Should I Hire Movers or Do It Myself?

The time has come again—moving day. But the question is, are you doing all the heavy lifting yourself or are you going to enlist some help? While moving yourself tends to be cheaper, sometimes there’s simply too much to handle alone.

Deciding Between a DIY or Full-Service Move

Hiring professional movers can be a total life-changer, but it can be a costly investment. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide if it’s worth it to hire movers, or if a DIY move is for you.

Hiring a Moving Company

Hiring movers can save you a ton of time and effort, for a price. Essentially, they can do it all—from packing, to loading/unloading, and shipping.

Benefits of Hiring a Moving Company

Save on Time: If you’ve done a DIY move, you know how much time it can take. Packing and loading everything yourself can take days or even weeks, but with moving labor you can crank it out in an afternoon.

Save on Effort: On top of the time it takes, moving yourself can be physically hard work. Lifting and loading heavy objects can wear you out or even lead to injury, but you won’t have to worry about that when movers do the heavy lifting.

Experience: Professional moving companies come with an added layer of experience that can be hard to match. They’ll know what to do when it comes to lifting heavy furniture, loading the truck properly, and transport everything safely.

Can I Ride with Movers?

In short, no. For your safety and theirs, it’s better for everyone to ride separately. This is due to liability, safety, and insurance concerns. Don’t worry though, your stuff will get there safe and sound.

Can Movers Drive My U-Haul Truck?

Movers and Moving Help providers are not allowed to drive your U-Haul rental. If you decide to rent a moving truck, you or someone in your immediate circle will need to do the driving.

Skip the Driving with U-Box!

If you’re not into the idea of driving a moving truck, consider renting a U-Box container! This way you can have your belongings delivered to you directly instead of driving them yourself.

Bonus Tip: Get a hands-free experience by adding Moving Help to your U-Box order. Our providers will drop off your U-Box containers, load them up, and transport them where they need to go.

Costs of Hiring a Moving Company

For local moves, you can expect to spend a few hundred dollars on the cost of movers. This is due to the shorter distance. Once you start going longer distances, the prices hike up dramatically, potentially as high as a few thousand dollars.

Prices for full-service movers will vary depending on:

Distance
Amount of Belongings
Specialty Moves (i.e. pianos, aquariums, and safes)
Packing Services
Driving/Shipping Costs

Is It Cheaper to Hire Movers?

Usually moving yourself is going to be the most affordable option, but that being said, some moving companies are cheaper than others!

If you’re looking for affordable moving assistance, the Moving Help Marketplace has a wide variety of high-quality Moving Helpers in your area. All you have to do is select the number of helpers you need, how long you need them, and where you need them to meet you.

Is It Worth Hiring Movers?

When it comes to moving, the more help the better. Moving companies may come with a higher bill, but having extra help can be a life-saver. If you aren’t interested in purchasing outside moving assistance, you can always recruit friends and family with the promise of dinner and drinks after!

Moving By Yourself

You know what they say: if you want the job done right, you do it yourself. And if you’re ready to put in the work, moving yourself is the most affordable option you have. At U-Haul we have a variety of ways for you to customize your move!

Benefits of Moving Yourself

Cheap: Moving doesn’t have to be expensive. If you’re ready to do the work, you can get everything done within a reasonable timeframe and save up to thousands of dollars.

Full Control: Hey, some of us are kind of control-freaks, and that’s okay! When you move by yourself, you get final say on where things go, how they’re packed, and how to load it.

Best of Both Worlds? Moving Help®!

The Moving Help Marketplace is here to connect you with high-quality, trustworthy moving assistance in your area. Our Moving Helpers are here to assist with anything you need, from cleaning, to packing, to loading and unloading. Rates will vary based on the hours you need, the providers you choose, number of helpers you need, and your location.

Why Book with Moving Help?

Book by the hour: Only pay for the help you need by scheduling your Moving Help by the hour!

Customize your services: With the Moving Help Marketplace, you can select from a variety of services, including:

Packing/Unpacking
Loading/Unloading
Cleaning
Organization

Millions of trusted reviews from customers like you: See what real customers had to say about their experience with our service providers.

Factors to Consider When Deciding Your Move

Amount of Belongings

Depending on how many things you want to move, it may be unrealistic to expect everything to get packed up and loaded without assistance. If you have a ton of stuff to move, consider enlisting some help—whether that be from movers or just a few friends willing to donate their time.

Your Moving Timeline

If you don’t have time on your side, it can be hard to find high quality help on short notice. If you do decide to hire a moving company, try your best to schedule them at least a month in advance. The good news is, you can usually find same-day moving service on the Moving Help Marketplace if you’re truly in a pinch.

If you’re moving during the summer, consider booking out your moving assistance even earlier. Summer is peak moving season, meaning that if you don’t book them, someone else probably will.

How to Make the Best Choice for Your Move

Everyone’s situation is going to be different, so here’s how to decide if you should hire movers or just move yourself.

1. Create Your Moving Checklist

No matter what your moving timeline looks like, it’s important to create a moving checklist. This will give you a better idea of how much work you have ahead of you, and where you can potentially use some help.

2. Evaluate Your Options

Once you have your moving checklist in front of you, you’ll have a better idea of how big your move will look. This will usually dictate whether or not you need to enlist the help of a moving company or not.

With Moving Help, you can also book moving assistance for when you need it, like when you need to load your truck or finish packing your kitchen. Moving providers are booked per hour, so you can hire them for however long (or briefly) you need them.

Get It All with U-Haul!

No matter your moving style, U-Haul has everything you need to put together a seamless move. With our wide variety of options, you can customize the perfect move for you! From moving trucks, to supplies, to Moving Help, U-Haul is your one-stop shop for your next move.