• Ask friends for empty boxes. Check classifieds, free cycle, Craigslist and other sources in your area. Check grocery stores, liquor stores, and hardware and farm stores for boxes.
• Use what you have. When you know there’s an impending move start hoarding plastic bags. These can be used to wrap around collectibles and mugs for no cost packing materials. Use newspapers to cushion between plates and photo frames.
• Low on boxes? Pull dresser drawers out…use the drawers as ‘boxes’ for clothing that will go in the drawers. Once the dresser is in the truck put the drawers back in it and secure them. This saves space and allows the clothing to be protected in transit. Use furniture rugs and blankets to protect furniture in transit.
• This same principle can hold for book cases. Pack your books carefully, lying flat so as to prevent damage, in boxes. Once the bookcase is on board, flat on top of a table preferred, set the boxes inside the openings of the bookcase.
• Get volunteers to help load and clean. A couple pizzas and some drinks can be cheaper than hiring several people to work. With a half dozen organized volunteers a half hour cleaning each means three hours of cleaning time! Have your ‘to-do’ list organized so you know what has been done, needs to be done and is being done.
• Service all vehicles the week before. Having the oil changed, belts and hoses checked and other routine maintenance done reduces the chances of being stalled along the road and having an expensive tow bill as well as hotels, rental cars and other expenses.
• If you are using professional drivers ask if they have a “you pack we drive” option. This way you do the inside work, they load, haul and unload it. Or, if you’re doing a self-serve move, recruit those extra volunteers!
• Don’t forget to check on getting your deposits back - not only for rentals but increasingly utility companies have deposits.
• Check to see if your insurance covers rental trucks if you’re using them. Get it in writing - this can save you money on the daily rental. Don’t risk driving without insurance. Forgetting the height and damaging the corner, limbs scratching the side and various other damages can add up far more than you would imagine.
• Research your route and plan for the least expensive options for lodging. Do you want a kitchenette to save eating out or is it worth it just to sit and have a meal brought to you after driving all day? While having a budget is one thing, looking at the value is another!
• Consider the extra equipment rentals. The large appliance dolly can be a good choice in helping move refrigerators and stoves. Smaller dollies can often be purchased at hardware stores and allow for moving a stack of boxes at a time, which can save time and be a better value if your volunteers are short on available time. If you’re renting a truck consider if you can move during the week, often a better rate than on weekends.
• While there are some costs that are hard to get around - fuel for example - there are many ways you can save money on moving. As you unpack at your new home, pass those boxes along to someone else who’s in need of them. Make the best use of your moving dollar, not just the cheapest.
Paul Darden is owner and CEO of Buckingham Storage, the only Richardson mini storage facility with a 24/7 onsite management team. Darden specializes in the brokering, marketing, feasibility studies, and developing of self-storage personally brokering over 130 self-storage facilities throughout the southwest to both national and regional self-storage operators. For more moving, storage tips, other information, visit http://www.buckinghamstorage.com