As you begin to plan your move, one of your biggest decisions is whether to hire a moving company or move yourself. If the load is small and the distance between locations is relatively short, do-it-yourself moving can be very manageable and save you a lot of money.

Besides the economics, moving yourself gives you greater control over the move and more flexibility as to the timing. When you work with a moving company, you need to keep in close contact with the company and coordinate schedules.

On the other hand, moving can be very time consuming in terms of packing, loading and unloading and driving and physically demanding. You need to decide if you are physically capable of moving heavy furniture and appliances and dealing with a long drive if one is involved. Also consider that you may need a special license to drive a moving truck. This is especially true in the case of renting larger trucks.

You’ll also undoubtedly need the help of friends and family to load and unload which raises the possibility that someone could get hurt. Getting extra insurance for your helpers will be costly. In addition to any personal injuries, any damage to your items will be your responsibility whereas moving companies assume some liability for damage and you can secure additional insurance above that if necessary.

Tips for moving yourself

If after weighing all the pluses and minuses, you decide moving yourself if the best option, there are a number of things to consider to make the process smooth and insure you don’t incur unexpected expenses.

• Take a good inventory of all your personal and household belongings to determine the size of the truck you need as well as the number of packing boxes.
• Contact a number of truck rental companies and find out what size trucks they offer, pickup/drop off locations if your move is out of the area and what type of insurance they provide. Find out what their mileage policies are. Most rental companies will provide some type of guide to help you choose the right vehicle for the amount of goods you are transporting. You may even need to rent a trailer to haul your car if the move is long distance.
• You’ll need to rent or purchase necessary moving aids as well such as dollies for your heavier furniture and appliances.
• If you will need storage at your destination, contact local storage companies to make arrangements.
• Pack items in dish or bath towels and even clothes. This way you won’t have a lot of newspaper and other packing wrap to discard after the move.
• Consider your family and pets. If there isn’t enough room for them in the truck, you’ll need to arrange for them to follow in your car or make travel arrangements.
• Keep receipts and detailed records for everything. If the move is for work, it will be tax deductible.