Efficient Money Saving Moving Tips

Moving on the cheap? Looking to save time, money and energy? I'm a professional mover. I don't move people for money. I've simply moved frequently. I spent most of my adult life as a struggling single parent. Translation? I rented a lot. When you rent, moving frequently is a given. Ownership changes, rent fluctuates, etc. When you rent as a single parent there are other factors such as transportation, good schools and reliable daycare to consider. I had to be clever on my budget and in my situation. Believe me, I am the queen of efficient money saving moving tips.

Don't buy boxes from the moving company or truck rental place. They cost less at home improvement stores. You can get small ones for less than a dollar each. Better yet, get them for free at local businesses. Start saving boxes as soon as you know you'll be moving. The best boxes are small apple boxes from the grocery store. They're sturdy and keep load weight down.

Keep your clothes in the dresser drawers. Carry drawers separately to save your back. This money saving moving tip keeps you from buying more boxes. It also means your clothes don't need to be packed or unpacked. Just leave them right where they are. Take out the drawers full of clothes. Put the dresser on the truck. Put the drawers back in and you're good to go.

Save time for professional movers. Their time is money. The more efficient you are about packing, the less time it will take them. If you're moving yourself to save money, the same rule applies. Get your packing finished by the day before you move. Label everything. Put a red X on any box containing things you need right away. Unpack the rest at your leisure. Smooth move.

Move furniture first. Want to hear my best efficient money saving moving tip? Get the big stuff over with first. By the end of the day, you'll be moving slower. That's no time to tackle large items. Plus, it's a lot easier to stack boxes on a couch than to stack a couch on top of boxes. Put your furniture where you want it on the initial move to save your muscles in the days to come.

Don't move junk to your new place. Moving things you don't need is a waste of time, energy and money. Why waste gas transporting broken or unwanted items? Have a yard sale or make donations as you pack. Get rid of anything non-sentimental that you haven't used in six months. Your back will thank you. Plus, you'll be done moving much faster.

Pack items you don't use far ahead of moving day. This way you can start packing several weeks or even months ahead. When we started house hunting, we started packing storage items and decorative things right away. Each day, we packed a little more of whatever we could do without. Moving day was quick and relatively painless.

If you use it together, pack it together. It's efficient and money saving. Moving tips like this one are familiar to old hands like me. When you unpack the television, you'll need the remote. Nothing like buying a new remote because you can't find the old one (only to find it packed with the entertainment center decor months later).

Have a meal plan for moving day. No, I don't mean order that expensive pizza or fast food. That wouldn't save you much money. Chances are, your dishes are packed. Save money by making a picnic lunch before you pack the dishes. It's far cheaper than fast food. Plus, what could be nicer than a celebratory picnic in your new home on moving day?

More from this contributor:

Landscaping for New Homeowners on a Budget

Five Tips for No-Fuss Home Landscaping

Five Ways to Go Green in Your New Home

Source:

Personal experience