In 2018, a Canadian survey found that 21% of Canadians had plans to move in the following five years. That’s a lot of people moving. Relocating to a new place may seem like a straightforward process, but once you get started, the hidden moving costs can quickly add up, such as:

• Packing materials
• Moving supplies
• Rental vehicles
• Security deposits
• Mileage and gas charges
• Hired labour costs

If you haven’t done any prior research on the average cost of moving, you might be surprised by the unexpected fees. The good news is that moving to your new home doesn’t have to break the bank. You can use different strategies to help save money and reduce your moving expenses, whether you hire professionals or choose to do it yourself.

Moving Truck Rental

The size of truck you’ll need to move your belongings will depend on how much you have. Many rental companies will provide guidelines for each vehicle’s capacity. If you’re moving to a 3-bedroom home with furniture and appliances, you’ll need a significantly larger moving truck than if you are moving to a studio apartment.

Another consideration is whether you’d like to move all of your items in one trip or make multiple trips using a smaller vehicle. While you could potentially save money on renting a smaller truck, multiple trips will cost extra gas and your time.

Organization Saves Time and Money

When moving, your time is often just as precious as your money. Organization while moving is essential for making all the other steps go smoother. The more disorganized you are, the more time it will take you to sort, pack, and unpack your items. If you’ve rented a moving truck, you might be facing additional expenses the longer it takes you to load and unload your boxes, depending on whether you’ve rented by the hour or day. Spending some extra time organizing by purging unwanted items, packing containers according to categories, and clearly labeling each box will save you a significant amount of time during the moving process.

Purge, Sell, Donate

One way to save time and money on your move is to reduce your belongings. You can get yourself organized for your move by spending extra time minimizing your items in advance. You can start by going through your possessions and deciding whether to purge or keep them. You can then decide whether the purge items can be sold for extra income, donated for others to use, or properly recycled or disposed of. Once you’ve made these decisions, you’ll have an easier time packing up your home.

Doing It Yourself

Tackling your move on your own may seem like a great way to save money initially. However, there can be many unanticipated costs that creep up when you do it yourself. There are great strategies to save money on supplies, such as getting free boxes from your local grocer or asking friends and family to save sturdy cardboard for you. You can also save some money on moving day by using your own vehicle or asking for help in terms of labour and extra trucks. But the highest cost of moving on your own is the amount of time you’ll spend doing it.

Hire Professional Movers

Yes, moving on your own can save you money in some areas, but is it really saving your money overall when you count how valuable your time is? Not to mention all the small costs that can add up when you do it yourself, such as supplies, boxes, and any damage that may happen to your furniture during your move. If your washing machine breaks during transit, that won’t be covered under warranty or insurance.

Professional movers know how to pack your valuable and fragile items to ensure maximum protection. Professional moving companies can help with everything from packing sturdy and organized boxes to loading your belongings onto the truck, moving everything to the new location, and unloading at the other end. What might take you multiple days can be done in a single day by a moving service company because they’re professionals.

The best way to ensure you find the best quote is to shop around different moving services to see what rates and services they offer. The financial benefits of hiring a moving company include the labour and the vehicle, plus the time you save.

Hire Professional Movers in Edmonton, Alberta

Eager Beaver Moving and Storage are your expert movers in Edmonton, Alberta. We’re available for packing, moving, and storage solutions. We even sell packing materials. Contact us today to get your free estimate.