But, as thrilling as your future may be, moving is obviously stressful. It demands a lot of time and effort, and it’s common to feel anxious at the prospect of an unfamiliar location, culture, or workplace. There’s also the financial stress of hiring movers, putting up security deposits, and traveling to your new destination. It’s infamously one of life’s biggest stressors.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Moving stress absolutely can and should be minimized. Read on to learn how to make your own move as stress-free as possible.
Target the stressors that happen on moving day right now
One of the biggest reasons people get stressed out about moving is because they feel overwhelmed. By putting a plan in place and doing some prep work well before you start the moving process, you can nip that problem in the bud.
Start with your utilities. The last thing you want is to move into your new home and realize the water hasn’t been turned on yet. About a month in advance, call up your local utility and other service providers (e.g., electricity, gas, water, trash, cable, internet, etc.) and let them know you want to transfer your services. If your current provider isn’t available where you’re moving, let them know the date you need service terminated. Then set up a new account to have service turned on a few days before your move-in date.
Hire movers early. We recommend booking no later than two weeks in advance. If you wait until just before your move date, the higher-rated and/or cheaper companies will almost certainly be booked.
Clean stuff as you pack them, so you’re unpacking items that have already been dusted and wiped down.
Pack a special suitcase with a change of clothes, toiletries, medications, and anything else you might need to have on hand before all your belongings are unpacked. (Bonus: If you need to head into the office during or shortly after the move, make sure you set aside work clothes on hangers so they won’t be wrinkled.)
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Yes, it’s time—get seriously organized about your move
Feeling like your day is out of control or worrying that your belongings are missing is definitely stressful. Keeping your move as organized as possible will minimize that stress.
Create an inventory of everything that’s being packed and moved. Label your boxes clearly, by room, so your movers know exactly where to unload them. Then write down everything that’s in each box. Print a few copies of your inventory in case one gets lost. When your movers begin unpacking, you can reference your list and ensure everything is accounted for.
Make a moving day checklist with a realistic timeline. With this checklist, you can input to-do entries from six weeks before, counting down to the big day.
Have the names and phone numbers/emails of all your points of contact for move day saved, in case you need to reach someone on the fly.
Build in some buffer times leading up to move day
Everyone hopes that moving day goes smoothly. Of course, there’s always a chance that mishaps derail your schedule. Packing might take longer than expected, or maybe your movers forget something at your old place.
Whatever may or may not happen, try not to schedule everything down to the wire.
It can help to tackle packing in small chunks—in between your other life responsibilities—instead of trying to get everything done in a matter of days. For example, start small; go one room at a time, beginning with your least-used rooms. You might also negotiate with the buyer/seller to give you more time in your current home.
Consider booking an extra day with your rental vehicle. You never know what obstacles you’ll face while packing the truck or what extra stops you’ll make along the way.
If you need to take some time off of work to accomplish your move, try to schedule an extra day after your move to decompress, if you have the vacation time available. You’ll likely be arranging furniture, unpacking boxes, and organizing closets for days or weeks after the official move-in date.
Outsource your responsibilities as much as possible
Many people plan on a total DIY move, taking on too many responsibilities for their timeline. This is where reasonable outsourcing comes in.
“…[T]he best time to move is during the off-season, either October-November or March-April. This is when you’re most likely to experience the mildest weather conditions.”
Even if you’re a bit strapped for cash, there are solutions to get the help you need for a stress-free move. Here are some tips to consider for outsourcing your moving tasks:
Hire professionals when possible. Having movers and cleaners come in to give a hand can make a big difference. Some people even hire professional organizers and packers. If you have smaller jobs that need to get done, consider using TaskRabbit or Porch.
Mine your support system for help. If you don’t have a ton of extra cash, ask family and friends to help out. Maybe you have a parent who can babysit while you focus on directing the movers, or a buddy with a truck who can help you save money on transporting larger items.
Delegate tasks as much as possible. If you have a spouse, children or teenagers, heck, even nieces or nephews, go ahead and put them to work. Cleaning, packing, and other smaller tasks are not nearly as difficult when it’s a group project.
Choose the right day and time for moving day
When you move is just as important as how. Attempting to move during times of high traffic or bad weather will only add to the stress of the situation.
According to HireAHelper data, the best time to move is during the off-season, either October-November or March-April. This is when you’re most likely to experience the mildest weather conditions.
It’s always a good idea to check the forecast and try to plan accordingly. If it is raining or snowing, you’ll have to consider appropriate footwear and rain gear, as well as whatever protection you need to keep your furniture and boxes dry, such as a tarp, large umbrellas, or big garbage bags.
Most people try to move on the weekends when they’re most likely to have time off of work (and family/friends are more likely to be available to help), so it can pay to wait until mid-week. Booking your move for a Tuesday or Wednesday will help ensure you can get a reservation with your chosen moving company, and at a lower rate.
Schedule your move for the morning. Your movers are less likely to run into traffic or other issues that can cause delays. Plus, you’ll get into your new space sooner, so you can start unpacking and getting settled in.
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Don’t forget to food prep snacks and drinks for the day of the move
Let’s be honest, no one wants to deal with you when you’re “hangry”. But the hustle and bustle of moving might mean you skip meals or have to resort to fast food.
Be sure to prep some easy, maybe healthy meals like sandwiches or salads, along with some disposable cutlery. Have portable snacks handy, too, such as nuts, string cheese, jerky and other foods that will help you feel full and focused. And don’t forget to carry plenty of water with you to avoid getting dehydrated.
There’s no guarantee any move will be entirely stress-free. But if you prepare well ahead of time, pace yourself, and have a game plan, a lot of the usual anxiety-causing culprits won’t seem so bad. And remember, outsourcing help for your move is a surefire way to take some of the tasks off your to-do list.
2022 Study: The Best Side Hustle Nobody’s Talking About Is Starting a Local Moving Labor Company
Moving companies tend to earn between $75-128/hr. or between $206-352 per move
Based on HireAHelper data from 2022 so far, average mover earnings are $110/hr.
Seattle is potentially the most lucrative place to become a mover, with hourly earnings as high as $137/hr.
Movers in Maine and Iowa make an estimated $132/hr. — the highest rate in the country
Sherman-Dennison, TX has the biggest gap in the moving services market, with 608 moves per moving company registered in the metro area
As inflation continues to rise, many Americans are beginning to notice the prices of consumer goods are drifting out of reach. This is likely why, according to a recent study, nearly half (44%) of Americans are turning to side hustles to make ends meet.
And while the internet is awash with articles listing all kinds of side hustles to consider, there is one lucrative side gig few are talking about: starting a local moving company (or joining one).
Despite some real estate markets cooling off, the demand for moving services is high. Homes are still selling fast, and as rents climb higher, many are moving out of their homes to find cheaper accommodations or to live with family.
While starting a full-scale moving company with a fleet of trucks, drivers, and movers is an undertaking too big for a side hustle, starting a moving labor company is actually relatively simple.
All you need is a business license and some start-up costs. Ultimately, if you are comfortable with lifting heavy items and have time to spare, you could realistically start a moving labor business and earn upwards of $100/hr. by helping people move.
And the data shows that people who are currently doing it are doing quite well.
Moving Labor Companies: How Are They Defined and How Do They Work?
We often think of movers as folks that drive up in a truck, load up all your earthly belongings and deliver them to your new home. In the “biz”, these are known as “full-service movers”. And they tend to be more expensive.
This is why in reality, the overwhelming majority of moving companies that exist are what we call “labor-only” movers.
“…even if you charged at the lower end…at $250 per move, or roughly $90-100 per hour, you only need to pick up four moves to make $1,000. Not bad for a weekend, huh?”
Labor-only
The difference is that a moving labor company is a company that helps people with loading, unloading, and, sometimes, packing up people’s possessions — no driving. The average person often books their truck or container separately, as this is far cheaper.
Here are a few reasons local moving labor works as a side hustle:
In most states, you don’t need a special mover’s license
There are minimal start-up costs, as you don’t need to purchase a moving truck
Demand for moving services is highest on a weekend, meaning you can do it alongside your work or studies
Of course, it’s not quite as simple as registering as a moving labor company and watching business come flying through the door.
Here are the typical places movers tend to use to attract customers.
Craigslist
Craigslist
+ The most famous classified ads website, this is a typical starting point for moving labor hopefuls, with millions of people checking the website every day.
– Costs money to post ads in the moving section as a provider.
– Customers can also be flakey, often looking for bargain-basement pricing, and often end up being very hard to service.
Yelp
Yelp
+ Popular with people looking for local businesses, it’s a free place to get attention/find customers. Business owner tools allow you to upload logo/team photos of you and your crew to boost credibility.
– No actual online booking, you just accrue lots of “leads”. You’ll have to field lots and lots of messages, emails and phone calls from people looking for a price.
– Low rates of converting mean most of this work will not turn into orders.
HireAHelper
HireAHelper sign-up page
+ Completely free to list, no membership fees or cancellation fees. + Your very own landing page you can show to potential customers where you can easily display and edit your own rates/availability so people won’t call you to ask. + Insurance and 7-day-a-week customer service for both you and your customers.
– Insurance and customer service operate on a fee that is charged per order booked through the platform, which is how they pay for all of the above.
Your own website
+ Full control over how you present your new brand and services. + Direct booking puts every dollar right in your pocket.
– You need to create, design, and maintain the website. – You’re responsible for all the customer service, marketing, and insurance. – Cost of purchasing a domain, fees for website hosting.
Needless to say, you can also create a page for your moving labor company on Facebook and Instagram, or even list it on your local Yellow/White Pages. Oftentimes, a mixture of approaches is useful at the start, before you figure out which one works best for your moving side hustle.
Let’s face it, if you already have a job or other commitments, you’re probably not going to launch into moving as a full-time pursuit.
The good thing about moving as a side job is that nearly one in three (30%) moves takes place either on Saturday or Sunday. In other words, if you’re looking to casually work as a mover over the weekend, you’re in luck, because that’s when the demand is highest.
To calculate a ballpark number of how much local movers earn, we’re going to make the following assumptions:
You only work on weekends
You don’t work more than eight hours a day
You have a partner with whom you work as a two-person team and split earnings 50-50
With that said, the average take-home an individual moving job earned on HireAHelper in 2022 was $110 per hour (after fees).
That rate is based on the service of two movers loading and unloading a customer’s belongings (meaning, not counting potential tips, one mover will typically get about half of that, or $55 per hour.)
“The data show that 6 of the 20 metros where the demand for moving services most outmatches the current supply exists in Texas, especially in Sherman-Dennison, TX, where the ratio of moves to moving companies is roughly 600 to 1!”
Similarly, Yelp reported a local move quote average of $128. Forbes suggests local movers charge between $25 to $50 per mover, per hour, while ConsumerAffairs estimates the average cost for a local move is $80 to $100 per hour for a team of two movers.
The following graph shows how much you could be earning as a two-person team, using the reported average duration of a move of two hours and 45 minutes.
Please note that the above figures are indicative only. As a newly registered moving company, you probably won’t be able to charge high rates straight away. Moves also come in all shapes and sizes, affecting how much you could charge for them. This is just an average.
That said, even if you charged at the lower end of that scale at $250 per move, or roughly $90-100 per hour, you only need to pick up four moves to make $1,000. Not bad for a weekend, huh?
Cities & States Where Movers Earn the Most Money
Your earning potential, among other things, will depend on where you are in the country.
According to a recent estimate of moving costs, people pay the most for their moves in San Jose ($520) and Seattle ($495). But that’s just a broad snapshot. Let’s break it down more to see how services translate into mover earnings, and where it may actually be most lucrative to start a moving labor company.
Cities
Using data on moves booked through HireAHelper.com, taking into account commission rates and the typical duration of a move throughout different cities, here are the top 10 cities where movers make the most money per hour.
Looking at the data through this lens, Seattle grabs the top spot with an estimated $136/hr. net earnings. In cities like Columbus, OH ($126/hr.), San Francisco ($125/hr.), and Oakland, CA ($125/hr.) the earnings are all around the $125/hr. Mark.
States
Moving on to states’ potential mover earnings, we find Maine ($132/hr.) and Iowa ($132/hr.) with the joint highest earnings, with Utah and Washington closely behind ($129/hr.).
Going down the list, Arkansas is next with $128/hr. in potential net earnings. This highlights that moving is a universal need, and that small states can compete against states with big cities like San Jose or San Francisco, where the cost of living is highly expensive (and therefore potentially more lucrative). The average earnings for movers in California are comparatively middling in the take-home department, averaging around $110/hr. per move.
Check out the chart below to see what mover earnings are like in your state.
This section is based on data from moves booked through HireAHelper and their partner sites. Earning figures represent average estimates; actual earnings may vary.
Supply and Demand: Cities and States With the Greatest Need for New Moving Companies
High earnings are great to aim for, but it’s worth bearing in mind that crowded markets where earnings are high are often hard to compete in — especially for a brand new company.
Like with any kind of business, the supply and demand (and thus the price people are willing to pay for moving services) vary by location. If you’re just starting out as a moving company, ideally you’d like to start where there’s a gap in the market.
Cities
Based on our analysis of moving company data and the number of moves in America’s biggest metropolitan areas, here are 20 metros where the gap between potential demand for moving services and their supply is the biggest.
The data show that 6 of the 20 metros where the demand for moving services most outmatches the current supply exists in Texas, especially in Sherman-Dennison, TX, where the ratio of moves to moving companies is roughly 600 to 1!
Among larger metros with favorable demand-to-supply ratios are the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ area (393 moves per moving company), the Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, TX area (276), and the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX area (255).
States
At the state level, the opportunity is greatest in Arizona and Missouri, where there are more than 200 moves per moving company. Kansas (188), Washington (187) and Texas (186) round off the top five.
To see what the supply and demand for moving services look like in your state, check the graph below:
Convinced? Here’s How You Can Get Started
If you think you have what it takes to safely move some couches, luckily, you don’t have to go in blind.
Mover earnings by state and city were calculated based solely on data from moves booked and completed through the HireAHelper platform and their partner sites. Earnings figures are indicative of the amount earned minus fees.
The number of moving companies was calculated using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Business Survey (count of companies listed under “Transportation”) and Yelp (number of companies listed as “movers”).
Sometimes, my customers would ask me directly what a standard tip would be. Call me crazy, but I would give them two different amounts: one a little below what I thought was average for that job, and another that was higher. I’d tell them that would be the normal range for a tip corresponding to the job we were doing for them.
ThenI’d challenge my crew to make the customer want to give them that higher amount.
Customers might have a general idea of what they’ll tip their movers, but for some of them, it doesn’t take much to make them want to give more (or less). The following are a few ways (aside from generally being great movers, naturally) to give yourself and your crew a shot at a happier customer.
1. Show up early, but just a little!
Customers universally stress about two things on move day:
Being all ready and having the movers not show.
Having the movers show and not being ready.
(Some customers stress about both, simultaneously.)
Calling each customer the day before their move is a no-brainer, and so is showing up on time. You can do one better though, by showing up five or ten minutes early — but let them know over the phone you’d be happy to wait a few minutes until they are ready for you to get rolling, if they’d like.
If they aren’t quite ready, they’ll appreciate the gesture. If they are ready, they’ll say so. Either way, the show will be off to a positive start.
Protip: While It may seem harmless to tell the customer you are ready whenever they are, this sometimes leaves you sitting in your truck for half an hour while the customer slowly finishes breakfast. Try phrasing it along the lines of, “We’re happy to wait five or ten minutes.” This gives them a bit of breathing room without opening up the door to your schedule being destroyed for the day.
2. After you arrive, go over your game plan with the customer
Once you’ve done your walk-through, let your customer know exactly what’s coming. This is huge!
Make sure to tell them things like:
Which rooms you’ll be tackling first
What you’ll be taking apart
Where you’ll be staging stuff
If you might have to remove any doors or stairwell light fixtures to keep the risk of damage to a minimum
What the timeframe goals everyone should be trying to hit are
Also worth mentioning is if one mover is going to be mostly on the truck doing the loading; communicate that to the customer so they don’t start wondering why their move is short a worker who’s just hanging out outside all morning.
Protip: You also need to let them know what you need from them.
This could mean keeping their kids and pets from getting stepped on, making sure hallways and staircases are clear, and generally being available in case any issues arise (not that they should expect any problems). Also, if it applies, let them know you’ll be taking thirty minutes for lunch and ask them if there is a specific timeframe that might be convenient for you to do so; they may need and appreciate the chance to run a quick errand.
The point here is to give them a sense that you know what you are doing beyond just hauling everything out the door.
On moving day, customers can be as busy as their movers.
You might overhear them canceling utilities, cleaning the bathtub, wrapping things up with the landlord, and all while working remotely. Make things a bit easier for them by suggesting ahead of time that, if necessary, they designate a room that the movers know to leave alone.
Alternatively, ask them if they could use some kitchen counter space to keep any paperwork, notebooks, pen and paper, phone chargers and any other miscellaneous things they’d like to keep handy. Anything in that designated space can be recognized as stuff the movers should ignore and not put on the truck.
4. Keep your own stuff out of their house
Don’t do this.
I know it makes sense to leave your Gatorade in an easy-to-grab place as you haul stuff in or out of the house. When things heat up, you may be tempted to shed that sweatshirt before you finish packing the kitchen. Or if it’s raining, maybe you just want to keep a towel handy, to keep your hands dry.
We work best when we’re safe, but let’s not confuse that with overly comfortable. Leaving drinks, shirts and towels lying around the customer’s home might not make a welcome impression, especially if the whole crew is doing it. Who knows? They may not care. But in either case, they likely won’t say. Try and keep all of your items on the truck.
If the customer offers you and your crew drinks, gratefully accept and then either leave them where the customer put them out for you, or bring them out to the truck.
Protip:Tape, shrink wrap and hand trucks are a different story — sort of. If you need them, keep them handy. But as soon as you’re finished with them, get them out. If there’s equipment all over the place, it’s a subconscious stressor for the customer at minimum.
5. Look every bit the pro you are
Very early in my career, I got a tongue-lashing from the owner of the moving company I was working for.
My crime? Wearing jeans on the job.
He said I looked like some random guy they just picked up off the street who he gave a t-shirt to wear. And quite frankly, he was right.
You may have made a great impression over the phone. You may have looked sharp when you went to their house to give them an estimate. But when the entire crew shows up on move day, how you look matters. And if this is your crew, investing in uniforms is a big step toward becoming a “real” business. Hey, I know you don’t need a tongue-lashing from me, so I won’t bother with the style details; you know what to do.
Protip: I should also mention that how you talk matters too. Err on the side of politeness first — use “Mr.” and “Ms.” or “sir” and “ma’am” first, and only change if they ask you to call them otherwise.
At the end of the day, just do the job safely and correctly
Impressing your customer with these extra touches might help make them feel generous when everything is on or off the truck, but at the end of the day, how well you do your job remains the biggest factor in scoring a nice tip from your customer. (After all, being super polite won’t negate the fact that half their stuff is damaged.)
Keep in mind there will always be customers who will tip you by buying lunch instead of simply giving you cash. There will also be those who won’t offer you a thing. It’s not the greatest feeling; I’ve been there more times than I care to remember. But that’s part of the job, unfortunately.
But for those customers who are inclined to tip you, and just haven’t decided how much, every little thing you can do to impress and instill confidence will help your crew feel well compensated for their 5-star move.
How Many Movers Do You Actually Need? A Guide Based on 5 Real-Life Moves
Moving labor is typically charged by the hour, so if you’ve ever tried to book labor-only movers, you know pretty much the first thing they ask you is, “how many movers do you need?”
While it might seem daunting to realistically know the answer, have no fear! I spoke with several of my friends about their recent moves and straight-up asked them how much labor help they ultimately required. Because while moving size charts are great, there’s nothing like talking to someone who’s been through it themselves to tell it like it is.
How long do movers take to finish?
Generally, it can take anywhere from 2 to 8 hours on average to move a house. That’s a huge spread!
The number of hours YOU will end up needing depends on how many movers you hire, how much stuff you have, and whether your move involves any special circumstances, like moving specialty items or navigating stairs.
Here are some things to consider when booking moving labor:
Consider the factors that could make your SPECIFIC move a pain. It’s pointless to rely on typical moving labor estimates if your apartment is on the eighth floor with no elevator, or you own five baby grand pianos
Keep in mind that for the sake of operational efficiency, it’s standard for moving companies to maintain a minimum of two movers for two hours, so that’s the lowest amount of labor you’ll be able to reserve. But that’s okay! You very likely won’t need less than this anyway
The general consensus seems to be: It takes longer to load than it does to unload. As you’ll see below, it usually took about an hour less for my friends to unload than it did to load up. Since you no longer have to worry about things like stacking boxes or arranging the furniture inside the truck, unloading is kind of like riding your bike downhill versus uphill
Why hire more movers when you could hire them for longer hours?
You’ll see some recommendations below for booking up to four (or more) movers at a time. While this might not seem cost-effective at first glance, it’s definitely time-effective, which should ultimately lead to a smaller moving bill at the end of the day.
This is because not surprisingly, even superhumanly strong moving professionals get tired after a while. Making sure you have enough helpers keeps the whole team from losing steam.
How Many People Do You Need to Help You Move? Here’s What My Friends Recommend
Studio/Small Apartment
Square feet: Up to 800
Recommendations:
Loading time: 2 movers for 2 hours
Unloading time: 2 movers for 2 hours
When a former colleague of mine decided to move out of her 800-square-foot Tampa apartment into a new one closer to work, she couldn’t believe how fast the actual move went after weeks of preparing for it.
As mentioned above, the minimum amount of moving labor she could hire was two movers for two hours, but she felt this was perfect for the size of her apartment. The only hiccup was that she forgot to tell the movers her apartment was upstairs — which most movers charge extra for — so her final bill was a little higher than she expected.
When collecting quotes, make sure you don’t forget to let your movers know if there will be stairs involved! (HireAHelper automatically accounts for this during your online booking.)
2-3 Bedroom Apartment
Square feet: 800–1200 square feet
Recommendations:
Loading time: 2 movers for 3 hours
Unloading time: 2 movers for 2 hours
When my bestie moved from Big Bear, California back to her home in Los Angeles in order to be closer to family, she and her husband decided to go the budget-friendly route of hiring a U-Haul for the day.
Her 1,100-square-foot cabin had what she calls “two-and-a-half” bedrooms, the half bedroom being a hard-to-classify, den-like room that eventually became a storage room. While packing took over a week, the move itself was accomplished over the course of a very long day.
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She hired two movers who loaded everything into their moving truck in three hours that morning. Unloading was definitely faster, especially since she was moving in temporarily with her parents and only had to unload her stuff into a storage unit, which took about two hours.
2-3 Bedroom House
Square feet: 1,000–1,500
Recommendations:
Loading time: 3 movers for 4 hours
Unloading time: 3 movers for 3 hours
Recently, my cousin stayed with us in our guest room for a bit after selling her 1,250-square-foot, 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom home.
She decided to opt for a portable storage container since she would need to keep most of her things in storage for a few months, and she wanted to save herself time unloading and reloading her stuff. She did all of the packing herself and hired a few friends to help her finish loading her container on moving day.
“Think about other houses… Do you typically have more or less stuff than they do? Do you have an attic, garage, or basement filled with exercise equipment, tools, or holiday decorations? All of this factors into your moving labor calculations.”
While they weren’t professional packers and loaders per se, they were incredibly proficient (read: buff) and boasted some mad Tetris skills, so she’s confident they were fairly up-to-par with the pros. They had her container loaded in just four hours. Months later, when it was time for her to unload her items into her new apartment, it took about three hours to unload everything from her container.
3-4 Bedroom House
Square feet: 1,500–2,000
Recommendations:
Loading time: 4 movers for 4 hours
Unloading time: 4 movers for 3 hours
Some old friends of ours moved from Oregon to Florida using a full-service moving company, as they were not about to drive a rental truck with their three little ones across the country.
Their 1,700-square-foot home took about 4 hours to load with the help of their four-person moving team. Their loaders even helped with some last-minute packing. After racing across the country in their minivan to beat their movers to their new city, they quickly found a 3-bedroom home in just the nick of time so they could avoid being charged storage fees.
There were only three movers this time to help them unload the truck, and it took about 4 hours. If there had been a fourth mover, it most assuredly would have taken less time.
4+ Bedroom House
Square feet: 2,000–3,000+
Recommendations:
Loading time: 4+ movers for 5 hours
Unloading time: 4+ movers for 4 hours
After getting remarried last year, a family friend decided it was finally time to move out of his 3,200-square-foot Tampa Bay home, a place he had shared with his previous wife for nearly twenty years before she passed away. The kids were all grown, and Florida real estate prices are insane right now, so it was a great time to cash in.
His home was not only enormous — 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms — but it was also filled with stuff he had collected for decades. Months before the move, as soon as he listed his home for sale, our friend and his new wife began the “Great Purge”. But once they had sold and donated everything they needed to, they still had a decent amount of stuff on their hands.
“It’s pointless to rely on typical moving labor estimates if your apartment is on the eighth floor with no elevator, or you own five baby grand pianos.”
They hired a local full-service moving company for their move and a team of four was tasked with loading and unloading their items. It ended up taking the whole day (about 8 hours) to complete the move.
Something to keep in mind: our friend is a musician and collects guitars and other instruments. The movers didn’t feel comfortable moving these valuables, so he ended up having to take them in his own vehicle. Definitely make sure to let your moving help know ahead of time if you have any collectibles or other specialty items.
See prices for movers by the hour – instantly.
Read real customer reviews.
Easily book your help online.
What about drive time?
It counts.
Regardless if you’re hiring moving company for labor-only OR if the company is driving their own truck, if both ends of the move are happening on the same day, incorporate the drive time into the hourly cost AND combine both estimations.
If you’re worried that might cost a fortune, the good news is that hiring movers by the hour for both your load and unload (the good ol’ Hybrid move!) is still incredibly cost- and time-effective, especially relative to full-service van lines or other huge moving companies. If you’re at all worried and want to know how to keep your costs down, you can chat with someone for free and they’ll quickly figure out what your situation might cost you.
Now it’s your turn: calculate your moving labor needs
HireAHelper.com
Admittedly, the examples above are all anecdotes from people I know. But the actual data from tens of thousands of moves match up with these estimates pretty well, as those who have been in the moving business for over a decade will tell you.
To make your own moving labor estimate as accurate as possible, you’ll need to keep the following in mind:
How much stuff do you honestly have?Think about other houses you’ve visited. Do you typically have more or less stuff than they do? Do you have an attic, garage, or basement filled with exercise equipment, tools, or holiday decorations? All of this factors into your moving labor calculations. (Note: My friends above had a pretty average amount of stuff for the most part.)
What’s your mode of transport? If you’re moving with a portable container and take full advantage, you’ll likely load some of your items in advance of your move. In this case, you’ll want to shave off some loading time when estimating your moving labor needs
Does your move have any unique needs? If your movers have to specially handle unique items, or carry your stuff up or down stairs, or walk a city block to get to the moving truck, you’ll need to add some time to your move
Will you need help with packing or unpacking? Nearly all of my friends below did the packing themselves, although a couple of them had their pros help with some last-minute boxing on moving day. If you need any packing help on top of loading and unloading, make sure to keep this in mind
While this guide isn’t accurate down to the minute or a legally binding guarantee or anything like that, it should definitely give you a realistic idea of how much labor you might need for your home. With all this in mind, you can use your new moving labor estimate to calculate the cost of your move pretty quickly!
There was a time when literally the only way to connect to a moving company was to call their landline, leave a message on their answering machine, and wait for a call back. And if your couch didn’t end up fitting in your new house, you just had to deal with it and check it off your inventory list with a literal pencil. This wasn’t even that long ago.
Fortunately, times have changed, and technology has improved the way we find a new home and move into it. Here are seven ways technology has forever changed the moving industry.
1. Tour your new home without having to actually be there
This used to be fantasy, but now it’s almost an expected feature. And it’s getting crazier.
Virtual reality (VR) technology has totally changed the home buying process. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zillow saw a 191% increase in sellers creating 3D home tours. With the help of technologies like 360 and 3D professional photography, people routinely see a home in its entirety before ever setting foot on the property.
360 photography
Matterport setup for home sellers
Virtual tour software platforms like Matterport allow photographers to photograph, tag, and measure properties they want to show off online. A link is generated and uploaded to the listing on the real estate company website, which can be sent to any interested party. This is awesome if you’re a buyer; you can take the time to do a virtual walk-through of the home you are thinking of buying without ever stepping foot inside.
Drone photography and videography
Drone photography and videos have impacted real estate almost as much as any other business. Not only are you able to clearly see a home and yard from any screen in the world, but you can also check out the neighbors’ lawns, roads and even alleys in the surrounding area. This gives a virtual buyer much more context into the neighborhood and surrounding areas when deciding whether or not to make an offer.
AR and VR technology
Augmented reality (AR) and VR use similar technology in very different ways. Where VR uses headsets to give the impression you are somewhere else, AR adds to what you can already see! It can work with the camera and apps on your phone to overlay information literally on top of what you see in front of you (like in Star Trek, though maybe not quite as cool yet).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB3O0WSCP0k
For homebuyers, this means realtors can often facilitate highly realistic virtual walkthroughs of spaces for cross-country buyers. Homes can also be staged using AR to reduce actual staging costs and logistics. In addition, design apps sometimes use VR and AR technology to help you virtually “move in” and decorate your space so you have a plan before your actual move.
2. Scope out everything about a neighborhood from the comfort of home
In our current data-driven and highly social world, there are many ways to research the safety, functionality, and friendliness of an area so you know which neighborhoods are most ideal for your move.
Neighborhood accessibility
With basic apps like Google Maps, you can get real-time data on the roads, restaurants, and shops in your new neighborhood. You can use it to map traffic flow on routes you will need to travel most like to the school for drop off or work. Learn the best routes and the best time of day to travel them to reduce traffic-related headaches — hopefully.
“At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zillow saw a 191% increase in sellers creating 3D home tours.”
Crime statistics
Learn about the safety of your new neighborhood with apps and websites like Citizen and City Protect. City Protect offers police reports, public record requests, and more. Some features of both apps are free. Family Watchdog is a free app that provides publicly available information about sex offenders in your area. (Be warned that there is a fee for detailed reports through the app.)
Neighborhood vibe apps
Believe it or not, there is more to a neighborhood than traffic routes and crime stats! Neighborhood Scout is a subscription-based app that focuses on real estate in a particular area and provides a profile using 600 characteristics.
AreaVibes is an app that has crime stats, but that also provides a big picture of your future neighborhood based on seven main factors: crime rate, amenities, cost of living, education, employment, housing, and user ratings. It then compares that against a national average to give you a composite picture of your potential new neighborhood. It even offers a custom search function that sets it apart from similar apps, which allows users to access the information most relevant to them.
3. The rise of public reviews for professional movers
Consumer reviews have become increasingly more social in recent years with the ubiquity of Facebook, Yelp and others.
Public reviews on HireAHelper.com
Local moving companies have been impacted by this change tremendously. Almost more than any other type of old-school business model, movers used to exist on the strength of personal recommendations; but now that info is available at scale, and with the client in the driver’s seat. One hour of research is enough to skim reviews of 10 or more service providers that could do your move, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
Sites like Yelp, Facebook, and HireAHelper shed light on the movers that make moving day actually manageable.
Note: Anyone can leave a review on Yelp or social media, but it’s worth noting that HireAHelper verifies all reviews, meaning that all public reviews are guaranteed to have actually, you know… really happened!
4. Accurate (and free!) moving quotes online, without needing a walk-through
Newer moving companies like HireAHelper and Simple Moving Laborhave streamlined the quote process that your grandparents used to use.
Your inner introvert will be happy to hear you can get free moving quotes entirely online these days. Virtual quoting allows you to enter the basic information of your move online and instantly get moving quotes for free (plus, you even get to read the reviews for each mover).
See prices for movers by the hour—instantly.
Read real customer reviews.
Easily book your help online.
We especially don’t miss the part where you cross your fingers for a quote that doesn’t break the bank after the company is already at your house… who has time to start over at that point?
If you have any doubts or concerns about your quote, HireAHelper can quickly ballpark your moving needs over the phone with just a couple of questions (not a whole freaking tour). On top of that, many movers offer live video chats over Facetime or ZOOM to ensure they have a clear picture of your needs so there are no expensive surprises at the end of your move. (This practice has become far more common since COVID.)
5. Design your new place from your phone
Homestyler
Many buyers spend hours planning where their furniture will go in their new home, as well as what new décor they’ll need to buy to fit into a different (and often bigger) space.
Smartphones have made this step substantially easier, especially for those moving cross-state or cross-country. There are apps like Planner 5D and Homestylerthat allow you to scan a room with your smartphone to save its dimensions and openings. Add in windows with the swipe of your finger, and you have a virtual mockup for your new life.
Not only does this allow movers to skip the tape measure pressure during their inspection, but it also can save precious time and back strain that used to come with arranging and rearranging. Even better, you can access room designs while you’re out and about furniture shopping!
6. Virtual checklists (and “checklist services”)
Virtual moving checklists like Porch’s Home Assistant allow you to ditch your moving to-do list and track all of your pending items in one shareable dashboard, from ordering home insurance to filing your change of address form.
Porch.com’s “Home Assistant” works like a personalized moving checklist service
Not only does this mean no more paper to-do lists that will inevitably get lost, but it also means there are fewer chances for crucial steps to slip through the cracks. (Nobody likes arriving at their new place just to realize that they forgot to get their internet set up.)
7. GPS trackers on moving trucks
GPS technology has been around for a long time, which is why it’s become easier than ever for movers and moving companies to buy inexpensive trackers to avoid losing track of valuables, entire boxes, and even the moving trucks themselves.
For individuals and families booking their own moving truck, a GPS can help ensure a thief can’t run off with your expensive rental and disappear. You can also use more localized Bluetooth technology like Tile to tag boxes that have valuables in them in case they get misplaced within range.
Not to mention, companies now provide more realistic updates for moving companies that are providing long-distance moving services. Can you believe people used to stand around and wait for weeks for their stuff to arrive? Yikes.
What To Do When Your Stuff Gets Lost or Damaged While Moving
After all the stress, money spent, and late nights packing, you’re finally at your new home and ready to unpack and settle in for the last leg of your move. Only, you discover your pricey, one-of-a-kind glass coffee table has been shattered. Or the box filled with family heirlooms is missing. Or while pulling in, the moving truck dings the fence and knocks over your mailbox.
These can be nightmare scenarios, depending on how precious the item is and how expensive it could be to replace. But there are some things you can do once you discover any damage — as well as some things you should try before you move.
If my stuff was broken during a move, what do I do?
Did you hire movers who you suspect damaged or outright broke something? Know that even if money can’t wholly replace the item you lost, there are usually steps you can take to get compensation, both before and immediately after anything gets damaged.
1. Document the damage
For broken or damaged items, the first step is to get plenty of photos.
Those pictures will be very helpful when you file a claim, either with the moving company or with insurance (if you have it). Right after you discover the damage is the best time to do this, but even if some time has passed, any documentation is better than none.
If you’re lucky enough to have any photos of your belongings before the move (which is highly recommended), include those too for a before-and-after. Photos are mandatory for showing exactly what type of damage occurred and the potential cost to repair or replace the item.
My stuff is missing!
But what if after taking stock of everything in your new home, you realize the lamp that’s at the perfect angle for a reading light isn’t there? You’re absolutely sure you packed it, but it’s simply gone.
Obviously, you can’t take photos of something missing. Ideally, if you have one, you should go through your entire moving inventory thoroughly when your movers are finished and still there. Rushing through the process and confirming that everything made it to your destination when that’s not the case will make it much harder to locate a missing item or file a claim.
“…it’s much tougher to deal with moving problems after the fact. Which is why it’s so important to work with a company that’s been pre-vetted.”
If it turns out something truly is missing, your only true recourse is to ask the moving company to track it down. It could have been left behind or delivered to the wrong address. (Ask your old property manager/check your old place too, of course.) Alerting the moving company ASAP is key, since the more time that passes, the higher the chance of it getting lost for good.
(If this isn’t an accident and you think there’s been a crime, read about what to do.)
2. File a claim
Once you’ve taken stock of what’s damaged or missing, it’s time to inform the moving company of what happened.
Below is the contact information for a number of national moving companies and where you should file a claim for your lost or broken items.
How To File a Claim With National Moving Companies:
Allied Van Lines: Fill out their online claim form. You can also e-mail claimstrace@alliedvan.com or call (800) 470-2851 to discuss a missing item or coverage prior to filing a claim
Arpin Van Lines: If you need information or help filing a claim, call (855) 405-9293 and dial option 3 to speak to a claims representative or email claims@wvlcorp.com. You can also file a claim online
Atlas: You can file a claim directly through the Atlas® Customer Portal. If you need help, call (800) 638-9797 (ext. 2846# or 2850#)
Mayflower: Most claims can be submitted online. However, if your move took place within the state of Texas, call (800) 325-9970 to get the appropriate form
Moving Help (U-Haul): You can contact them or fill out an Issue Resolution request online. You’re also able to file a claim directly under the subcategory “Safeload”
North American Van Lines: File a claim online, or call (800) 348-3746 or email claims@navl.com for help. Note that intra-Texas moves use a separate claims form and it must be filed within 90 days of delivery
U-Pack: Email moving@upack.com with your name and reference number, and they’ll send you a claim form to complete and submit
United Van Lines: Most claims can be filed online. For intra-Texas moves, call (800) 325-9970 for assistance
Unfortunately, there is no formal process for damages caused by a local moving company that you hire directly. That said, many local moving companies will offer to help or partially pay for damages, but it’s entirely up to them to work with their customers on a case-by-case basis.
However, if you hire a local moving company through an online mover marketplace like HireAHelper, you will be covered in all instances of damages. HireAHelper automatically steps in to mediate and get your money back.
HireAHelper: You can call (800) 995-5003, or email customer-support@hireahelper.com. They are available seven days a week, so you should always be able to get ahold of somebody to help.
3. File a third-party complaint (maybe)
If you submitted a claim but the moving company is not responding, or you feel that they’re not taking enough responsibility, you should file a complaint with a third-party organization.
The first organization to contact is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This is a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). You can file a complaint online for issues such as lost or damaged items, issues with the company’s license or insurance, overcharges and more.
Once you file a complaint, the movers have 30 days to acknowledge it, plus another 120 days to dispute or resolve it. (Not ideal, but it’s something.)
See prices for movers by the hour – instantly.
Read real customer reviews.
Easily book your help online.
You can also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. After filing your complaint, the BBB processes it within two business days. The business then has 14 days to respond from the date you filed. Complaints are usually closed within 30 days. However, if the business fails to respond, it can negatively impact its BBB rating.
If you think something was actually stolen or intentionally damaged, you should contact your local police department and file a report.
4. You can also seek arbitration from the government
Another option you have if a claim isn’t being handled properly is arbitration. It’s a form of dispute resolution that allows everyone to avoid going to court. Interstate movers are required to participate in an arbitration program, such as the one offered by the FMCSA. (Click here to get started.)
What about moving insurance?
If you’re worried about any possessions being damaged, but you haven’t even hired movers yet, insurance is a possibility. Unfortunately, for reasons all too familiar, you probably won’t be able to rely on your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance for items lost or damaged while moving. But you’re not necessarily out of luck.
Hired movers are generally responsible for the items they’re transporting. However, if you move across state lines, all moving companies are federally required (that means in every single state) to offer two insurance options:
Full value protection: This means the moving company is responsible for covering the total replacement value of any possessions that are lost or damaged. They can opt to repair or replace the damaged item, or give you cash. This is the most comprehensive coverage, which means it’s also the most expensive.
Released value protection: It’s free… but you get what you pay for. It provides up to $0.60 per pound of an item that’s lost or damaged. So if your 40 lb. flat-screen TV worth $1,000 gets cracked, the most you would be compensated is about $24.
Third-party liability insurance: Some movers may offer this separately. It costs extra but will cover any damages beyond the released value coverage, up to the policy’s limits.
Hiring movers directly means you’re responsible for most of this research and decision-making. But companies such as HireAHelper that curate and help you find the best movers also help you with all the moving insurance stuff.
See prices for movers by the hour—instantly.
Read real customer reviews.
Easily book your help online.
On top of full value protection, HireAHelper automatically offers a $1,000 Safety Guarantee with every order for free, with plenty of other options to upgrade. After curating thousands and thousands of moves, HireAHelper knows everything about what can go wrong and how to fix it. It’s much easier to work with a company that knows the ins and outs of claims and insurance and has a vested interest in your satisfaction, rather than muddling through things on your own.
Again, if you have no insurance, you should still be able to receive some kind of compensation, as long as you’re working with a licensed and reputable moving company. (It’s important to check before hiring anyone!)
What happens after filing a claim with the insurance company?
In many cases, you have up to nine months to file a claim with the company. But again, the faster you file, the sooner you’ll resolve the issue.
After you file the claim (usually this is done online but possibly over the phone):
The company will respond to acknowledge they received it (generally within 30 days)
They will investigate the situation and eventually either offer compensation or deny the claim
Keep in mind there are some situations when the insurance company isn’t responsible for covering your damages. For example, if you choose to pack your own items yourself and something breaks, that’s typically on you, not the movers. The same is true if you pack anything that’s perishable, hazardous, or highly valuable without notifying the movers. Damage from natural disasters is also usually not covered.
Hiring Reputable Movers Is Important
You might assume that if you hire a professional moving company, they have all the necessary processes in place to handle damages. But the truth is a lot of local moving companies don’t actually have insurance or customer service in a traditional sense. And scarily enough, in some cases, you could be dealing with a moving scam. (Click here to learn more if you think you’re being scammed.)
Of course, it’s much tougher to deal with moving problems after the fact. This is why it’s so important to work with a company that’s been pre-vetted. And that’s exactly why HireAHelper exists — we built a national database of reputable movers who not only pass our strict requirements to be listed, but also get publically rated by verfied customers to hold them accountable.
2022 Study: How Many Americans Have Moved Due to Climate Change?
Since 2010, over 250,000 Americans have left the counties most at risk for climate change; over 75% of those moves took place in the last five years
An estimated 21,000 people relocated to escape climate change in 2020
People fleeing climate change were over four times more likely to leave the state (64%) compared to those moving for other reasons (14%)
Moves out of counties at risk for extreme heat (45%) and droughts (37%) accounted for 82% of all climate change-related moves in the United States
Almost 10 million people were displaced by natural disasters in the United States from 2008 through 2020, according to Global Displacement Database
“The great climate migration is already here,” reads the headline of this New York Times article from July 2020. “Climate migration will reshape America,” reads another.
True as those statements may ring, many of them are based on projections looking ahead to the next 50-80 years. But how much climate-related migration is already happening in the United States — today?
In our estimate, at least 220,000 Americans moved due to climate change-related events within the last decade, with over 75% of those moves taking place in just the last five years.
This is on top of the 9.9 million Americans who, according to the figures from Global Internal Displacement Database, were forced to leave their homes due to natural disasters like storms, floods, and fires since 2008.
Putting aside any political discussions about whether natural disasters are the direct consequence of climate change, let’s look at the data on climate migration in America in 2022.
Moving for Better Weather OR Fleeing Climate Change? How We Counted ‘Climate Change Moves’
When filling out the responses that make up the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, a survey that reaches about 60,000 American households each year, Americans who moved within the past year were asked to check off a primary reason for their move.
Among the listed options on the survey is “change of climate” — which would make for a tidy data point to estimate climate migration, if it weren’t for its lack of definition. As it’s currently written, this answer seemingly applies both to people escaping the increasingly unbearable heat in some parts of the U.S. (e.g., Arizona) and people chasing the heat (e.g., people moving from Maine to Florida).
To avoid conflating these two motives, we focused our analysis only on the counties designated by ProPublica’s report as “most at risk for climate change”. These are areas where listing “change of climate” as a reason for moving, in our view, is more likely to mean “escaping climate change”, and not more typical fairweather moving data.
“The projected number of people leaving the most-at-risk counties is 40,000-50,000 per year. These are moves that otherwise would have no reason to happen.”
Then, by analyzing the moves out from these counties using extra data from the American Community Survey (a survey reaching 1-2 million Americans each year), we were able to more confidently estimate the motivations of people who both moved away and listed “change of climate” on the U.S. Census survey as their primary reason for moving.
Ten Years of Climate Change Moves: A Quarter of a Million Moves Since 2010
Since 2010, about a quarter of a million (or ~251,000) Americans who cited “change of climate” as their main reason for leaving originated in counties most at risk for climate change. These are counties that, according to the report by ProPublica, have the highest risk levels for issues such as:
Extreme heat
“Wet bulb” conditions (i.e., extreme heat plus humidity)
Large fires
Sea level rises
Declining farm crop yields
Economic damages due to weather
Based on the shape of the chart above, the year 2017 really stands out. This is likely because several notable hurricanes, including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, all took place that year.
While their impacts were widely felt, they likely affected many counties that were in fact already at risk for climate change; these places are frequently coastal counties where sea levels are predicted to rise, as well as counties in the Southeast, where the climate is getting hotter and hotter each year.
“…counties in Texas are the most frequently occuring origin points for climate change-related moves.”
Extrapolating from the 2010-2021 trend, presuming current climate change patterns persist at a minimum of their current rates (as they are predicted to do so), our forecast suggests moves made due to climate change will become more common. The projected number of people leaving the most-at-risk counties is 40,000-50,000 per year. These are moves that otherwise would have no reason to happen.
Torrid Texas: Counties in Lone Star State Top List of Climate Move Origins
Of the 460 counties we identified as most at risk for climate change, nearly 47% are in Texas, with the biggest climate risk in most of them (124 out of 203) being “extreme heat”.
Especially given there are so many, counties in Texas are the most frequently occuring origin points for climate change-related moves. Seven out of the top 10 counties with the highest number of people moving out for climate change reasons are in the Lone Star State.
Where to? The Most Popular Destinations of Climate Change Moves
As per our estimated climate change-related moves, people moving to escape recent weather trends are four times more likely to cross state lines as compared to moves made for all other reasons combined (64% vs 14%). This makes sense, as it takes a great distance to reach an area where the climate is substantially different from the place people are leaving behind.
We know that a considerable number of moves due to climate change originate from Texas, but where are they headed?
If they stay in America, it’s Arizona, it turns out. Maricopa County (where Phoenix is located) is the destination for 2% of all climate change moves, with Los Angeles County in California being in a close second, representing 1.9% of all climate change-based moves. (Given Arizona’s famous heat, it’s safe to predict there are many mitigating factors for a destination beyond solely climate change.)
Elsewhere, we see counties around big cities like Seattle (King County, WA), Colorado Springs (El Paso County, CO), and Chicago (Cook County, IL) — all of which received around 1% of all climate change based moves.
At the state level, California edges out other states, receiving 10% of all climate change moves from most at-risk counties. Texas, despite being an origin point of many climate change defectors, still received 9.2% of all new arrivals within the last decade.
==
Consistent with the findings in recent reports, what we’re seeing in our data doesn’t illustrate a mass exodus of Americans from states like Texas, Arizona, or Louisiana toward more climate-temperate regions like the Northeast or the Pacific Northwest.
Instead, people continue to move into areas like Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA, where more imminent prospects of a better-paid job and/or comfortable living outweigh the distant risk of climate change-driven disruption to livelihood that will take place decades into the future.
This suggests that whether people realize it or not, they are probably moving for climate-related reasons… yet may be at risk to repeat their actions based on where they are going.
Even still, a Redfin survey from last year found that almost half (49%) of Americans will be factoring climate change and its effects into their deciding where to move next.
But as the adverse effects of climate change are yet to manifest themselves in ways that would make some of America significantly less liveable, climate change remains a minor consideration in the grand scheme of American internal migration — for now.
Methodology and Sources
Explore data by yourself by looking for climate move stats on each of the 460 most-at-risk counties for climate change we included in our analysis from the following places:
Counties most at risk for climate change: ProPublica (counties rated 9 or 10 for at least one of the following climate change risks: heat, wet bulb, very large fires, farm crop yields, and economic damages)
Until I graduated as a graphic designer, I lived my entire life in the small desert town I was born (the nearest city was Tucson, Arizona). Besides farming and cattle, there were few career opportunities… let alone ones for an aspiring designer.
This is why after a couple of months working for a local magazine, I decided to pack up and find a bigger city with greater employment opportunities—specifically in the tech industry. My choice to move to Austin, Texas was easy. But my next four decisions to move (in the same year) were all a bit harder.
How to Survive if You Have to Constantly Move
Due to job changes, living conditions, and other needs, I had to move over five times in one year, and each one of them had their level of difficulty. It forced me to learn many things, from finding suitable roommates, to knowing when to buy your first pieces of furniture.
There’s still a long road ahead of me, but I want to share with you what I’ve learned about continually moving with limited resources and big aspirations.
Make finding friends an immediate priority
Foregoing possessions, I had to focus all my energy on establishing myself. I had to keep the packing as light as possible and only brought these bare necessities to start my new life in Austin:
Important legal documents and every government-issued ID I had (passport, driver’s license, etc.)
My computer
A few essential clothing items: five shirts, two sets of pants, a hoodie, and undergarments
Lucky for me, I had a few friends who didn’t mind housing me for a few weeks while I got settled in the city. As a lucky break, after seeing my work, my friend gave me a job referral that helped me land my first job at the startup where he worked!
See prices for movers by the hour – instantly.
Read real customer reviews.
Easily book your help online.
So here’s my first piece of advice: Know how wide your friend and acquaintance network goes, and especially who might help during your first few days. You might not know someone that lets you crash on their couch, but maybe a friend of a friend can point you in the right direction for the safest places in town to find a room or a hotel.
If you don’t have a job lined up yet (like me), do what I did and start combing through your contacts on LinkedIn that might provide you recommendations. I was able to find Austin recruiters who showed me open positions in my field. (Job listing websites such as Glassdoor or Indeed can work well, but I’ve come to find that the best way to get a quick answer is by reaching out directly via LinkedIn.)
Finding Decent Living Arrangements on a Budget
I’ve lived alone before, but now in a larger city and with a limited budget, it was necessary to find a place where I would live with roommates.
I’ve learned to identify potential red flags in a home or roommates with every move. After living with six people in five different places, here’s my ultimate list of the most consistently important things when looking for good living arrangements (aside from the typical “find somewhere close to work”).
How do you find a good place to live?
A lot of things won’t be perfect when you’re starting out, but in my experience, these were the worst things I dealt with while finding my own way.
How old is the apartment/house? Unless you’re okay dealing with your roommates and landlord over leaky pipes or moldy cupboards, I suggest finding a place that has less than 10 years on the market, or at least looks like it’s been diligently looked after. Living in newer homes means you’ll be less likely to have any issues with the infrastructure—trust me.
Learn the room space to rent ratio. I was so inexperienced that I never realized I could negotiate rent with my roommates, so I ended up splitting the rent equally. Later, I moved in with people who broke down the rent according to room size, and everything just made more sense! Why was I paying the same rent as someone with a bathroom and walk-in closet? Talk openly to any potential roommates and negotiate rent for fair pricing.
Don’t settle when it comes to pets and household cleanliness. An irresponsible pet owner (ahem) can be a nightmare when sharing a reduced space. If there are resident pets in the place you’re considering, check out if they are potty trained or where the litter box/puppy pads are located. Ensure that the smells that may arise won’t be a source of inconvenience for you (accidents happen, but hopefully, it won’t be near your room!)
Avoid places with pests and infestations. You won’t get a complete picture with only one visit, but it’s always a good idea to ask how long has it been since the last fumigation and how do they keep dangerous bugs or vermin at bay (I once lived in a place where I couldn’t open a kitchen drawer without seeing a cockroach running around and I ran out of there as fast as I could).
How do you find roommates?
Moving in with strangers as a foreigner is sometimes intimidating. It was for me. But after living through some rough experiences, I finally have a pretty good idea of what topics to discuss before picking a roommate.
What’s their lifestyle? Social butterflies and introverts aren’t always a good mix for sharing a living space. While one may choose to have friends over every weekend, the other might find it overwhelming. There’s nothing more awkward than spending the night cooped up in a room while knowing more strangers are outside (been there). All I’m saying is to make sure your future roommate’s activities and behaviors are compatible with yours.
Share electronic payment responsibilities. The most pleasant places to share are those with clearly defined responsibilities. It’s usually a good sign if you see that household tasks are divided among the rest of the roommates. For example, someone pays the electrical and gas bills, while the other pays for internet and water bills.
Cleaning help truly helps. As responsible adults, it’s ideal that everyone cleans up after themselves… but as crazy as it sounds, I highly recommend pooling together and setting aside a budget for cleaning help at least once a week, especially for the common areas that are bound to get dusty or dirty. It will save you and your potential roommates a lot of emotional frustration.
Furnishing (When You Move a Lot)
To avoid a furniture dilemma, seek furnished rooms during the first months of your arrival. My first three places were furnished rooms before finding a cozy loft where I could live by myself. Only until that point did I start frantically looking for a mattress, box, and desk, which were the bare minimum I needed to live and work comfortably.
How do you constantly deal with furniture?
Whenever I needed a piece, this is the moving timeline I used for organizing all my furniture shipping (so I didn’t get stuck sleeping on the floor for days):
Three weeks in advance: Seal the deal with the new landlord of your place. This depends on each property, but this usually includes dropping a security deposit, one month’s rent, and all legal paperwork. It usually takes over a week to get it all in place and finally have the keys in your hands.
Two weeks in advance: Once you have an agreement in writing, start measuring up the place to know how big your furniture needs to be. After putting down a deposit and rent, there tends to be little wiggle room for impulsive buying (at least for me), so I recommend creating a layout of the stuff you need with measurements, and shopping accordingly.
One week in advance: Once you carefully select all the furniture for your place and have the keys, leave a one-week delivery window for your stuff to arrive. If you’re given the opportunity, plan to receive most of your things on the same day; otherwise, you’ll have to be coming and going all week long.
By the way, I learned the hard way to keep your new stuff packed and sealed until you are fully moved in to avoid getting dust and dirt all over it. This will make the moving day far easier.
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How to Move (Quickly)
Forget about sparking joy until you think you’re even close to settling down. Here are some tips.
Don’t obtain much to pack
Packing will get more complex as you grow in your new life and feel the new city like a second home.
I try to keep my stuff easy to transport, but for my fifth and final move, I had to hire a truck and a couple of movers to help me with all the furniture, books, clothes, and even plants. I used this last-minute moving checklist to help with those small details I never dealt with before, since I was moving so often and so quickly. (Here’s a hint: keep things light!)
Search for hourly movers
Finally, when you’ve finally accumulated enough stuff, you might need some muscle for a quick turn-around.
Though I didn’t know the first thing about hiring movers, two weeks before my move I Googled and was able to findmovers by the hour, then I booked them online almost immediately. All I had to worry about was finding enough boxes, though a couple of trips to the supermarket solved it (if you’re getting your boxes from a supermarket, remember to clean them first). Also, since I don’t own a car and mainly use my bike for transportation, this poston keeping it safe in a moving truck saved my life.
Earlier on when I was moving so much, everything was as simple as picking up my clothes, getting in an Uber, and arriving at the new apartment during my first few moves. Yet even as it got a little more complex, getting a couple movers was a little bit rewarding, as I got to see the fruits of my new life I had finally made.
Moving is an unavoidable part of growing. And if you’re anything like me, be prepared to grow a lot. If you’re going through a similar journey, I hope my experience helps you find a great place to live with awesome roommates. Good Luck!
Moving for a Job? Hiring Experts Share Their Best Job Relocation Tips
They say that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. Okay, but what if your dream position exists at a company that’s hundreds – even thousands – of miles away from where you live?
As of 2018, about 10% of U.S. job seekers chose to relocate for work. Moving long-distance can be particularly tough, especially if you’re not prepared for the financial and logistical requirements. So if you’re thinking about moving cross-country for a job, here’s what you should know first.
Are in-office jobs coming back?
Though remote work has been growing, especially in light of the pandemic, it is inescapable that a segment of the population will always need to work in person. Experts describe the current landscape as shifted, not irreversibly changed.
“Many employers are saying that they are willing to provide flexibility to work remotely some days of the week, but also will expect you to be in office some days for various reasons,” says Diane Farrell, director of career services at the University of North Georgia.
Some of those reasons include establishing company culture and fostering collaboration, which isn’t quite the same over Zoom. “Therefore, relocation is still expected for many in-office job candidates.” No matter how much the world changes, this is still going to be a hurdle for a lot of people.
Seriously consider whether moving cross-country for work is for you
But before getting into the nitty-gritty details of moving across the country for a job, the first step is to think carefully about whether that’s the right choice for you and your family. Packing up your life and restarting it thousands of miles away is something worth considering carefully.
But there are plenty of advantages to moving out of state for a new job. “If the opportunity is amazing and not something you would be able to do in your current location (such as working on Wall Street, which is only in Manhattan), then that’s a pro for sure,” tells us Vicki Salemi, Monster.com career expert.
And don’t discount the effect of a new environment and new people. “A change of scenery and new energy may be an invigorating addition to this new job,” Salemi says. It’s cliche, but a fresh start in a new city may be just what you need to get motivated and climb the career ladder.
On the other hand, there are a ton of steps involved in moving long-distance that are easy to forget. You have to transfer your utilities, update your license and car registration, get your kids’ school records moved, find a new dentist—the list goes on. Oh, and you also have to impress your new boss and stay on top of your new job responsibilities while getting settled in your new home.
Moving cross-country for a job definitely requires some time and money. But for the right position, it can be well worth it. The key is to plan for the costs and find ways to save anywhere possible, including trying to get your new employer to pay for some of that (more on that later).
Use websites to do the math on living in a new city
One of the big questions about job relocation is whether you’ll end up in a city that’s more or less expensive to live in than your previous town. “You’ll need to adjust to a new lifestyle, and in some instances, that may be a hardship,” Salemi says. For instance, if you land a job that’s in a major city, but you’ve been living in the suburbs, you might have to pay more for your mortgage or rent, or settle for a smaller place.
Research sites that compare your current city to your potential new one.
Taxes are one component of cost of living (COL) that can have a big impact on your budget. “If you’re moving from a state with no state taxes into one with high taxes, while it won’t impact your compensation, it will net a lower amount direct-deposited into your bank account,” Salemi says.
The opposite holds true, too. Moving to a state with no income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wyoming) or no sales tax (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon) could save you thousands of dollars per year. That’s an important factor to weigh when evaluating your overall compensation package.
Another COL factor you may not consider until it’s too late is insurance. Depending on the state you move to, you may have to find new auto, home, and health insurance. You may end up with higher premiums and even a lapse in coverage if you don’t plan for it prior to the move. “Changing health insurance may leave you with a gap. Consider how you can stay covered…talk to HR,” Farrell says.
A site with comparative tools, like BestPlaces.net, can be a useful resource for comparing where you live to where you plan to move. You can compare factors such as housing costs, healthcare, utilities and more to see how local expenses measure up against what you’re used to spending.
Never ever be afraid to leverage cost of living in your negotiations
Once you have an idea of what the cost of living is in your new job’s city, compare that to your salary and benefits package. “Cost of living factors into how salary is determined, so when you’re moving to another state, determine how you’ll be impacted, whether higher or lower, and that can help you determine if this salary is equitable with the new location,” Salemi says.
If your compensation seems to fall short, use that COL data, as well as personal characteristics such as industry, skill level, and experience to negotiate a better package. And yes, you should always – virtually without exception – negotiate your salary.
Even if you can’t get your employer to budge much on the actual salary, there are ways to account for the cost of living beyond your paycheck. According to Salemi, some factors to negotiate outside of salary include:
Sign-on bonus
Relocation Bonus
Additional paid time off
Additional days working from home
Consider living outside your new job’s ZIP Code (this is attractive to recruiters)
Just because your job is located in a swanky part of the city doesn’t mean you actually have to live there. If cost of living is going to be a roadblock for accepting a new job, seriously consider moving to a more affordable neighboring town to your new job. Doing so could also help you land a job if you’re competing for a role in a major metropolitan area.
“When I recruited positions for NYC, I always received countless resumes. Competition was tight,” Salemi says. “However, when I recruited positions for Stamford and Short Hills, both 45 minutes from the NYC office, I received only a handful of applications. Candidates who applied to positions outside NYC had more of a chance of not only getting interviewed, but getting hired.”
So if you’re looking to relocate to another state for a job, research the office locations and surrounding neighborhoods. “Keep an open mind to pursue both your dream location as well as nearby one that may get less interest in and therefore, less competition,” Salemi says.
Always ask about a company’s relocation assistance
Once you considered the implications of moving to another state, it’s time to talk about the long-distance moving process. If you’re moving for a job, your employer may offer you some sort of relocation assistance. Not all do, but your chances are better if you’re moving into a high-level or specialized position, recruiters say.
“The offering of a relocation package depends on the level of the position you are seeking and or how difficult it is to find candidates that are qualified in the local area,” Diane Farrell suggests.
She explains that relocation packages are relatively common for director or manager level roles and above, depending on the industry. “The higher the position, the more likely they will offer a relocation package,” she says. Even so, certain fields like technology and engineering tend to offer relocation assistance to all levels of employees, since their roles are often highly specialized.
What’s in a relocation package, exactly?
If an employer does offer relocation assistance, it can come in a couple different forms. Some companies offer a flat amount to cover your moving expenses, anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 is possible, according to Salemi. Others will offer to reimburse receipts from a moving company.
As far as what’s covered by a relocation package, there are a number of expenses that could qualify. Here’s a closer look at what you could get covered or reimbursed:
Professional packing and unpacking: Whether you decide to hire a full moving company or just professional packers to help you load up your moving truck, your relocation package will likely cover some or all of the cost. That includes packing up your belongings and then unpacking once you get to your destination.
Moving supplies: From boxes to tape to bubble wrap, the costs of supplies can add up. A relocation package will likely include some budget for these types of packing materials.
Moving container: If you decide to go more of the DIY route, you may decide to pack your belongings in a moving container rather than hiring a full-service moving company. If that’s the case, your new employer may cover some or all of the cost to hire a moving container company.
Home sale: If you currently own your home, you’ll have to sell in order to move cross-country. Your relocation package could cover a variety of costs associated with that, such as the cost of listing your home to assisting with any losses you incur from selling quickly.
Lease-breaking fee: On the other hand, if you’re a renter, you may get reimbursed for any penalties paid for having to break your lease early.
House hunting: It’s not unusual for a relocation package to include some budget to send you house hunting in the new destination at least once. That may include transportation, lodging, meals, child care, and more.
Closing costs: If you end up buying a house in your new destination, your relocation package may cover closing costs and other associated fees.
Storage: You could end up in a temporary housing situation as you wait to secure an apartment or buy a home. In the meantime, you might have to store some of your belongings in storage until you lock down a lease. Relocation packages often cover this type of expense, whether it’s a storage facility or container that sits on your property until it’s ready to be unloaded.
Transportation: If you end up driving cross-country for your new job, your relocation package may include reimbursement for gas and other expenses incurred on the road. If you need to fly, you could get reimbursed for plane tickets and even shipping your car. Hotels and meals while on the road could also be included.
Keep in mind that every relocation package is different. It could include all of these costs and then some, or only a portion of these expenses. When talking to your future employer about relocation and compensation, you should ask to have any major expenses that are pertinent to your situation covered. You may be able to negotiate a better package than you originally received.
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Budget ahead of time for what your employer won’t cover
Now that you have an idea of how much it costs to live in your new city compared to your old one, plus you know how much your future employer is willing to compensate you, it’s time to figure out how much the actual move will cost. Do this as far ahead of time as possible, because you’ll likely need a couple of months or more to save up, EVEN if your employer is helping.
Moving costs will vary widely depending on where you’re going and which expenses will be covered by your employer. At the very least, you should set aside some funds to pay for the actual move.
When it comes to moving your belongings (aside from doing it all with your own bare hands), experts suggest you have three main possibilities:
Hire professional movers: If you want to go the full-service route, hiring a professional moving company is your best bet. They will pack up your belongings, load them on the truck, and unpack everything for you. Though it’s more convenient, this option is also generally the most expensive. It can cost anywhere from $1,200 to $5,000 (or more), on average, to hire movers for a long-distance move, according to Consumer Affairs. The cost will largely depend on the size of your home (i.e., how much stuff needs to be moved) and how far you’re moving
Rent your own moving truck: If you want to be in control of the moving process from beginning to end, you might want to rent a moving truck. You will do the transporting yourself, but you can hire movers to do loading and unloading to save money over a full-service move. To move about 1,000 miles, a truck rental costs around $533 for a 16-foot truck (which can handle about 2-3 bedrooms), plus gas and surcharges. If you want to upgrade to a 26-foot truck, you’ll pay around $823 or more
Use a shipping container: The nice thing about using a shipping container (aka a “moving container”) is that you can take your time packing up! Once you’re ready, the moving container company will pick it up and drop it off at your destination. Then you have some more time to unpack at your leisure. If you need extra time unpacking, it doubles as storage (for an added fee). Shipping containers are a good combo of DIY packing with professional drivers. This option tends to cost around $2,000 to $3,000 for a long-distance move, with storage included
Sites like Moving101 can help line up all your moving options, including pros and cons, and avg. price.
Finally, don’t forget about moving supply costs! Between packing tape, bubble wrap, labels, sharpies, and other miscellaneous packing supplies, you might need to spend a few hundred dollars ensuring your belongings are safe and secure. For example, supplies to move a one-bedroom apartment cost around $69-$90. A two-bedroom home will run closer to $178-$197, and the costs increase from there. (If you get movers, oftentimes they will cover the cost of most if not all of these things.)
If you need some help with the savings side of things for all this stuff, a budgeting app such as Mint or You Need A Budget can help. These tools allow you to set savings goals and track your progress way ahead of your move.
What if I don’t have a job lined up yet?
Moving across the country for a job offer is one thing. But what if you want to move somewhere for better job opportunities, but don’t actually have anything lined up yet?
This is a matter of personal preference and risk tolerance, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, all the experts suggest. It definitely helps if you have family or friends you can stay with until you land a job, and in the meantime be able to network locally and adjust to the new environment. When you score that job, you won’t have to adjust to everything all at once and can focus on the new job.
“Candidates who applied to positions outside NYC had more of a chance of not only getting interviewed, but getting hired.”
– Vicki Salemi, Monster.com career expert
“Other people may feel more comfortable networking remotely and interviewing from their current location, then moving once they secure the offer of employment,” Salemi suggests. It really comes down to financials, what you’re most comfortable with, and where you can conduct the most productive job search.
(If you’re staying with your sister who has four kids and three dogs, finding a quiet space to conduct Zoom interviews may be challenging.)
How to start the process of looking for a new job in a new city
Get a current snapshot of the job market:It’s a good idea to do extensive research on the area you’re relocating to. Is it exploding? Shrinking? Which industries are hot? Keep this in mind, because you may not want to stay in this new job forever. “Ensure you’re moving to a location with viable opportunities beyond the one right in front of you,” Salemi streses.
Visit, do some recon: If possible, visit the new city before you make your decision to move. Photos and virtual tours just don’t tell the whole story. “If you can’t visit, use your network to see if someone you know has friends or family in that area,” Farrell says. “Arrange to talk with them about what they like about living there and any drawbacks to the area.”
Network (virtually) ahead of time: Start reaching out to locals in your industry who could be potential referrals to gigs in the area. “Use LinkedIn to find people in your field who are working in that region. Reach out to connect and see if they are willing to talk,” Farrell says.
Save up: Moving without a job lined up is a risky move, especially because you don’t actually know how long it’ll take to secure a position and start earning a paycheck. Aside from the budgeting you’re already doing for the move, you should have a few extra months’ worth of expenses saved up to float you until you get hired. “If you are renting, most property owners want to see you have employment before they will rent to you, so you need to consider where you will stay if you move before landing the job,” Farrell says.
Create an out for your current place: If you currently own a home, timing can be tricky. Consider the housing market in your current area and price it to make sure it sells – a good real estate agent can help. If you plan to buy in the next location, begin looking well in advance. “Consider whether there will be a lag between when you arrive and when you can move into your new residence. You may need to investigate local hotels or other interim housing if you expect to experience a gap,” Farrell says.
Starting a new life hundreds of miles away is not a decision you want to make lightly. What is an exciting opportunity for one person could feel like a scary and daunting transition for another. But if you’re ready to take on the challenge of a new job in a new city, be sure to negotiate your relocation and compensation package for a smooth long-distance move.
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And while the internet is awash with articles listing all kinds of side hustles to consider, there is one lucrative side gig few are talking about: starting a local moving company (or joining one).
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