As anyone who has ever moved will surely tell you, packing is one of the most complex and difficult phases of the moving process. People compare the trouble and stress they get from moving to that of the moving day itself. You often fret and think about so many things! What if you didn’t properly secure your fragile items? Did you forget to pack something? What should you do if that’s true? Did you pack an essentials box? Is everything where it needs to be, waiting for the movers to arrive? Those who are plagued by all of these questions often decide to call professional movers. A lot of companies offer to pack your items as well as move them. While they are doing that, you can focus on other things – like paperwork. In this article, find out the difference between hiring packing experts vs DIY packing.
Hiring packing experts vs DIY packing – general discussion
You might ask why there is a lot of discussion on the topic of hiring packing experts vs DIY packing. This is quite a natural question to ask, and the confusion is understandable if you are moving for the first time. This is because packing just takes a lot of time and energy. It is a huge part of the moving process, and everyone wants to do it right. Your items will be safe during the travels depending on how you (or the movers) pack them. So, it is only reasonable to seek the best packing tips available to you.
However, the question of whether you should pack yourself or if you should let your movers handle it is quite an open-ended one. This is because there are just so many variations within a move. Just like no house is similar, so do moves differ as well. Thus, some people will prefer to do the packing themselves. On the other hand, those who feel unsure about doing it properly will gladly let the professionals handle this job. Nevertheless, both come with a lot of advantages. Your priorities are what will decide which way you go:
- the costs differ greatly between hiring packing experts vs DIY packing;
- the time spent (or gained) might be what makes the decision for you;
- there might be other, personal factors that will inform your decision.
So, in order to help you decide, let us look at the advantages and disadvantages of hiring packing experts and packing yourself.
The pros and cons of hiring packing experts
There are a lot of things that you gain if you hire packing experts. The obvious advantage and the one we already mentioned is that you will gain a lot of time on your hands. As you might already be realizing, moving will take a lot of work. It doesn’t only consist of picking which things you want in your new home, putting them in boxes and shuffling them off to your new place. There is actually a lot of logistics involved, as well as a lot of paperwork and actual manual work. Packing will take a huge chunk of this time, so when you hire professionals, they will let you focus on other things while they handle this task.
Also, it will take professionals less time to pack everything that it would you. Second, they have experience when packing. They know exactly which way you should pack things up. In this way, packing professionals will help you protect your belongings. What’s more, a lot of moving companies will offer you an even better insurance policy when they pack things. This is because they are sure of their skills – and they guarantee nothing will break during the move.
When you need to pick between hiring packing experts vs DIY packing, however, the disadvantages might be the things that make the decision for you. When it comes to hiring professionals, the cons are clear. The move will cost you more because there are services added to the package. Those who like to have control over the whole process might not want strangers packing their own items. Finally, you will need to find a moving company – thus you might need tips for hiring high-quality movers.
DIY packing – pros and cons
On the other hand of the hiring packing experts vs DIY packing is to simply pack everything yourself. The pros and cons here mirror those when you are hiring a professional service. For example, the cost of the move will be significantly lower. You will have better control over the process – you pick which rooms you pack first, as well as how you pack them. And even though this process will take you some time, you gain the flexibility of putting it in your calendar on your own terms. Sometimes, movers might have a very busy week, so they will not be able to come and pack everything exactly at the time that suits you. When you are doing the packing yourself, you are your own boss – so you set up the time for it.
When it comes to the disadvantages, things get even simpler. We have already discussed just how much time you will need – but we cannot stress this enough. Packing your whole house can take up to two weeks – so be prepared to leave the space open in your calendar. If you cannot afford it, then call Purple Heart Moving Group or other professional movers to help you with it. Then, some companies might not even offer liability for the items you have – you will need to figure out a special insurance. These all might factor in your decision of picking between hiring packing experts vs DIY packing. Think carefully, because this decision will matter!