Perhaps you are only moving across town, or maybe you feel like you don’t have much to move, so you won’t need to hire a mover even if it will be a long distance move.
Maybe you just worry that you won’t be able to find a mover that you like and you want to do it all on your own instead.
Is this a good idea?
Well, the truth of the matter is that it really depends on a number of factors.
If you don’t have too many belongings, you have some friends with a truck or you can rent a small truck, and if you are only moving across town, you might be able to move entirely on your own and without the help of any moving company services.
However, if you are like most people, you will soon realize that you have collected far more junk than you realized. Instead of hauling everything on your own, you might find that it will be a simpler solution to use a company that can provide you with a moving container instead.
Let’s get a closer look at how this type of moving will typically work.
With many of the self-moving companies that are available today, you will get in touch with them and have them deliver a container to your location.
You then take the time to fill up that container, or more than one in some cases, with your belongings.
The company can then take the container to your new location, where you can unpack and remove all of the items that you had packed previously.
You are still doing all of the packing and putting the items into the container, but the company will haul it for you.
There are different sized containers available, so when you are talking with the moving company, you will want to have an idea of what sized container will work best for your needs. Most of the time, the companies will have some basic guidelines that they can give you, letting you know the size of the containers they have and how much they can typically hold in terms of rooms or weight. This can help you to get a better idea of the size you will need.
Of course, everyone is unique, and your home might have more or less in each of the rooms you are moving.
These containers can sometimes work as storage units, as well. Some of the companies will deliver them to a storage facility or allow them to be used on the person’s personal property for storage, for a charge, of course.
This could be convenient for those who have some items that they need to keep but won’t have room for in their new home.
If you will be packing up your moving container, the first thing you need to do is make sure you have all of the essentials for moving. If you don’t have some of these items, you may be able to get them from the moving company offering the container.
Essential items include boxes, markers, a dolly, furniture pads, as well as other packing and moving materials.
Before you start to pack up your container, you will need to think about the items that you plan to move and determine which should be loaded first. Instead of loading up the boxes first, your best option is to add the heaviest and bulkiest items to the container first.
This would include most of your furniture and major appliances, such as a washer and dryer. You can then fill in the spaces that are left with smaller boxes so that you are packing nice and tight, and so you do not have any wasted space.
You can think of this like Tetris, but it is not nearly as fun and you will end up sweating a whole lot more… unless you really get into Tetris.
You will also want to keep in mind that there are some things that you cannot pack into these containers. For example, you are not allowed to pack anything flammable, such as propane tanks, motor oil, paint and cleaning solvents, and similar items.
In addition, you cannot pack items that could be hazardous, such as fertilizers, poison, and ammonia. If you are ever in doubt about whether you should pack something or not, it is always prudent to ask.
As you are packing, you should also think about the weight distribution and try to make it as equal as possible throughout the container. This will help to keep the container balanced. Use loading straps to help secure items in the container, but make sure that you do not end up overtightening these straps, as they could end up damaging your items.
It can take some time to pack up one of these containers on your own, but if you want to take more of a DIY approach, this is a good option.
Moving is a lot of work, especially if you attempt to do it all on your own.
If you do not have the time to take care of your moving needs, it might be time to consider hiring a professional moving company to help.
If you decide that you are not comfortable taking care of the entire move on your own, or it is just too much to handle, don’t worry. You are certainly not alone.
Many people like the idea of hiring moving companies to help them with various aspects of the move, whether it is hauling boxes, or even packing.
If you are in need of a mover, be sure to take the time to find and compare moving estimates to find an affordable option with the services you need.
To make finding the moving company easier, consider using a third-party that can help you find the best options instead of just hiring the first company that you find.
