My dream move would be I simply leave my home, and someone comes in and pack absolutely everything. These nice people move into my new place and unpack everything. All I need to do is walk through the door and continue with my life. How much do you think this would cost? I can’t even imagine ever affording a service like this. What can we do to save some money and get some help? Plenty!

First, I highly suggest you ask your agent if they have any clients who would be willing to let go of their boxes. If the answer is yes – jump on it. After we unpack, we want to get rid of the boxes, and what better way than to share with someone else who is moving.

Second, I would pack myself. It is nice to have someone else do it for you, but you can save a lot of money packing yourself. I would thin out the items I don’t want. No point in packing, moving, and then donating. Do it before you move! Make sure you pack wisely. What I mean by that is spend a little on bubble wrap for those breakable items. Newspaper works well, but who has a 4-foot pile of newspapers around?! You want to make sure if the box drops the items survive.

Lastly, decide if you want to hire movers or have a party for friends. Usually, you mention moving and everyone all of a sudden has planned the day of the move. If your friends are game to help, make it worth their while. Have food and drinks throughout the move. The more energy out the hungrier we get. You can have a date planned to celebrate with everyone a few weeks later after you have settled in. The expense of the food on moving day and a celebration dinner after unpacking will save you several hundred dollars. If you decide to hire a mover, check their references and read their reviews. It is important to know who is handling your items. Get a price in writing from destination to destination so there are no surprises.

If you need to put your items in storage, consider a pod. They drop it off, you load it (or pay someone to load it) and the company will pick it up and can store it for you in a climate-controlled space. Once again, check references and reviews. Happy Moving!