According to U.S. News, roughly 16.7 million households move each year – which means an incredible amount of packing and unpacking is taking place all across the country. But who is dealing with all of those boxes? Will moving companies pack all of your stuff up for you, or is that a job you have to handle on your own?
The good news is that most moving companies are more than happy to offer packing services. The bad news, as you might expect, is that those same companies will charge you a significant fee if you would like your things to be packed up by their workers. The cost of packing service will depend not only on the quantity of items that need to be packed, but also the profile for the items in question. For example, packing service for a closet full of clothes will cost significantly less than packing service for a cabinet full of fine china.
It is important to keep in mind that you don’t have to take an ‘all or nothing’ approach to having your items packed for you prior to a move. In fact, many movers make the choice to have a moving company pack up some of the difficult or delicate items in the house, while handling the rest of the work themselves. This is a strategy that can save you money while still allowing the move to be completed successfully. After all, it doesn’t take much experience or know-how to pack up things like clothes, blankets, and pillows, so there is no reason to pay someone else to do that work.
Another consideration to make at this point is the circumstances surrounding your move. Are you heading across the country, or just across town? A long-distance move requires better packing, as all of the items will need to be prepared for a significant journey. However, a short trip will be easier to handle, as you may simply be able to put some of your things in the back of your car. The overall distance of your move should influence your willingness to invest in professional packing services.
Hiring a moving company is a great way to simplify what can be a complicated – and exhausting – process. However, you may or may not want to pay that moving company to pack up your items for you. Think carefully about the items that you will be moving, as well as your budget, before asking the moving company to add packing service to your job.