How much a move will cost depends on a lot of things. From the number of items, you want to move to the timing of the move, to all the extra services that the movers will provide. When you sum it all up, you can easily see why moving tends to be expensive. But, with some preparations and research, it doesn’t have to be. If you are clever, you can avoid all the factors that raise moving expenses and make you move as cheap as possible. We are going to give you a comprehensive rundown on little-known factors that greatly influence moving.
Time factors that raise moving expenses
Every economist knows that time is money. And moving is definitely not an exception. Your move can be cheap, proper and short. But, you are only allowed to choose two. If you are dealing with the last minute move, you will have little room to make your move cheap. But, if you have time to plan, you need to be aware of certain periods in which moving is cheaper.
The day of the week
Friday and weekends are the most expensive time to move. Simply because everyone does it then. The larger the demand the larger the price and affordable movers NYC are always in high demand during weekends and Friday. In order to mitigate factors that raise moving expenses, you should try to schedule your move during the weekdays. Time flexibility is the biggest factor that will make your move cheaper. Most people have no other option but to schedule their move for the weekend. If possible, avoid weekends and save a surprising amount of money.
The week of the month
The first and the last weeks of the month are the most expensive periods to move. This rarely has anything to do with people’s time flexibility. It has more to do with psychology. We prefer to start a project at the beginning of something. Be it the first minute of an hour or a first day of the week. It just feels good to start at the beginning. Furthermore, we like to end a project at the end of a period. Be it a week or a month. Therefore, the first and the last week of the month are the business periods for movers. So, if you want to avoid one of the possible factors that raise moving expenses, schedule your move in the middle of the month.
The month of the year
The better the weather, the more expensive the move. Again, supply and demand. Everyone likes to move in nice weather. Therefore, late spring, summer, and early fall should be avoided if you want to keep the price of your move at a minimum. Although, some companies have different pricing schedules based on the area they work in. Therefore, you should discuss it with an Upper East Side moving company before you decide on when to move. But, as a general rule of thumb, it is wise to avoid the sunnier parts of the year if you want to mitigate moving expenses.
Expensive moving services that you can do without
While timing is important, there are other ways in which you can mitigate the factors that raise moving expenses. And if you are familiar with the process of relocation, you will know that are some moving services that movers will offer you which you can take care on your own. Just so you know, not everything should be handled by an amateur, no matter how much you want to save money. Some things, like moving a piano or safely transporting fragile items in a truck, are usually too risky for an amateur to deal with. On the other hand, some can be quite successfully done with some simple guidelines.
Packing services
Packing is the first on our list and with good reason. It is an essential part of every move that needs to be done properly. But, don’t let dishonest moving companies fool you. You, as a rookie, can pack your belongings quite well. What you need to do start at least two weeks in advance and be thorough. Be careful when sorting what you are going to pack as you most likely don’t need everything and every item that you don’t pack means less money paid for moving. Just keep in mind that you cannot be too safe when packing your possessions. Also, keep in mind that your boxes will be handled by people who will not know what is inside of them, so make sure to label them properly. It is up to you to avoid stupid moving mishaps.
Wrapping and packing materials
Another thing your movers might try to sell you are packing materials. Again, these are completely unnecessary, unless you have to move some extraordinary item like a pool table or a piano. For your everyday items, you can use clothes, towels, blankets and old newspaper for padding and wrapping. No need to spend money on bubble wrap and other materials. For moving boxes, you can simply go to your nearest stores and ask them to save you some. Mind you, the sooner you start collecting packing materials, the better the quality and quantity you will have. So go at it as soon as possible.
Post-move cleanup
Can your movers clean your apartment after moving? Sure! Should they, if you want to reduce factors that raise moving expenses? Of course not! What many moving companies do is to offer you post-move cleanup and charge you for the time they spent cleaning your apartment as if they were moving you. In order to reduce moving costs, it is in your best interest to hire movers for only the things that you cannot possibly do without their help. For everything else, roll up your sleeves and get to it. You will easily deal with post-move clean up if you just organize yourself.