Although not as universal as the ‘chicken and the egg’ debate, this question also has some global significance. Whether you should move on your own or hire professional movers and packers is a subjective topic and can be looked at from several different angles. Also, there is not always a right answer. It depends on your requirements and your abilities as well. We are here to discuss this plaguing question once and for all.
Pros and cons of moving on your own
As with everything, moving your entire house on your own has its implications. Let’s dive into them!
Pro 1: You have total control
One of the first advantages of moving your house on your own is that you have complete flexibility with your options. You make all the decisions and pull the trigger whenever you want. From procuring the right amount of packing supplies to choosing what kind of moving van you want, you get to do it all by yourself. The DIY approach is especially helpful when you are looking to cut costs as much as you can. Also, you pack everything according to how you need it. You get the confidence that nothing will break along the way. You avoid the scary part of letting others handle your belongings. Many people like to move on their own because they feel like the movers can break stuff during transit. They also feel like there is a risk of losing or misplacement of items.
Pro 2: It is cheaper
Hiring removalists can be easier for you but it is obviously more expensive. As aforementioned, moving on your own allows you to take control of your budget at the grassroots. Removalists charge you at an hourly rate and also additional costs for packing supplies and additional services. If you are on a tight budget, it is better to move, DIY!
Pro 3: Take your own time
If you are not bound by any time constraints, you can take your own sweet time and pack slowly. You can keep a track of things easily and ensure that there is no damage to your belongings. Haste often spoils things and you can avoid this by moving on your own.
Con 1: Doing the heavy work
If you absolutely hate doing physical labor, moving on your own is not for you. Moving requires a lot of heavy lifting and moving heavy furniture around. Moving is not only about packing and unpacking, but it also involves loading your belongings in a van, unloading them, and cleaning your new apartment as well as the old one. It is all a lot of hard work so hiring professional removalists to do it for you can help you avoid all of it.
Con 2: Planning
To pull off a successful move just like any professional movers and packers would, you need a proper plan. This requires hours of research on what supplies are best, which route to take, when to move, how to pack, unpack, load, and whatnot! If you hate this mental burden as much as you hate the heavy lifting, hire the removalists.
Con 3: Inexperience
Obviously, you haven’t done this as many times as professional movers and packers have. Unexpected problems may arise in the process that may irritate you or may even cause some form of monetary loss.
Pros and cons of hiring movers and packers
Next, let’s explore some of the pros and cons of hiring professional removalists.
Pro 1: You can sit back and relax
The best part of hiring removalists is that there is no stress on you. You can sit back and relax as the movers and packers take care of business in the best way possible. You won’t have to do all of that annoying planning and the hectic heavy lifting!
Pro 2: It is faster to move with removalists
Hiring removalists is efficient and faster. If you are running on a clock, it is better to hire an experienced movers and packers company that can save you time and move everything quickly and properly. They are much more organized and have all the resources at hand. Moving on your own, on the contrary, requires a lot of time from your side – from procurement of supplies to unpacking things in the right place! It can take you days to finally settle in your new place.
Con 1: Removalists are expensive
As aforementioned, removalists can be expensive for you if you have a tight budget. They charge by the hour and if you have a lot of things to move, the costs can add up pretty quickly. It is wise to consult the movers and packers before you zero in on one. Get multiple estimates and compare them to find the most affordable removalists in your area.
Con 2: There is a risk of a scam
Although this is unlikely, many people do not like to hand over control of their prized possessions to someone they don’t know. They are afraid of being scammed and losing their belongings on the way. There is also the risk of getting overcharged by removalists. However, these things are avoidable. If you do your research well and choose an experienced and reliable movers and packers company, it will definitely be safe to move with them.
DIY moving or hiring professionals
Let’s go over what we’ve discussed and point out the blaring differences once more, just to make things clearer.
| DIY moving | Moving with movers and packers |
| Gives you more flexibility and allows you control over your removals. | Outsourcing our move to professional removalists will hand over all the planning and the moving jobs to them. |
| It is more stressful and requires a lot of physical and mental effort. | It is much less stressful. |
| It is cheaper. | It can be more expensive to move with removalists. |
| It is slower. | More efficient and time-saving. |
What’s the best approach?
The obvious solution is to go for a hybrid approach! You can outsource a part of the removals to professional movers and packers and take care of the rest. If you feel like a certain aspect of the service is expensive, you can choose to do it on your own. Going for a hybrid approach allows you to take advantage of all the pros and avoid the cons discussed above.