You’ve found a fantastic new home and have a moving date set. In addition to deciding what to keep, donate, and throw away , you’ll also need to decide whether to pack yourself or hire professionals to do the job for you.
In making this decision, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of each choice.
Packing Yourself
Pros
Packing yourself gives you complete control over the process. You’ll be able to decide what, when, and where to pack your possessions. Additionally, you can sort your possessions into piles of things you want to keep, donate, sell, and throw away as you pack.
Packing yourself is the more economical option. When you pack yourself, the only expense you’ll have is the purchase of adequate packing materials, such as boxes, tape, packing paper, and labels. You can even cut these costs by finding sturdy boxes at local businesses, such as grocery or liquor stores.
According to this St. Louis moving company, packing yourself also gives you the advantage of meaningful organization. You can pack items together that make sense to you. Placing descriptive, meaningful labels on packed boxes will make unpacking much simpler when you get to your new home.
Cons
Packing yourself is incredibly time-consuming. Don’t underestimate the time it takes to pack an entire house or you’ll end up haphazardly throwing items into boxes at the last minute, resulting in disorganization and possibly broken and damaged possessions.
When you pack yourself, you may inadvertently pack your possessions incorrectly. According to Movers.com, while you can read online guides on how to pack your items properly, you are still more likely to rush or to pack your possessions with inadequate materials than with professional packers. When items are ineffectively wrapped, put into flimsy boxes, or not taped adequately, they are more likely to crack or break.
Furniture requires special wrapping, and if you don’t pad your furniture adequately, your items can end up damaged or dirty during the move.
Finally, if you hire movers to move you, they are not liable for anything they don’t pack. Therefore, if something you pack is damaged or broken during transport, you, not the moving company is responsible for it.
Hiring Professional Packers
Pros
Hiring professional packers means that you don’t have to deal with the overwhelming task of packing yourself. Professional packers have a strategy for packing; they can pack your entire home within several hours. Professional packers use high-quality packing materials to ensure the safety of your possessions while they’re in transit. Moving companies know the common pitfalls to packing and can avoid them.
When you hire a moving company to do your packing for you, they typically accept responsibility for any items that are damaged or lost along the way. Most professional packers will unpack your possessions and reassemble your furniture at your new home for an additional fee as well.
Cons
Hiring a professional packing service will cost you financially – from several hundreds to several thousands of dollars. According to Movers.com, while some companies charge by the hour, others base rates on how many possessions you have to pack. Some companies include packing materials in the cost of the service while others charge extra for necessary packing materials.
Professional packers are speedy and focus on keeping your possessions safe during the move. However, they do not have the time to properly organize your items. In fact, you might find yourself becoming annoyed and frustrated when you unpack at your new home because random items will be grouped together into boxes.
Having someone pack up your personal possessions can feel strange. It’s hard to trust strangers with the responsibility of packing up your valuables and sentimental items. Before you hire professional packers, do your research, read reviews, and ask your family and friends for recommendations.
Deciding whether to pack yourself or hire someone to do it for you can be a tough choice to make. Which option is right for you depends on your specific situation.