Top 5 Tips for Reducing Your Moving Costs

1. Choose the Right Moving Day

Did you know it can often be cheaper to hire a professional removalist during quieter times? Choosing a weekday to move instead of a weekend can save you a considerable amount of money.

You can also save money by ensuring your moving date isn’t during the school holidays.  Where possible, plan your move during the off-season instead.

If you have the flexibility of choosing your days and dates around your move, call your removalist company and ask lots of questions about which days might be cheaper for you. Then book in a day that suits your plans.

2. Scrap Unnecessary Belongings

The best time to get rid of any unused or unnecessary belongings is while you’re packing for your move. If you have boxes sitting in the garage or spare room that haven’t been unpacked since your last move, think about whether you really need to shift them to yet another location to gather more dust.

You can also cull any old clothing, toys, books or tools you don’t need. You could hold a garage sale or list those items on eBay and earn a few extra dollars to put towards your moving budget. You could also donate them to your favourite local charity. Getting rid of those old items means you have fewer things to move.

3. Free Packing Materials

The cost of buying brand new packing boxes can eat into your moving budget quickly. Yet there are plenty of ways to get free packing boxes that will do the trick. Many no-frills supermarkets, liquor stores and hardware stores will keep their boxes for customers to use, so ask if they have any to spare.

You can also save money by collecting newspapers in the weeks leading up to your moving date. Why spend money on bubble wrap when you can protect your belongings with layers of newspaper?

4. Pack Yourself

If you’re on a tight moving budget, you can save plenty of money by packing your own belongings. Some moving companies may charge you extra if they have to help you pack any last minute items. You’ll save money if you ensure that everything is ready to go.

Go through each room and pack as much as you can into boxes. Be sure to label each box so you know where things go once they arrive at your destination.  Keep any packed boxes stacked in a room that’s close to the entrance of your home to make shifting them into the removalist’s truck quicker and easier.

5. Maximise Vehicle Load

Your larger furnishings and bulkier appliances will need to go into a moving truck. However, you can save money by maximising your vehicle load.

Your removalist’s quote will include a certain amount of time to load your belongings into the truck and unload them again at the other end. Leave packed boxes, large household appliances and furniture to the professionals. Pack up your own vehicle as much as possible with smaller items to reduce the load amount going into the truck.

Bonus Tip

Make moving day as easy as possible for everyone involved and you’ll keep your costs to a minimum. Remember, professional removalists charge for their time as well as for the use of the truck.

Have everything pre-packed and ready to go, as this will minimise loading and unloading times on moving day. It’s also a good idea to have payment ready so the truck isn’t sitting around waiting for you to dash to the nearest ATM for some cash.

Moving can be expensive, but there are still plenty of ways to reduce your costs. It’s all about planning ahead.