Not every move is a cross-country, multi-state journey. Sometimes, you just need to move across the city or even to the other side of the neighborhood. Here are some moving tips for a local move.
Determine What Size Truck You’ll Need
One of the most important decisions you’ll probably have to make is just how big-or small-of a moving truck you’ll need to move in the most efficient manner.
If you’re moving an entire home’s worth of possessions, you’ll likely need a 20′ truck rental or 26’ truck rental to easily fit your furniture and boxes. For apartments, try a smaller rental truck like the 10′ or 15′ moving truck.
Estimating for more room than you think you need is a good idea. You don’t want to make multiple trips simply because you didn’t choose the right size truck.
On the other hand, if you’re navigating narrow streets or moving in a highly-congested city, like New York City or San Francisco, you may want to opt for a smaller truck.
Once you decide which truck is best for you, reserving it is the easy part! U-Haul Truck Share allows you to skip the lines and pick it up on your time. With just a smartphone and an internet connection, you can reserve, pick up, and drop off your truck. Gone are the days of waiting on your equipment or a representative.
Deciding When to Move
Determining the best time to move is integral to completing your move in a timely manner.
- Avoid morning and evening rush hour traffic.
- Try moving mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
- Don’t move during lunch time; especially if you’re moving to or from a downtown area.
- Avoid weekend nights.
Of course, geography also plays a role. If you’re in a desert or tropical climate, you may want to reconsider moving during summer months. Likewise, if you live in snowy or icy areas, you may wait for winter to pass.
Handy Helpers
Since you’re staying close to home, enlist the help of family and friends to help you pack and unpack your moving truck. If no one is available, you can always hire Moving Help.
Downgrading? Or maybe you just need a place to temporarily store your things until you have space for them again? Try a secure Self-Storage location!
Pro Tip: Want to save money on your local move? Try returning your truck to the same location you picked it up at as that could save you some money.
Have you recently completed a local move? What tips do you have for future movers? Leave them in the comment section below.
UPDATED: November 1, 2017 to incorporate U-Haul Truck Share 24/7