"Moving" seems like a simple concept, but moves come in many different variations. When most people think about moving, they tend to picture the same general thing: The movers show up, take all their neatly packed items, put them on a truck, and drive them to the new location. That’s definitely the gist of it, but there many more variations on this scenario. Before you make a decision about what services you pay for when you’re moving, you should familiarize yourself with the available options.
- Full-Service Move: Nearly every part of your move is handled by movers.
- Partial-Service Move: You pack and unpack, movers handle the moving portion.
- Self-Service: You pack, load, and unpack, but do not have to transport goods yourself.
- DIY Move: You do it all on your own.
- Containerized: A company drops off a container, which you pack, and the company picks it back up.
- Small Shipment: A mini-move where you pack and ship all of your belongings to your destination.
Full-Service Move
A full-service move is the most comprehensive option. In a full-service move, nearly every part of the move—packing up your belongings, moving the boxes onto the truck, driving the truck, unloading the boxes at the new house, and more—is taken care of.
If you’re moving across state lines, you are required by law to get insurance on your items. You can still get insurance if you’re moving in-state, and it’s a good idea considering that accidents can occur during any move. This type of move is the most hassle-free option available, though it can be somewhat expensive. It offers you a lot of control over the move, as it is all being handled by the same company. Some relocation packages even include it as a part of the offer.
A Note on Unpacking
When people hear “unpacking”, they assume it means that the movers will take everything out of their boxes and put them where they belong in the new home. In reality, it simply means taking things out of boxes and removing packing materials from appliances. It is possible to pay for a third party service to set up your new home, but that is not often included in a full-service move.
When people hear “unpacking”, they assume it means that the movers will take everything out of their boxes and put them where they belong in the new home. In reality, it simply means taking things out of boxes and removing packing materials from appliances. It is possible to pay for a third party service to set up your new home, but that is not often included in a full-service move.
Partial-Service Move
While it is somewhat less common, there is something in between full-service and self-service moves. In this situation, you are responsible for packing your own items, but the movers load and drive the truck containing them (keep in mind that you can still do a full-service move that does not include packing and unpacking, which can help cut full-service move costs). This option comes with a price in the middle. It’s great if you’re particular about the way your items are packed, but you don’t want to do the heavy lifting.
You can also hire movers to help you load your items into the truck, but drive yourself. This option normally requires you to rent a truck, then hire people from a different service to do the lifting. If you want help unloading in your new location, you’ll have to hire yet another company. This is a less popular option because it requires more logistics and planning, but it is available for those who are interested.
Self-Service Move
A self service move means that you are responsible for packing up your house, loading the boxes onto the truck, and unloading the boxes at the new location. You don’t have to drive the truck yourself in a self-service move, and considering that most people are inexperienced truck drivers, that can be a serious selling point. For some, this is the best of both worlds. It allows you full control over packing your belongings and ensuring that everything is all secure and accounted for, without the burden of driving the moving truck to the new location.
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Do-It-Yourself Move
This option is fairly self-explanatory: You do everything on your own. You purchase the packing materials and pack your own items, then you rent, load, drive, and unload the truck yourself. This offers you a little more freedom to choose which things you’d like included in your move, however, the cost can add up depending on how you approach it. Believe it or not, this can end up just as expensive as one of the other move types if you aren’t getting a good deal on each part of the process, especially if you choose to add third party services along the way.
Containerized Moves
This option is gaining popularity quickly. In containerized moves, a company will drop off a container (usually between ten and twenty feet long, capable of packing 1-3 rooms), and leave it in your driveway. You pack it up with your belongings and call them when you’re done. The company then picks it up and drops it off at your new home. In some cases, the company may prefer to pack the container themselves. It allows for flexibility since you can pack at your own pace, and it’s a great option for moving across state lines.
Small Shipment
Perhaps the ultimate specialized option, mini-moves are perfect if you don’t have a lot of items, but you want what you have insured and moved for less money than a large-scale move. With this option, you can move just a few boxes of your items with professional help. Larger vanlines don’t like moving small shipments, so contact a mini-move provider if you don’t have a lot to move.
