Moving is considered one of the most stressful life events that people experience, but it doesn’t have to be all that bad. There are several ways to help make your move as seamless as possible, especially if you have a flexible schedule. By beginning the packing process early, decluttering your home, and getting organized, you’ll feel more in control of the situation at hand. However, even if you do everything in your power to prepare for the move ahead of time, the big day can still bring challenges. This is especially true if you’re still trying to decide whether you should rent a moving truck or hire professional movers. Although there are pros and cons to both, each situation is different. For instance, if you’re going to be traversing across the country for your move, you’ll probably want to leave things up to professional movers. Otherwise, the costs of a rental truck, gas, and the time it takes to get from your old home to your new home can quickly add up. If you’re going to be moving within your city, there are a few different options available. To help you decide, consider some of the following benefits of renting a moving truck.
1. Flexible Truck Sizes
One of the best things about renting your own moving truck is that you have the flexibility to get whatever size you need. If you’re only moving a short distance across town, you could get a smaller truck, round up some friends, and make a few trips while your partner continues working inside. You will want to factor in gas prices if you plan to go back and forth multiple times, but it can be a great way to get the big furniture items out of the way and set up in your new home before having to deal with all of the boxes. Alternatively, if you’re moving somewhere within your state, renting a larger size allows you to pack up all of your belongings and make the journey in one trip.
Flexibility in truck sizes is also especially beneficial for individuals who are moving from a smaller home or don’t have many belongings. You can opt for one of the smaller sizes and avoid paying for unused space. This makes moving truck rentals a great, customizable option.
2. Bigger Savings
The cost of hiring professional movers can be pretty high, especially if you have a lot of furniture. Some movers increase prices for additional services, such as wrapping or protecting furniture, packing, and more. When you rent a moving truck, you have the opportunity to enjoy some pretty substantial savings. However, it’s important that you’re strategic about this. Moving trucks can quickly become expensive if you have them for too long or are traversing long distances. You should always check with several different rental companies to see the best rate and don’t forget to read the fine print. There are certain things that may be excluded from the sticker price, which can result in a much larger final bill.
Luckily, with several different companies available to choose from, it’s likely that you’ll find something that will perfectly suit your needs. Try to determine the size of truck you’ll need and avoid getting anything too large. This can lead to significant savings with the rental. You should also only rent the moving truck when you’ll need it. Paying for days when it’s just sitting outside of your home is a waste of money and can add up fast. Try to schedule the rental ahead of time and plan accordingly with your packing. On the big day, have one person go pick up the truck while the other starts moving boxes outside. This can help expedite the process of packing your moving truck once it arrives, thus saving you money.
3. Moving at Your Own Pace
With that being said, if you’re not worried too much about price but would rather enjoy having full control over your move, getting your own truck is the best solution. You can move at your own pace and pack the truck over the course of a few hours, or a few days if you’d like. Just make sure that your belongings are secure if you leave them in a truck overnight. Having your own moving truck will help alleviate the pressure of getting everything ready for the movers in time and give you the chance to take things as fast or as slow as you’d like.
4. Easy Vehicle Towing
Many moving trucks have the capability to tow a car. This can make longer distance moves easier, as you essentially get free vehicle transportation. Although a fully weighted moving truck will use more gas, it’s nice to be able to reduce the costs of driving two vehicles.
5. Less Stress
Finally, renting your own moving truck can make the entire moving process much less stressful. In addition to moving at your own pace, you won’t have to worry about the movers mishandling your belongings or delivering them late. Since most professional movers charge by the hour and moving trucks charge by the day, you won’t be stressing over every minute that passes by. However, you will need to do the heavy lifting by yourself, so it’s important to weigh your options.
When to Hire Professional Movers
Although there are several benefits of renting a moving truck and handling your transition on your own, there are a few circumstances that should probably be left to the professionals. Moving with young children can be difficult even with a team of professionals helping, so having to do everything on your own might make this even more difficult. However, it could go both ways as renting a moving truck allows you to take control of the process. It’s worth considering, but remember that you’ll be responsible for all of the packing and unpacking if you take the DIY option. The same can be said about moving elderly family members or loved ones.
If you don’t have the time or the help to successfully move on your own, hiring movers might be your best option. You’ll need to commit a lot of time and effort, making planning around your work responsibilities essential. You should also be physically fit enough to move your items (especially heavy furniture) without the risk of injury.
Finally, it’s important to make sure you fully understand the costs associated with renting a moving truck before you commit to that option. Many companies advertise an upfront sticker price, but the fine print unearths several more fees and taxes. You should expect to pay for a mileage fee, environmental fee, additional driver fee, insurance costs, and maybe even additional fees for moving equipment. If you don’t return the truck on time, you’ll also be faced with a hefty late fee. If the moving truck isn’t up to their standards of clean, you may find yourself paying a cleaning fee. What’s worse, if you happen to cause any damage to the moving truck, get ready to open your wallet and pay the damage fees.
On top of all of that, you’re still responsible for filling the moving truck with gas before returning it. Finding the right company and negotiating some fees can help keep costs down, but it might not save you as much as you thought.
To help you keep costs low and make sure your experience is as easy and stress-free as possible, consider renting a self-storage unit at The Lock Up Self Storage for your short-term moving needs. If you’re going to be staying in the same state, this is a great option to reduce overhead costs and give you control of your move from start to finish. It also provides you with some additional storage in case you’re moving to a smaller home.
As an added bonus, The Lock Up offers a free moving truck and free locks at all of our self-storage facilities with every new self-storage unit rental. This means you can move your belongings affordably and stress-free. Each of our trucks feature a 12-foot box with blankets and dollies, free of cost. Although the utilization of the move-in truck rental is subject to reservation and self-storage location, it’s a great way to help offset costs and make you’re actual moving day a breeze. With a range of sizes, our storage units provide you with the extra space you need while packing and unpacking in your new home. If your space lacks essential storage, flexible leasing allows you to store excess items in a safe, reliable building. At The Lock Up, all of our self-storage units are temperature controlled and protected by security features like perimeter alarms, CCTV, and unique, individual access codes. To find a facility near you, contact The Lock Up today at 1-866-327-LOCK or find a unit online.
