Pros and Cons of Using a Moving Company vs. Moving Yourself

You thought the decision-making was over the moment you bought a house? Wrong. Difficult decisions are yet to be made! The one regarding whether to DIY a move or hire professionals happens to be one of them. Both options have their respective lists of advantages and disadvantages, and none is essentially wrong. In this article, we discuss precisely the pros and cons of using a moving company vs. moving alone, all with the goal of helping you determine what should be done in your particular case.

The Complete List of Pros and Cons of Using a Moving Company vs. Moving Yourself

The moving process isn’t something you can wing. It’s a process that requires a careful approach and a lot of planning. A part of that planning includes choosing between whether to relocate on your own or with the help of pros. There are arguments supporting both decisions, and then there are those opposing them. Let’s get them all out in the open!

The Pros of Moving Yourself

#1 More Control

You essentially have more control over the entire process by organizing a DIY move. There’s no one to depend on, nobody’s schedule to accommodate to but your own. It’s you who’s in charge of the logistics, from picking the truck of the right size to choosing a date. To organize it the right way, you also have to take care of the actual labor, including packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, and of course, driving.

#2 More Freedom in Packing

DIYing a move means that you have absolute freedom to pack however you want. Professional movers sometimes have specific requirements in regards to packing. It’s also not unusual for them to require people to have the items prepared and boxed up before their arrival. However, as your own mover, you don’t necessarily have to follow every single rule down to the letter.

#3 Fewer Costs

By now, everyone has learned of how expensive relocations can get! Although it might seem impossible to save money while moving, the truth is, doing so isn’t all that far-fetched. There are substantially fewer costs associated with moving yourself than those associated with a moving company. Let’s assume you are moving locally, are an owner of a van, and gather a couple of friends to help you out. In this case, you’d have nothing to pay for but gas, refreshments, and a bit of food to fill your bellies.

The Cons of Moving Yourself

#1 The Increased Risk of Injuries

Having no prior training, the risk of injuring yourself increases tenfold. Moving is strenuous, and heavy lifting takes a lot of strength and energy. If you aren’t used to doing that, then you are better off not doing it at all. Furthermore, for instance, managing stairs is also harder than it looks. You could easily fall while handling furniture. Surely, the furniture would sustain damage, but more importantly, you could scar yourself for life.

#2 Improper Packing

Packing on your own does have its perks, but then again, it can also be the demise of your valuables. The way you pack directly affects the condition of your items upon their arrival. It’s what decides whether your items will arrive in one piece or completely shattered.

Most people DIYing their move don’t pay much attention to the packing process. They believe slamming everything in a box without a particular order or protection is the way to go. But that’s so far from the truth! Packing carelessly won’t get you anywhere. Of course, it’s not your fault that you don’t know of proper ways to pack. It’s just that you haven’t had the chance to go through the training enabling you to do so correctly. When talking about the pros and cons of using a moving company vs. moving yourself, professional movers definitely win the round in terms of safety.

#3 Being Unable to Effectively Tackle Problems

With no prior experience of moving on your own, we can’t say that you possess the same amount of knowledge as movers who have been handling relocations for years. They know all the ins and outs of the process, and you – not so much. 

Let’s assume that, in the middle of the move, the weather takes a turn for the worse. How will you handle that? Or, let’s say that your furniture can’t make it through the door. And what if there is no elevator and you are left to navigate the steep stairs? Are you confident you’ll be able to overcome these challenges?

The Pros of Using a Moving Company

#1 Convenience

It’s hard to beat the convenience of somebody doing the hard work instead of you. The hard work being a relocation process and that somebody a professional moving company. With the movers by your side and virtually nothing to do, there’s not much stress involved. In fact, achieving peace of mind is relatively easy when the only thing you have to worry about is decorating your new home.

#2 Logistics

Movers are the ones who can, on top of the heavy lifting and transportation, handle the logistics and initial planning as well. This is especially important when moving long-distance since so much can go south during the process! Being prepared is essential as it will guarantee the success of your move.

#3 Proper Packing

Unlike amateurs, people who work at moving companies are trained in all-things-packing. On top of the knowledge, they also have all the necessary supplies that contribute to the safety of items during transport. These include special containers, boxes, pods, crates, shrink wrap, bubble wrap, and more. By having your goods professionally packed and handled, the risk of damages is brought down to the very minimum. Furthermore, a reliable moving company offers insurance coverage. That ultimately means that should anything happen to your belongings, you’ll be properly compensated for it.

The Cons of Using a Moving Company

#1 The Costs

Concluding our list of pros and cons of using a moving company vs. moving is actually a con of hiring movers – and it is the cost of doing so! The actual costs depend on various factors – from the distance to the size of your move, the number of men helping you out, and additional services provided. By leaving your relocation to professionals, you are looking to spend anywhere from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand dollars! That can be quite a substantial amount of money and, therefore, a real deal-breaker for some people.

To Seek Moving Assistance or Not?

Now that you are all caught up on the pros and cons of using a moving company vs. moving, it’s time to figure out your next course of action. Whether or not you’ll be seeking refuge in the arms of professional movers is entirely your choice to make. Before reaching a verdict, though, make sure you have carefully analyzed all the information provided and figured out what it is that matters most to you. Once you have done that, the answer will almost surely present itself.