Moving Made Easy : Your Guide To Supplies and Tips

Packing up your belongings and moving to a new place is never an easy task. It takes time, energy, and money, all of which there never seems to be enough of in this world. It almost seems like finding a new place to live is easy compared to the chores involved with packing, shipping, transporting, and back-breaking work involved with the actual moving process. Where do you start? Do you head down to the local liquor store hoping that they’ll have the boxes you need? What about protecting your furniture and breakables during the move? There are lots of questions you have to ask yourself before you move, and once you figure it all out you’ll find that the process can actually be easier than expected.

First, finding supplies. Moving isn’t as simple as throwing your stuff in boxes and loading them into a truck. You have to take care to not break your precious and most cherished possessions, and that means sturdy boxes, moving blankets, packing tape and bubble wrap. You can generally find all this stuff at any nationwide U-Haul center, but it will cost you. For example, the Ultimate Master Pak kit will run you about $550, but if you’re just moving a small amount of stuff, Starter and Student kits will cost around $100 each. For your money you’ll get boxes, packing tape, wrapping paper, large and small bubble wrap, cushion foam and box cutters. It may seem costly, but if you figure all the time and gas spent on going to different places to find all these items individually, it’s a small price to pay.

For the thrifty mover, going to your local liquor store or grocery store is an option to find boxes. Many times you’ll find different shapes and sizes for items that might not fit in a typical storage box. This is a good option if you don’t have a lot of items to transport, but don’t expect to furnish your entire move with them. Liquor and grocery store boxes are generally thinner and more easily damaged than professional moving supplies, so I wouldn’t recommend storing Grandma’s china in them. For other packing supplies such as tape, paper and bubble wrap, paying a visit to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s will do just fine, and you’ll have many options to choose from.

Of course one big factor in the planning stages will be renting a moving truck. Depending on how much stuff you have, borrowing a friend’s van may be an option, but it also might require many trips back and forth. Should you want to get your move over and done with in one shot, renting a truck is the way to go. Places like Budget, U-Haul and Ryder provide different sizes of trucks and vans for all your transport needs. A truck designed to haul 4-8 rooms from Ryder will cost you $80 to $100 day if you reserve online, whereas a simple van will run you about $50 a day. A 16-foot truck (three to four rooms) from Budget runs about $60 a day, and the same truck from U-Haul runs $40 a day. Mileage and gas are all extra, so you’ll want to check with your local shop to find out their specific rates, as some may vary by location. $40 may seem like a low price, but depending on how far you have to move, those extra mileage rates could add up in a hurry.

Forgetting all that though, what if you want someone else to do the work for you? Having professional movers come into your home with their own supplies and manpower is another option to consider, but if you’re looking to save money, it might not be the way to go. Professional moving services can cost you thousands of dollars, and while that may include everything plus insurance, it is a lot of money to spend, especially in today’s economy.

Planning your move doesn’t have to be hard. All you have to do is be smart, figure out how much stuff you have, and from there you can figure out supplies, get quotes, and set a time to accomplish everything. Doing it yourself is definitely the cheaper option, and with a little help from your friends, you may find that it might be one of the most fun experiences you’ve ever had.