Making the First Move

By Scott Boone

Image courtesy of Health.mil

Even though I have helped more than 5,000 people move, I can still remember the first time I moved.  At the time, I was living in a 1-bedroom quad at the shore.  When I moved into the place 3-years before, all I had in the way of furniture was a futon couch that converted into a bed, a coffee table and a 19-inch color TV.  By the time I was ready to move into something a bit more spacious, I had pretty well filled the place up with furniture.  That was the good news.  The bad news was I had to move it all more than 100-miles away to a 2-bedroom townhouse.   Since my live-in girlfriend wasn’t going to be of much help other than to drive our car to the new place, I paid my buddy to help me move. I figured how hard could it be?  It didn’t take me long to find out.

In the first place, I lived on the second floor of a quad that had no elevator.  This meant it was up to Bob and me to move things like my sofa bed and refrigerator down the stairs by ourselves.  It also meant we had to pack the rental truck by ourselves as well.  After picking up the truck and driving back to the beach, Bob and I got to work moving boxes and furniture down a long flight of rickety wooden stairs to the truck in the heat.  Since neither of us had ever loaded a truck before, we naturally made a number of mistakes that would later cause damage to my coffee table, as well as shattering a pair of table lamps.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

What was even worse was to happen on the drive to my new place.  No sooner did we hit the road when my buddy begged me to stop to get something to eat.  Seeing a sign on the highway for a fast food burger joint, I pulled off the road figuring we could eat on the way.  The problem was, I failed to factor in the height of the truck.  After placing our order, I rolled the truck toward the pickup window, only to hear a sickening thud as we hit the roof of the drive-thru. I would later wind up paying for the dent we put in the top of the truck.

Back on the road, I came to realize we had another problem when the brake pedal went to the floor when I tried to slow down after a lane change.  Fortunately, the truck I rented had a manual transmission, and I was able to downshift my way down the next off-ramp while Bob clung to the dashboard white-knuckled.   You don’t know how close I came to turtling the truck.

After walking a half mile to a pay phone (this was in the days before cellphones), I called the toll-free number and told the rental agent what had happened and where we were stuck.  Then I bought two big fountain sodas and walked back to wait by the truck with Bob until help arrived.

Needless to say, by the time the truck was towed to a garage and the brakes were fixed, the day was shot.  We wound up finishing the move in the dark.  Of course, the rental company was closed by the time we dropped off the truck, which meant I’d have to come back the next day to sign off for the truck and pay for the dent. (No, it wasn’t covered by my auto policy, and I declined the additional coverage.)

All I can remember as Bob and I sat down for dinner and a beer after the day was done was my friend turning to me and saying, “I guess that’s why they call it an adventure in moving.”  Believe me when I say that was the first and last time I ever tried to move anywhere on my own.

Looking to save time & money?

Image courtesy of flickr

When it comes to making a move, you need to consider all the variables   Sure, hiring a mover cost a little more, but it’s well worth it.  Even if you removed the bonehead move I made that damaged the truck, by the time I factored in the cost of the truck rental plus fuel, food, and two broken lamps, I would have spent less money and tons less time had I hired a moving company in the first place.  Not to mention I wouldn’t have had an aching back the next day.

Especially if you only have a few rooms of furniture, hiring a mover that charges by the hour is well worth it, even if you’re only moving across town.   If you are moving further afield, it makes even more sense, since most truck rental companies reserve their oldest trucks for 1-way moves.  I’m not saying that moving trucks don’t break down.  The difference is if a moving company has a breakdown, you won’t be the one standing by the side of the road waiting for the tow truck.  Many times, if a local moving company can’t repair their truck on the spot, they will send a second truck, which then can be loaded with your belongings to get the move done while the first truck is towed away for a repair.

If you really want to make a difference in the cost of hiring a moving company, here are some ways you can save time and money:

      1.      Do the packing yourself – Since time is money in the moving business, doing the packing on your own can save you money by saving the movers time.  Just make sure you pack any breakables properly, or you could wind up shooting yourself in the foot by having to buy items that get broken in transit.  To help you organize and pack your belongings properly, read my blog How to Organize Your Next Move.

      2.      Sell or donate any items you no longer wish to own. – A garage sale is not only a great way to turn trash into treasure, but it’s also a great way to help pay for your move.

      3.      Find the right mover – Just as going the DIY moving route can be fraught with peril, so too is trying to find a moving company who won’t try to take advantage of you.  Fortunately, I’ve written several blogs that will help you find the best mover at the best price without getting scammed.  Check out Howto find a Great Moving Company and How to Avoid Moving Scams.

Last but not least, even if you’ve never moved before if you hope to avoid costly moving mistakes, the best piece of advice I can give you is to learn from someone who has moved thousands of times. 

 With over 5,000 moves, Scott's Discount Movers has handled moves of all sizes, including local and cross country. If you are looking to move your home or office, you can depend on Scott's Discount Movers to provide a stress-free relocation.