We’re fortunate to live in a country that offers us choices. The relocation industry is one that has diversified its product offerings over the years to the consumers’ benefit.

It wasn’t that long ago that you had two choices…do all of the tasks associated with a move yourself or hire someone to do everything for you. As convenient as a full service mover is, it is also very expensive and does not actually save you much time.

Doing everything yourself can be traumatic…both physically and mentally. Moving box springs, a large chest of drawers or a refrigerator for example can be daunting when you don’t do it for a living. There’s no telling how many people have been hurt by trying to move a large piece of furniture without any experience or knowledge of how to do it properly.

But fortunately now we have another choice…self pack moving companies. With self pack relocation companies you get the best of both worlds. By packing your own items, you avoid the cost of the mover’s professional packers. You also avoid having to haul heavy boxes and awkward furniture in and out of relocation vehicles. You pocket the savings and protect your back at the same time.

I have had many excellent experiences with these self pack movers. They willingly share their knowledge to help you pack as efficiently as possible. They’ll give you tips as to the number and size of boxes you’ll need. The amount of packing material to have on hand; how to pack fragile items; how to label and inventory your boxes…all the things you need to know to ensure a safe move for your belongings.

You also have the benefit of packing on your own time or having friends over to help you pack. By doing the packing yourself you can control what goes where and don’t have to worry about someone you don’t know packing your belongings.

You will also find that there are full service movers that now offer the self pack option. That’s a real sign that they realize their customer wants that choice as a way to save money on their move. More and more large companies that used to foot the entire bill for corporate relocation are now limiting what they will reimburse, or provide a one-time check to the employee to spend as he/she sees fit for their move. In tough economic times like we are in, having the option to pack yourself makes a lot of sense.

If you’re looking at a move, you will probably have to relocate a vehicle as well. Nowadays you can locate an auto shipping company fairly easily on the web with a simple search request. You will find several firms capable of handling your needs. Typically you’ll have to fill out one request form detailing what you’ll be shipping as well as from where to where. Once you’ve completed the basic information, you will get emails from several firms with their pricing.

I’ve used a California auto transport company and a New Jersey auto transport company over the years and had very good experiences with both. Be sure to ask how they protect vehicles they transport. Some transport vehicles open to the environment and others enclose them in trailers. There’s an additional charge of course for extra protection, but it may be something you’d want to include.

Posted on March 1st, 2009 by admin
Filed under: Fun Stuff