People who are planning to move are usually concerned about how much it will cost. Moving can be expensive when you consider all the costs in addition to the packing and physical move itself. In fact, the physical move only represents a small percentage of the overall costs, and most people will agree it is worth it in terms of time, work, and reduced stress.

When people think of moving (especially long-distance), they often do not think of expenses like mortgage fees, hotel accommodations, food, purchases for the new home, deposit fees for utilities, etc., as moving-related expenses, but they are. When you are planning a moving budget, it is essential to set a realistic one.

There are several things you can do to reduce costs including:

  • Negotiating a lower realtor fee
  • Driving to your new home instead of flying if it is a long-distance move
  • Staying with friends/relatives
  • Renting an Airbnb or motel as opposed to a regular hotel
  • Choosing accommodations with a fridge and microwave to save on meals costs
  • Checking Kijiji, Facebook, or similar online services at destination for purchases of gently used items as opposed to buying everything new

When it comes to controlling physical moving costs, pre-planning goes a long way. The price of a move by a professional moving company is based on the following:

  • Local move – the number of hours, size of the truck, and number of personnel required to complete the move
  • International move – the size of container and space occupied on the ship
  • Long-distance move within Canada or to the USA – the weight of the shipment

In addition, for each type of move, there will be costs for any packing, unpacking, or additional services provided by the moving company such as auto transportation, appliance servicing, housecleaning, etc.

Another way you can save on costs is to reduce the amount of furniture and household items to move. Go through your home and decide what to sell, donate or discard, as this will save money on the physical move.

You can also save money by packing yourself or have the professional mover pack just the breakables and collectibles. You can purchase professional packing materials for less than the retail cost from your mover.

For more packing and moving tips, contact Premiere Van Lines toll-free at 1-877-671-6683.