You Load, Movers Drive

Self-Moving Services: Get the Basics and Compare Services
When you're starting to plan your move, it can feel like you have only two options: either pay a professional moving company to box up your home or explore cost saving methods of moving yourself. If your budget requires reducing the expense of the relocation then renting a truck and adding options for assistance may be for you. You can rent the truck, pack, load, drive and unload all by yourself. This “self move” also allows for options such as separate packing services, professional movers to load and unload and even a driver if you don’t want to drive the truck.

If neither sounds appealing, you're in luck. A new form of moving, self-service has been growing in popularity thanks to its common sense approach. With self-service movers, you pack your belongings and they do the hard driving.

The Skinny on Self-Service Moving
The concept behind self-service moving couldn't be simpler. After you've made arrangements with a company, they drop off a large, weather-resistant crate (or two, or three, depending on your needs) in front of your home. You pack your things inside, lock the crate up and the company's truck comes to whisk it away. Once you've arrived at your new place, the company drops off your crate and you start unpacking.

Some self-service moving companies bring an empty 28' trailer to the customer's home. The customer can use as much of the trailer as they need. Price is computed by linear feet used.

Because self-service movers leave you to take care of the packing and unpacking, you save on the hourly costs of having a moving crew wrap and stack your furniture (though for an extra charge, some self-service companies will help you box up your stuff). The price of a self-service move is assessed by the number of crates you use and how far you need them to go. Though crate sizes vary by companies, average ones can hold about 3000 lbs. Generally, making your move with a self-service company will be less expensive than hiring a full-service mover and slightly more expensive than doing it with a rental truck. However, depending on how much you spend on gas, tolls and other expenses, going with self-service could be the cheapest of your three options. Some amount of insurance coverage is factored into the price of your self-service move as well, though more is often available if you're moving valuables.

In the end, you can't put a price on peace of mind. If you go with self-service, you won't have to worry about your rental truck breaking down in the middle of nowhere, and because all your belongings are in a single box, they're much less likely to be mixed up with other shipments, lost or damaged.

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