomes a rush process, leading to poor packing and breakage.

To prevent fragile items from breaking, pack them early with plenty of padding. This will reduce moving costs by not having replacement costs.

8. Keep Clothes on Hangers

Don’t waste time taking all of your clothes off their hangers, only to be put back on hangers at your new home. Group your clothes into manageable groups.

Take a trash bag and slide it up over the individual groups. Tie the handles around the hangers to keep them together.

When you get to your new home all you need to do is put the clothes in the closet and cut off the bag. This will save time and prevent wrinkles in your hung clothes.

9. Cut Some Handles

Cut rectangle holes on two sides of your boxes to create carrying handles. Place them toward the top of the box to make carrying easier.

This will make carrying boxes less awkward. It will also make picking up and putting down the boxes much easier.

10. Change Your Address in Advance

By changing your address in advance, you reduce the risk of missing out on mail. Often it can take companies up to thirty days to process your address change.

In that time, your mail will continue to go to your old address. By changing it in advance, your mail will be waiting for you at your new home.

11. Keep Your Receipts

Make a record of your moving expenses and keep receipts from any money you spend that’s related to the move. Some of these expenses are tax deductible.

To qualify for moving deductions because of change of employment, you must meet certain time and distance requirements. You must either start your new employment before your move or work for 39 weeks within 12 months after the move.

Your new place of employment needs to be 50 miles further away from your old home than your old employment. Members of the military can always claim moving expenses regardless of distance.

You can claim reasonable expenses such as the cost of gas and mileage. You can also claim rental trucks, short-term storage, hotel, and boxes.

12. Organize Your Chords

This tip is two moving hacks combined into one. The first part of this hack is to take a picture of how your chords are hooked up.

The second part of this hack is to pack each individual chord in a toilet paper roll. This will save you time hooking every back up in your new home by keeping things organized and showing you how they go back together.

Put These Moving Hacks to Work

The most valuable of the moving hacks is to get organized early and stick to the plan. The earlier you start, the more time you have to get everything packed, rid yourself of clutter, find a mover, and plan for unpacking in your new home.

When the time comes, streamline your packing by keeping clothes on hangers and organizing your chords. Make moving the boxes easier by cutting handles.

Now that you’ve got your move under control, it’s time to prepare for decorating your new home.

A Million Lives

Travelling in all its glory is fun and exhilarating but sometimes you might want to find some information on where to go, what to see and how to go about it from someone other than the go-to websites, especially when it comes to travel hacking and the coolest, most useful ways to get the most out of your next adventure.

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