Moving is typically not high on the list of things most people do for fun, especially when it comes to packing all your belongings. Packing can be a labor-intensive, stressful, and time-consuming process. When you move you have two options; pack your belongings yourself or pay for professional packing. If you decide to pack your own belongings, it will take time but will also be the most cost effective. You will need supplies like boxes, tape, packing materials and markers. Homeowners typically can pack things well enough to move across town, but a move of hundreds or thousands of miles might best be handled by professional packers and moving services. If you’re considering paying for professional packing, review these pros and cons of each method before you decide:
Pros
- Speed – Professional movers on a mission can pack up an entire house in just a few hours; the same job might take you weeks, and leave your current home in disarray the entire time
- Proper packing – Professionals are well-trained and experienced packing and know which materials to use and how to best package up your belongings. This is especially true if you have fragile or high-value items to be moved
- No damage – Proper packing eliminates or greatly reduces the possibility of your things getting damaged en route to your new home
- No disassembly – When you opt to have the pros handle your packing, they will disassemble all your furniture, so you don’t have too. They’ll also be sure that all the hardware is firmly attached and easily located so it can be properly reassembly in your new home
- Liability coverage – When your movers pack your boxes, they typically accept the liability for damages that are caused by their negligence
Cons
- Cost – Certainly, added moving services will add to the cost that you pay, but it may well be worth it when you consider that it minimizes the disruption to your life. Packing service prices can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending upon how much they need to pack and how long it takes
- No control – This is a big deal for some people. Professionals are trained to do things in the most effective methods, but that might not be the way you want things done. For instance, they might take everything from your closet and pack it together, when you’d prefer to sort your summer and winter clothes. If the lack of control over your things will frustrate you, you might be better off doing it yourself. Alternately, simply supervising the packers or giving them adequate instructions should help
- The trust factor – Letting strangers sort through your possessions takes a lot of trust. There is never a guarantee that the professionals you allow into your home are ethical, doing thorough research and comparing moving companies should afford you a degree of trust
Now that you know the pros and cons of packing yourself or hiring the professionals, you can use Unpakt to compare prices and real moving company reviews in one place to help you make the best decision for your move!
