What’s the Cheapest Way To Move? A Guide for Thrifty Moving

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Clearly, not everyone has stayed home since the pandemic — studies show 4% more people moved last year than the year prior. And — surprise, surprise — as demand grew for moving, so did moving prices. There’s been a reported increase in lots of associated moving costs.

But even in the current economy, moving house doesn’t need to cost an absolute fortune. By starting early, doing your research, and following these affordable moving tips below, it’s actually possible to save hundreds or thousands of dollars, depending on the scale of your move.

A Guide to Getting the Cheapest Move Possible

Step One: Declutter Your Stuff

a side by side comparison of hallway filled with enough boxes and miscellaneous items to fill a room, and the same hallway but empty of all the items

No matter what anyone tells you, the two biggest factors that influence all the costs of a move are:

  1. HOW you move — there will always be a cost, whether you choose to go the DIY route, hire a full-service company, or opt for something in between, all of which we’ll cover later
  2. The size of your move

The simple fact is the less stuff you have, the cheaper it will be to move. This is why decluttering is the first step you should take towards lowering your moving costs. 

For example, using movers to move a one-bedroom apartment locally has a median cost of around $400. Compare that to the cost of moving a large house, which can often run you around $3,000 in transportation and moving costs! 

So, it stands to reason that if you have a two-bedroom apartment and you sell or donate about a room’s worth of stuff, then you’re paying significantly less to move what’s left. As a bonus, you get a fresh start when decorating in your new space. There’s also an opportunity to make money if you sell off some of your belongings, which can help offset the costs of the move itself.

Step Two: Avoid buying packing and moving supplies

plastic bags in a cardboard box that can be used as packing material

One pack of tape is a negligible expense, but all of your packing and moving materials can add up (to the tune of $550, if you go for a large kit).

One way around this is to stash plastic bags, packing materials, and boxes in the months before your move. However, not everyone has this kind of foresight, much less the space in their house. 

The week before your move, you can hit up your local grocer and see if they have any extra boxes. During moving season, a lot of people think to visit superstores, so they actually run out quickly. Think outside the box — so to speak — by visiting outliers like liquor stores, furniture stores, and hotels. You can also post on Facebook, since you never know if one of your friends just finished a move.

Looking for a sustainable option? Utilize your own blankets, sheets, clothes, and towels as packing materials, in addition to newspapers and magazines. You can also rent packing materials (like plastic boxes) — then send them back when you’re done. 

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Step Three: Pick the right time to move

Timing is everything, as they say, and that’s especially true for moving. For one thing, you’ll want to avoid peak moving season (May through September) if you want to save cash and eliminate stress. But even the day of the week and time of day can affect your moving price tag.

For instance, it’s cheaper to move in the middle of the month, since leases typically start and end on the first. But moving on a Monday as opposed to a Saturday can also be cheaper when you’re renting a moving truck. As this article points out, a quote for on Wednesday was $1.09/mile, but on Saturday the quote was $1.39/mile.

 

“…if you’re moving between states and need to stay somewhere overnight to break up the drive, the price of hotels and fuel costs might entirely cancel out what you were trying to save by going DIY.”

 

If you’re paying for a rental truck or movers by the hour, then you’ll want to avoid rush hour, since getting caught in traffic can send your prices through the roof. This happened to a friend of mine when she was moved across town in NYC, taking her $400 quote up to $750 — pretty pricey, considering her movers were just sitting in a truck on the highway. The moral of the story? The earlier in the day you plan your move when you’re hiring helpers, the more you can save.

Step Four: Decide if DIY is best for you

a couple loading boxes into a moving truck already filled with more boxes and furniture

Believe it or not, DIY might not be the cheapest option for you. In general, doing the entire move yourself does cost less (DIY moves average about $660, while a full-service move can cost up to $2,568), but depending on how you go about it, there can be a lot of hidden costs.  

Your biggest expense is probably going to be your own time. You have to plan, take time off from work or school, get childcare if needed, and spend days doing really tiring work. Not to mention, if you’re moving between states and need to stay somewhere overnight to break up the drive, the price of hotels and fuel costs might entirely cancel out what you were trying to save by going DIY.

If you research hotels and the route beforehand (and are smart about your PTO), you can still save. But that’s still more time spent planning out your move.

DIY is best if you:

  • Don’t have a lot of stuff, or it’s all pretty cheap and replaceable 
  • Can easily take time off work or school
  • Plan out driving routes, hotel stays, and other stops to find the cheapest options

Step five: Decide if you want moving help

a couple signs off on a move that a pair of movers have just completed. A stacks of boxes are visible in the background.

Your other option is to hire moving help. But surely you’re thinking: How does hiring people help me save money? For one thing, it’s a lot cheaper to hire loading and unloading help when you’re doing the driving compared to hiring a moving company to do it all for you. This is known in the biz as a “hybrid” move — a blend of DIY and a full-service move. Essentially, you’re doing the driving, but you also pay for a bit of help on the side to load and unload your stuff. 

 

“Rent a trailer instead of a truck. Even if you pay to have a trailer hitch installed, you may still save money — and, as a bonus, you won’t have to worry about shipping your car.”

 

Paying for moving help not only spares your back, but can help you save on your truck or trailer rental. By using their expert packing skills, moving helpers can help you fit more stuff into the space than you could — all while securing your items so nothing gets damaged or breaks during the drive. It may be well worth dishing out an extra couple hundred to hire help if you can rent a smaller moving truck and protect your possessions.

Hiring moving help is best if you:

  • Have a large home with a lot of heavy or fragile furniture 
  • Worry about being able to arrange childcare or PTO
  • Can’t lift or carry heavy furniture easily 

Make sure any company you hire movers from is fully licensed and insured before committing. You should also look for honest reviews from past customers to get a sense of what the company is really like. Of all the areas I’ve listed above, I would say this is the one where you should avoid getting overly thrifty; good help is almost invaluable when you’re in the middle of a big move, and bad help can turn an already stressful experience into a nightmare — if not turn out to be an outright scam

Step Six: Consider another option: portable moving containers

a white moving container sitting on a residential street, waiting to be loaded

Speaking of ways to move, using moving containers is an excellent option if you find yourself in one of the following scenarios:

  • A) You’re seeking a middle ground with DIY: You don’t want to pay for a full-service move, but you don’t want to do everything yourself either. With a moving container, you rent the unit (which can be dropped off) and load it on your own timeline. When it’s all ready to go, the company picks it up and drives it to your destination — your new residence or a storage facility.

 

  • B) You’re not 100% on all the details yet: When a friend moved from Florida to Boston, she decided to stay in a hotel for a few weeks while she explored neighborhoods and met with realtors. Since her lease in Orlando was ending, it made sense for her to pack up all of her furniture and boxes in a moving container and have a company take it to a storage facility. Thirty days later, after she’d signed her new lease, they delivered everything to her in Boston. This was a way to save on costs, but there were other conveniences like being free to drive her own car up the coast instead of a fully loaded moving truck.

 

  • C) You want to take your time (and save your money on) loading: Let’s say you plan to pay for some help to load your boxes and furniture. Moving containers can help you save in this scenario because you can pack the container little by little on your own time. Then, on moving days, your hourly helpers only need to load a few big things, instead of a hundred little things, which means a smaller mover bill in the end.

Step Seven: Look for other ways to save on your move

a family packs boxes and suitcases into the bed of their truck

There are a million little ways to trim expenses that can quickly add up to big savings. Depending on what kind of move you’re planning on, here are some cheap moving hacks to keep in mind:

  • Pack as much stuff as you can into your own car. You’d be surprised how much can fit into a four-door sedan.
  • Rent a trailer instead of a truck. Even if you pay to have a trailer hitch installed, you may still save money — and, as a bonus, you won’t have to worry about shipping your car.
  • If you’re using a moving container or going DIY, ask your friends or the friendly college kids next door for help lifting heavier items like furniture. It never hurts to ask — and it’s much cheaper to buy them a pizza than to pay professionals by the hour.
  • Use as many of your own belongings as you can for packing material to save on moving supplies and space in your moving truck. For example, pack every suitcase you own, load up your laundry hamper with shoes and smaller bags, and fill sturdy trash cans with items and tape down the lid.

Moving can be stressful and expensive — but it doesn’t need to be that expensive. Hopefully, this article puts you on the path to finding the cheapest way to move for your specific situation.

My Top 10 Moving Tips for Professional Movers

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As movers, we like to move fast and efficiently. But we also like doing everything right.

But there’s truth to the old adage “Work smarter, not harder.” With that phrase in mind, take advantage of these smart moving tricks and hacks I picked up over the years to help you and your crew from working any harder than you need to … but while still doing that 5-star service you’re known for.


1. Set up as SOON as you step off the truck

What’s the first thing we do when we show up for a move? Ring the customer’s doorbell, say hello, and do a walk-through of the place.

Use this opportunity to have a crew member bring stuff you’ll need into the house. As your customer shows you around,

  • Leave a roll of shrink wrap in the living room for the O/S
  • Bring your tools inside/upstairs (along with a few plastic bags!) so you can get right to disassembling the beds
  • Bring in some markers and tape (if there’s any packing to be done) 

Note: Even if you are moving someone into their brand-new home, you’ll still want to bring in tools; they always come in handy. (At minimum, use your free hands to bring in the first few boxes while you’re saying good morning.)

2. Make practical use of the walk-through

Once you’ve seen the upstairs (or the farthest parts of the apartment), grab a box or two and carry them with you back downstairs and/or toward the door. This will keep the move flowing and snappy.

If you need to inventory the customer’s goods first, leave those boxes inside, for now. But if it’s a same-day local move, then carry the beginnings of their stuff out to the garage or driveway (or wherever you’ll be staging things), if not right out onto the truck.

Note: The very beginning is not the time to start hauling heavy furniture down the steps. Leave that sort of stuff for once you’ve got the necessary paperwork signed and the necessary furniture pads prepared.

3. Tape nuts and bolts to the furniture it comes from

Me? I love it when putting a bed frame or a dining room table together, the nuts and bolts are all right there for me, taped in place and waiting for me.

Some people prefer using a parts box, but honestly? Just tape those bits of hardware securely to the bed frame or the underside of the tabletop and you’re good to go.

DON’T tape the bolts THEMSELVES directly to the surface of any metal or wood (please, no!); put all those screws and wing-nuts and everything else in a plastic bag, tape a piece of packing paper around the bed frame or one of the table legs, wrap up that plastic bag of bolts in more paper to prevent any scratches, then tape the protected bag to the bed frame, or the underside, or one leg of the table.

Note: If you are worried about leaving scratches or sticky tape residue on the customer’s bed frame or table leg (or whatever else), or if you just prefer not to tape plastic bags to things, there’s nothing wrong with using a parts box. Go with what works for you.

4. Both you AND the customer should take pictures of everything before you move it!

pictures moving

Before unhooking electronics, it may prove supremely helpful down the road to have pictures of all the cords and wires so we – or the unloaders, or the customer – can see how to hook everything back up again.

The same goes for anything else we will be disassembling: exercise equipment, partition furniture, and even something as simple as a dresser mirror. Of course, take pictures of any pre-existing damage you find, whether it be on an item or somewhere in the customer’s home (e.g., a scratch on the floor or a nick in the wall.)

Note: I recommend using a filesharing website like Dropbox or wetransfer for photos. Both you and the customer can send their pictures to one online folder created specifically for that move.

5. It’s almost always better to empty heavy furniture before moving it

moving furniture

Sure, it might make sense to transport a dresser as is, without emptying it and packing all those clothes in boxes. But depending on how bulky and heavy that dresser is, or how treacherous a staircase might be, to first take out all the drawers and carry them downstairs (and maybe all the way out to the truck). A dresser without its drawers (and all the clothing inside) weighs a lot less than it does when full, making it easier to maneuver without any danger of a drawer sliding out and crashing into the wall or onto the floor.

6. Try shoulder straps 

shoulder straps furniture movers
photo credit: northerntool.com

Shoulder straps are for when we are faced with a heavy piece of furniture and a narrow staircase. If you have furniture straps, great, If not, you can use ratchet straps (as long as you remove the part with the ratchet). Either way, using straps can make it a lot easier to control a heavy piece as you ease it down those stairs. Slide it down if it has a sturdy, flat surface (pad it up first!). Otherwise, lift it and go down one step at a time.

7. Pad-up the furniture at the truck, not inside

Sure, if you are going to slide a piece of furniture down a set of stairs you’ll absolutely want to pad it first, and pad it very well.

But for furniture you are simply going to carry out to the truck, wait until later to pad it up. Why? No matter how securely you tape your furniture pads in place, they are bound to slip once you try to carry what they are wrapped around. Your mileage may vary, but I always found it much easier to handle furniture that was not padded, and much more importantly, much faster not to have to do the same thing twice.

8. Save your back with a “set box”

movers van set box

A set box is a box for putting other boxes on top of, and it saves everyone a lot of unnecessary bending and lifting.

Whether moving your customer in or out, it’s a great idea to have a few solid boxes left at key loading or unloading places; when you have one crewmember or two hauling boxes out of the house to the staging area and another crewmember or two hauling them onto the truck, a set box on either end will speed you up!

9. Tape cardboard OVER a furniture pad that’s covering glass

furniture pad cardboard

It’s common — and smart — to place a piece of cardboard over the front of a china hutch or a curio, or any piece of furniture with glass that can not be removed and wrapped. Usually, this is done before wrapping the piece up in furniture pads. But for an extra layer of protection — and to give everyone a clear warning that there is glass under that pad — tape another piece of cardboard over the glass ON TOP OF the furniture pad.

10. Bring towels

mover with a towel

In hot weather, we sweat. In bad weather, things get wet. In any case, it’s a great idea to have a few towels on hand.

Have CLEAN towels for your crew to wipe the sweat off their hands and arms (and faces and legs too). Have some big old towels your crew can use to wipe their feet and keep the truck ramps as well as the inside of the truck as dry and safe as possible.


And one final tip: Please, don’t run. Yes, we are movers. We love to move. But one missed step, one uneven edge, one loose rock and your extra hustle could lead to a whole lot of hurt, not to mention a slowdown for the rest of the job and maybe beyond.

“Work smarter, not harder.” To that, I’d add, “Work safely.”

The Official Break-Up Moving Checklist

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On their own, breaking up and moving are both ranked on the list of life’s top stressors. Together, especially without proper planning, they add up to a special kind of terrible.

While it will likely take more time to move on versus move out, this detailed moving checklist will at least help you with all of life’s annoying details while you’re trying to focus on a divorce, separation, or just a plain-ol’-fashioned breakup.

[See the illustrated checklist here!]

Moving Checklist: How To Move Out After a Break-Up

Step 1: Assess your separation, then make a plan

The fact that you’re even reading a moving checklist tells me you’ve already decided who’s going to split — and you’re likely the one moving out.

But before you pick up the moving boxes, it helps to think through some logistics. If you’re in the tough situation of having to move after a breakup, most people opt in to one of these game plans:

  • Plan A: Get out quick!

The problem: Unless your ex is particularly understanding or has tons of space, you’ll likely need a quick place to store your stuff while you figure things out. And sometimes… you need to get out fast. You may find it best to couch it at a friend or family member’s house while you get your bearings, save up some cash, and come up with your actual plan.

  • Plan B: Temporary new place

break up spot pieceThe problem: So you need a new “non-forever” home that isn’t depressing? If the housing market is as crazy where you live as it is everywhere else, you probably need some time to shop around for your next home (especially if you’re planning on buying). You should consider:

  • A short-term rental (think AirBnb or Vrbo)
  • Month-to-month or 3-6 month apartment lease
  • Extended-stay hotel

A temporary home is also a great option when you have kids and don’t want to pull them out of school in the middle of the year, or if you’re waiting to move long-distance and want to line up a job first. (You may or may not need to store your stuff in this situation, depending on the size of your temporary pad.)

  • Plan C: Big change 

The problem: Separation got you wanting to move to the mountains and live in a remote cabin? Maybe your breakup has put things into perspective and you’re ready for a markedly big change… or heck, maybe you’d rather move nearer to a support network instead of running into your ex at the grocery store.

This plan generally involves a long-distance move and/or storage, whether it’s to another city in your state, across the country, or across the world. (As it can take longer to realistically coordinate a relocation like this, it may be worth it to opt for Plan A, listed above, and sleep in a friend’s guestroom until you’re ready to go.)

  • Plan D: Take your time

The problem: Maybe your situation isn’t bad, but the housing market is?

Sometimes you get lucky and you can keep things civil long enough to choose your ideal next home, sort through your things, and make a direct point-A-to-point-B move without having to put anything in storage. (Hey, it happened to me!) If so, make a plan that takes advantage of this time.

Extra Special Considerations for a Break-Up Move

  • Kids

The goal when you’re divorcing or breaking up with kids is to keep their lives as stable as possible. If you’re arguing a lot with your ex, it may be best to move out yourself first (Plan A above) to save your kiddos stress. You may also want to take some extra time to find an ideal kid-friendly setup or a place that’s near their school.

Of course, if there’s domestic violence or a threat of abuse, it’s best to remove yourself and your children as soon as you can. Lean on friends and family for support, and gain legal representation as soon as possible.

  • Pets

Before you discuss splitting up your pets with your ex, take some time to reflect on whether you can truly offer your pet a fulfilling life when you’re on your own. Any decision you make should be in your pet’s best interest. By the way, I’ve known couples to work out a joint-custody agreement successfully! You may also opt to leave Buddy at home with your ex until you can snag a pet-friendly setup.

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Step 2: Match your plan to its best moving option

After you know where and when you’re going next, it’s time to figure out how.

Maybe you’ve got money to burn. Maybe your breakup has left you flat on your back. Maybe you can bench press your couch in your sleep. Maybe your back goes out more than you do. Ultimately, every moving scenario is fairly different, including yours. Fortunately, there’s a moving option for whatever your budget and energy levels are.

DIY move

diy move

What it is: You’re taking the move into your own hands, from packing to unloading. This option involves renting a truck or borrowing one from a friend.

What it’s best for: Plan A, B

People who are on a budget, good old-fashioned DIYers, and/or those who need to move out quickly. (We have a checklist for that too!)

Insider tips: Moving is a lot of work, even under the best circumstances. This is the time to reach out to friends and family — especially if they’re into weightlifting. Ask them if you can borrow their truck, watch the kids on moving day, or get help with moving the heavy stuff.

Labor-only + Truck rental

Moving mattress

What it is: A hybrid between a DIY move and hiring full-service help, this solution involves renting and driving the truck yourself but hiring professionals for loading and unloading.

Who it’s best for: Plan A, B

Movers by the hour are great if you aren’t up for heavy lifting or could use a helping hand with disassembling and reassembling furniture. Need a recommendation? Make sure to check mover marketplaces with transparent reviews.

Insider tips: This option is still great for those who want to move out quickly, but it might not be as nimble as a full-on DIY move. If you hire movers, remember to mention if you have stairs or specialty items such as pianos, as packers and loaders generally charge extra for these. And don’t feel pressured to go with the fastest or cheapest option just because you’re eager to get away from your ex! Ignoring red flags isn’t great in a relationship, and it’s not great for picking moving assistance either.

moving truck prices
See real-time moving truck prices on Moving101

Portable storage moving service

college moving pod

What it is: This is when a moving company delivers one or more portable storage containers to your driveway, you load your things into the container, then the company picks up the container and delivers it to either your new home or a storage facility.

Who it’s best for: Plan B, C, D

Typically, portable storage companies like PODS or 1-800-PACK-RAT are flexible with timelines, which lets you load at your own pace. This is helpful for couples who are on decent terms and want to take some time to sort through logistics and their possessions. It’s also great for those making a big change via a long-distance move, as you don’t have to worry about driving, or necessarily even coordinating when you’ll arrive. Your stuff will just be whisked away and waiting for you, typically with monthly billing. 

And although it’s potentially pricey for a temporary new place, it can be a luxury for the heartbroken needing a short-term, temporary move that requires storage.

Insider tips: If you’re unsure where you’ll be living long-term, get two containers! One can be loaded up with the essentials and delivered to a family member’s home or a short-term rental. The other can be kept in storage until you close on a new house or find a more permanent living solution. If you need help with the heavy lifting, portable containers pair super well with hourly packing and loading assistance.

Moving far away?

Do it cheaper.

HireAHelper.com can save you up to 40%, compared to traditional interstate van lines.

Compare our long distance moving company options.

Full-service move

full service move

What it is: Get comprehensive professional help moving from start to finish. We’re talking packing, unpacking, loading, unloading — the whole shebang! You won’t have to lift a finger, except to enter your credit card information. (Did I mention this option is usually the priciest?)

Who it’s best for: Plan C, D

If you’re able, this is best if you need support in more ways than one. It’s also a great fit for people who have a lot of stuff, are moving long-distance, or just want the peace of mind that comes with a full-service provider.

Insider tips: While this option can be the most convenient, it often takes the longest, as you’ll be moving on the company’s schedule — not your own. You may want to stay with a friend until moving day, especially if you’re planning on moving long-distance or during the busy summertime months. You might be tempted given the circumstances to book the first mover you talk to, but make sure to do your due diligence when picking out a company.

Real Talk

If you’re trying to safely remove yourself from an abusive relationship, there are professionals who are dedicated to helping people in your situation.

To get started, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE, learn where your local shelters are (just in case), then click here to seek out moving companies near you who might be able to move domestic abusive victims for free.

Step #3: Self-care is vital while you pack and separate

Before you start throwing your things into boxes — and burning that little box of dating mementos — take a step back to get some operational things in place. It may take a little more work on the front end, but it’ll make the transition to your new place a lot easier.

  • If you bought something with your ex-partner, consider selling it back to them: If you don’t have it, you don’t have to pack it. If you want to cut your moving costs or move out in record time, clean out that closet, donate your things to a local charity, or, if you have time, host a garage sale (just don’t sell your ex’s stuff without permission). 
  • Save sentimentals for dead last: This is good advice for any move, but it goes double during a breakup. For untold amounts of reasons, dump sentimental stuff in a box and deal with it last.
  • Don’t get petty: Trust me, it’s best to take the high road. No arguing over knick-knacks! It’s not worth it.
  • Get ahead of having to pick up your mail: It can be easy in our digital age to forget about this step, but it’s better to take care of this now to avoid having to pick up your mail from your ex’s place after you move out.
  • Short on time? Hire professional movers by the hour. There’s a reason they’re the professionals; they can deal with all of the heavy stuff for only a couple hundred bucks, which is HUGE since you’re probably stressed out to the max.
  • Stock up on supplies: Proper moving supplies can mean all the difference between having your stuff arrive intact or in pieces. Forgo throwing things into a garbage bag and get some quality moving supplies, like boxes, packing tape, markers, and bubble wrap. Like free stuff? Here are some tips for getting free boxes.
@hireahelper Where to get FREE moving boxes! #packingboxes #cardboardboxes #cardboard #movingboxes #movingtips ♬ original sound – HireAHelper

Step #4: Move on

Just because your move is behind you doesn’t mean your ex is. Here are some tips for moving on after moving out:

  • Meet people near where you’re going: Get back into the social scene by starting close to home. This may be especially helpful if you’re not used to being alone, as you may be able to lean on your new neighbors for support with childcare or even handyman tasks if that’s not your thing.
  • Don’t sweat the small stuff with your ex: After you’ve moved, you may realize that you left behind your favorite coffee mug or that you didn’t get reimbursed for half of the last utility bill. If it’s not a make-or-break situation, let bygones be bygones. It’s time to move on.
  • Overprioritize decorating your new space: Nothing spells a fresh start like a new place does. Put extra energy into picking out curtains, new furniture, and art for the new pad. 
  • You need a new routine: This is especially true if you have kiddos or pets. Create a sense of normalcy by establishing a new pattern. Just for funsies, throw in some things you wouldn’t have been able to enjoy when you were attached — cook with gluten, watch your guilty-pleasure Netflix show, or heck, let the dog sleep in bed with you.

More of a visual learner? Screenshot or download the official break-up moving checklist™ below!

breakup moving checklist
Click to enlarge
Illustrations by Shideh Ghandeharizadeh

Real Moving Scam Stories (and What To Do When It Happens to You)

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Last year, 230 moving scams were reported to the Better Business Bureau (BBB)—nearly double the number reported in 2019.

That might not seem like a lot, but consider the BBB estimates that only about 10% of scams actually get reported. And if you were one of those victims, even one scam would feel like one too many. 

Here’s the story of one couple who ended up the victims of a terrible moving experience, what they did, plus what you can do to avoid fraud on your next big move.

How Moving Scams Happen

When Mary and Will* needed to move long-distance across the state of Georgia to St. Simons Island, they didn’t realize how tough it would be to find movers.

The larger moving companies weren’t returning their calls due to high volume, and local movers couldn’t accommodate the over 300-mile move. (The couple also looked into moving container companies, but the cost didn’t fit their budget.) Yet eventually, a Google search connected them with a moving company called Nation Relocation. 

This company responded quickly to Will’s call and sent someone out to do an estimate. “That meeting went well enough, so we had no reason to distrust the company,” Mary explained to HireAHelper. “As a retired Army family having had only great moving experiences, it didn’t cross our mind that this one would be any different.”

Suspicions mounting

The problems started when the owner of the moving company was leaving Mary and Will’s home after one day of packing. The mover veered the moving truck off the driveway and onto the lawn, breaking a sprinkler head and leaving a large divot in the lawn. Afterward, he dismissed it as not his fault and quickly left with all his employees.

moving scamsThe emergency repair to the sprinkler cost the couple $642. “When he came back the next day to finish packing, my husband presented him with the invoice for the emergency repair and he asked him if he was going to pay for it,” Mary recounted. “His response was ‘that’s not going to happen.’”

Still, Mary said they expected that the move itself would be handled properly, having no past bad experiences. Unfortunately, things only got worse from there. After the couple’s items were unpacked in their new home, they discovered extensive damage to their belongings. An antique mirror that has been in Mary’s family since the 1940s was alarmingly handled. ”There was literally one sheet of packing paper wrapped around it for protection,” she said. Additionally, an antique vase that was given to Mary by her late mother-in-law was wrapped in a thin sheet of paper and jammed into a box with heavy items.

Also damaged were the couple’s flatscreen TV, washing machine, two bikes (one was damaged beyond use, and another simply disappeared), a brand-new cabinet, antique furniture and dishes, and more. In fact, entire rooms of items went missing during the move, including a 24-foot extension ladder, compound miter saw, electric chain saw, circular saw, hand sander, power drill, kitchen chair, car jack, garden wagon, moving dolly, and 40-50 DVDs.

“The owner was belligerent and disrespectful and showed little care for our personal property, both in hearing about damages as well as how things were packed,” Mary recounted. The couple filed a written claim with the company over a week before our interview, but they still haven’t received a response.

Not an isolated incident

Mary and Will are far from the only people who have been scammed by a moving company. 

In just one of a plethora of potential examples, Konami Moving and Storage, a moving company operating out of Las Vegas, made headlines when multiple customers came forward with claims they were taken advantage of during their moves. One local TV news station interviewed a woman who claimed her belongings were actually held hostage by the company, as they refused to return them unless their customer paid an exorbitant, undisclosed fee. Another customer shared that he was out $4,500 after half his items went missing and several more were broken as a result of working with Konami. A look at Konami’s online reviews reveals many other angry customers complaining of everything from damaged property to extortion.

On July 28th, a multi-agency investigation led to the arrests of five people in connection with a multi-state moving scam, including Konami Moving and Storage.

With a national increase in home sales driving heightened demand for movers, some experts warn that moving scams like these will increase. Thus, it pays to know the warning signs coming from a fraudulent moving company.

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How To Avoid Becoming the Victim of a Moving Scam

If you hire movers, it may feel stressful when virtual strangers enter your home and handle all your items. While the vast majority of moving companies employ courteous and professional workers, there’s always a chance you could get stuck with ones who aren’t.

From avoiding being overcharged to making sure your belongings aren’t damaged or stolen, here are some important steps you can take to stay safe.

1. Get several quotes

One way to make sure you aren’t getting ripped off or working with a questionable company is to look at more than one quote for the move. (This is very simple to do entirely online using a mover marketplace.) This can help you compare offers and be sure you’re getting a good deal.

Some red flags to look out for when comparing quotes:

  • One number is way lower than everyone else’s quote: If any one quote is significantly lower (or higher) compared to the others, it’s a sign there’s something amiss. You want to get the lowest price possible, but avoid anything that seems too good to be true.
  • It’s hard to get concrete details: This includes pricing, license numbers, insurance information, and more. “If there is any pushback from requests for this information, that could be a red flag that you are working with a fraudulent moving company,” explains Kristen Bolig, founder of SecurityNerd.
  • They won’t put it in writing: It’s best to avoid any verbal agreements that don’t include a written contract. Without the terms of your contract in writing, it’s easy to change or go back on what was originally promised.
  • A large down-payment is required: Be wary of companies that want you to pay a lot of the principal before the move takes place. This is a practice amongst scammers who take the money and run.

2. Check out the company’s online presence

Most businesses want to make it easier for potential new customers to find them and for existing customers to engage with them… not harder.

It’s expected that any legitimate moving company will at least have a basic website and additional listings on websites like Yelp or HireAHelper that feature pictures, company details, and reviews. A complete lack of online presence, as well as a history of name changes, is a red flag that a company may be hiding something.

 

“Movers need to be licensed with the state, and if they’re doing interstate moves, they need to be federally licensed too.”

 

For example, the aforementioned Nation Relocation (whose website is not currently active) has also done business under another company name: “Region Relocation”. They have no social media presence either, and it is the opinion of myself and multiple others whom they have scammed that they’ve done this intentionally to minimize their traceability and their accountability footprint,” Mary said.

3. Look up verified customer reviews (that means the moves really happened)

Before choosing a moving company, see what past customers have to say about them. A couple of negative reviews are to be expected, but a long history of dissatisfied customers should make you look elsewhere.

“Looking back, we would have started our market research earlier in the moving process and looked at online reviews and Better Business Bureau reports,” Mary said. Nation Relocation, for example, has a one-star rating on Yelp, with multiple customer complaints ranging from damages to harassment. Meanwhile, Region Relocation has an F rating from the BBB fueled by 48 customer complaints.

4. Keep a detailed inventory

To be sure that none of your items go missing without you realizing it, keep a detailed list of what was packed. For high-value items, you may also want to take photographs. “Moving can be hectic, but being organized will help mitigate any risk of theft,” Kristen Bolig advises. “Keeping inventory of your belongings will allow you to know if anything is missing once the move is done.”

5. Lock your most expensive valuables

As an added measure against tampering or theft, Bolig recommends using lockable moving boxes and totes for extra security. Just be sure that if you do, you properly pad anything fragile so it doesn’t break during transit.

6. Consider buying moving insurance

Though moving insurance can’t bring back irreplaceable items that were broken, lost or stolen, insurance can ensure that you don’t take a major financial hit from the loss. “This kind of insurance covers the costs of any damaged or lost items during a move,” Bolig said.

Though your moving company may offer its own protection, you may want to purchase insurance through a third-party in case the company ends up being fraudulent. “Even if you do fall victim to a scam, you can have this insurance to fall back on,” Bolig said. 

Generally, the more useful third-party liability coverage costs around $1.25 per pound. So if you move 2,000 pounds of belongings, you could expect to pay $2,500. It’s a significant added cost, but depending on what you’re moving, it could be worth the peace of mind that you’re financially protected against moving damages.

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What To Do if You Just Got Scammed

Of course, no one wants to get ripped off, but it still happens. So if despite your best efforts, if you end up getting scammed by a moving company, here’s what you should do.

1. Let your state’s Consumer Affairs Division know what happened

There are a few benefits to doing this. For one, investigators can help you track down missing belongings or get compensation for damaged items. Plus, they can take unlicensed and illegal movers off the streets so no one else falls victim. Movers need to be licensed with the state, and if they’re doing interstate moves, they need to be federally licensed too. Cross-checking these licenses and reporting an unlicensed mover is a quick way to get an investigation started.

2. Call your local police station

The police are sometimes limited in what they can do when a moving scam occurs. At the very least, you should file a police report for any damages or harassment you experience. In some cases, depending on state laws, the police can actually mediate a dispute. For example, if a moving company holds your belongings hostage in demand for more money, the police can step in and help you get your stuff back, especially if it involves an interstate move. But again, the level of involvement by police will be dictated by state law, so do your research and learn what’s allowed where you’re moving

3. Consider contacting a news outlet

One of the best ways to put pressure on a company to resolve your complaint (and protect future customers) is to contact a local newspaper or TV station and see if they’ll do a report on your incident. This does involve putting yourself and your misfortune in the public eye. But if you don’t mind taking the spotlight for the greater good, it can be worth it.


Ultimately, when choosing a moving company, it’s important to trust your gut. If anything about the quote, contract, or communication feels off, it’s probably a sign that you should work with someone else. When in doubt, trusted, established moving services with consumer-friendly policies are always the better choice.

*Names have been changed in order to protect the couple’s privacy.
Illustrations by Marlowe Dobbe

How To Pack a Bike for Moving like a Pro

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This article should probably be called, “How Regular People Should Pack a Bicycle for Moving”. Most people don’t even bother wiping the mud splatters off their bike before they have their movers roll it onto the truck.

But if your bicycle is not in a box, it will either end up lying flat on top of your stuff, or wedged in the middle somewhere. Yet in transit, not only can your bike get damaged, but it can also cause some serious damage.

The pros know this. But lucky for us regular people, it’s not only possible but not too difficult to pack a bicycle in the garage or out in the yard. You just need a short list of simple supplies.

What You Need to Disassemble a Bike

  • A couple of hand wrenches (most pedals require a 15mm wrench)
  • Hex wrenches (i.e., Allen wrench set)
  • Padding, such as bubble wrap, foam tube covers, sheets of foam, or whatever you’ve got
  • Tape, including box tape and some skinnier stuff
  • Scissors (or a pocket knife)
  • A small cardboard box for bike parts
  • Sixty minutes, give or take

And for the absolute best results, you need a good sturdy bike box! Call or visit your local bike shop, as they’ll likely be more than happy to have you take one off their hands. If they don’t have a box on hand, ask when they’ll be getting new bikes delivered and ask them to set an empty box aside for you.

Bonus: Ask them to leave the packing materials in there for you. You’ll see why in a minute.

Other helpful bits:

  • Zip ties
  • Ziploc or other plastic bags
  • Extra cardboard

Packing Your Bicycle, Step By Step

1. Shift the gears to the lowest gear on your bike, so the chain is on the largest (innermost) rear chainring

How do you pack a bike? You have to start on the lowest gear. This pulls the rear derailleur, aka the most expensive and delicate component on your bike, closer to the rear wheel. It also adds an extra ounce of protection against potential impact damage.

Remember: to shift, you need to be pedaling! 

2. Remove the pedals

Now it’s time to use that 15mm wrench. (This might seem scary, but it really isn’t.)

Get a tight grip on the end of the pedal and twist. Note that you’ll have to turn the pedals in opposite directions, left pedal clockwise, and right pedal counter-clockwise. Please take note that removing some pedals requires an Allen (hex) wrench, with the hole on the inner end of the pedal closest to the bicycle.  

Put the pedals in your small cardboard “parts box”.

You’ll notice each pedal should be marked with an “L” or an “R”, which tells you which side of the bike each one goes on when you put your bike back together (since the threads on one pedal run opposite to the other).

Note: Over time, some pedals can become kind of stuck. Some WD-40 type lube might do the trick. If it doesn’t, my working solution is to sit on the bike with the wrench on the pedal, free-end toward the rear of the bike. Squeeze the brakes and push down on the wrench with your foot. But please, be careful not to bang, scrape, or lacerate your leg on your bike once that pedal comes loose!

3. Start adding crucial padding

Use bubblewrap (or whatever you’ve got) to wrap the most sensitive (and dangerous) parts of your bike frame: 

It’s a good idea to tape or zip-tie one of the pedal cranks to the bike frame to keep the chain drive from moving and shifting. Do this before wrapping the derailleur!

Pro tip: If you are superhuman and can rip a piece of tape off the roll with one hand while holding your bubble wrap in place with the other, awesome. For us regular people, it is super helpful to stick a couple of pieces of tape on your forearm or the leg of your jeans before you start wrestling that bubble wrap into place.

In the end, your bike might look as covered as this:

4. Remove and secure the handlebars

With the Allen (hex) wrench, remove the four bolts holding the faceplate in place.

Be careful not to let the handlebars go freefalling when the bolts come out, as this can do bad things to the brake and shifting cable mechanisms—and possibly your knees. Immediately screw the bolts back in to put the faceplate back on when the bars are off.

Since they are attached to the ends of your handle bars, be careful not to yank, strain or otherwise abuse the brake and shift cables while you’re doing this! If possible, tape or zip-tie the handlebars to the right side of the bike frame, like this:

5. Remove the front wheel

Rim brake (left) and disc brake (right) – cyclingnews.com

If you have rim brakes, you’ll need to loosen them first to allow the wheel to come off. Disc brakes need no attention for now.

To get the wheel off, you need to flip the little lever on the left side of the wheel hub and loosen the axle until the wheel comes free. Keep unscrewing the axle until the part on the right side comes off.

Careful: there are two conical springs on the axle, which look exactly how they sound like. Don’t lose them! Simply slide the axle out of the wheel, put the spring and the end piece back on the axel, and put the whole thing into the cardboard parts box with your pedals (and other small parts).

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6. Wrap the front fork

When you are taking the front wheel off, it’s a good idea to have a piece of cardboard ready so you don’t set the ends of your front fork on the ground where it will get scratched. A foam pipe cover cut to size works well as fork padding, but bubble wrap works too.

7. For added protection, pad the disc brake (if your bike has disc brakes)

If your bike has disc brakes, you’ll have to pad the brake mechanism on the left fork. (Pad the ends of the forks well!) Padding wheel hubs and the elements of your chain drive can be challenging… to say the least. But if you really care about your bike, this is what a professional would do to protect it fully.

Also, taping pieces of extra cardboard to the inside of the bike box where these parts sit lends an extra layer of protection. Go even further by putting extra bubble wrap or foam underneath these extra pieces of cardboard.

If the good folks at the bike shop gave you the packing materials along with the bike box, look for something that looks like the head of a hammerhead shark. This is a specialized piece that will not only protect the ends of your forks, but will hold them in place to prevent them from getting bent or otherwise damaged from pressure or impact. Other pieces may attach to the wheel hubs, not only protecting them but also providing an extra surface area to keep the box from getting crushed against your bicycle.

8. Put your bike in the box

Make sure to turn the front fork 180 degrees so the neck (the part that holds the handlebars) is facing backwards. Slide the front wheel in on the left side of the bike. Keep the front tire on the left side! This is so it doesn’t get chewed up by the chainrings on the right!

Lower your seat so you can put some padding and/or extra cardboard on it and still properly close the box. Left in place, the seat can help keep the box from getting crushed on top.

Note: Some people prefer to remove the seat, wrap it up, and tape/zip-tie it to the bike frame or pack it separately. You do you.

9. Tape up the box

Before you do, you may choose to stick some extra items in there for even more padding and protection. Old blankets work well, as does camping gear like tents or sleeping bags. However, be aware of any sharp points or edges on your bicycle that could tear a hole in the fabric, especially if the bike is going a long distance. Don’t use anything you particularly care about.

Tape the box on all corners and along the top and bottom edges. Tape the carry holes on the sides of the box to reinforce them, like so.

Pro tip: If the box is big enough, putting these extra blankets, tents, or whatever in plastic bags helps keeps dirt and chain grease away.


The Final Pro Tip

If you find your bike won’t quite fit in the box, well, remove the rear wheel too! This will require the removal of the rear derailleur from the frame, which should only typically involve removing one additional bolt or screw. But don’t just leave it hanging! Wrap it well and secure it to the inside of the bike frame where it won’t get smacked around.

Take the axle out of the rear wheel just as you did the front, and just like before, take extra care to protect all those chainrings.

And now the fun part: you’ll have to zip-tie one or both wheels to the bike frame so that all those exposed chain drive components are not resting on the bottom of the box. (And avoid having to do all of this by simply getting a big enough box!)


Packing a bike isn’t as complicated as it seems, it just takes a little getting used to. And if you’re finding yourself too frightened to do all of the above, ask your movers if they can help (they probably have done this before). But if you’re doing this alone and/or for the first time, don’t freak out! Once you get the hang of it, you’ll never forget. It’s kind of like riding a…

How Do I Figure out How Much Time My Customer’s Move Will Take?

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As moving professionals, at some point, we’ve all spoken to customers who need a quote right that very moment. 

The first time for me was a newlywed couple who called us looking for a move into their brand new home. As challenging as staging a move already is, the hardest part was when they dropped the line, “We’re taking off on our honeymoon early tomorrow morning, so can you just kind of tell us now how much the move will cost right now?”

This is when things get tricky, with your business on one end and a customer on the other, waiting for you to give them a number, right then and there.

Giving over-the-phone estimates is not easy. Fortunately, there’s a way to nail down a fairly accurate quote: It’s all about asking the right questions, as well as making sure the customer understands the importance of their answers. Here’s what to do.

How to Build Your Time Estimate

Step 1: Account for every room in the house 

The first question I recommend is: “How many bedrooms do you have?” This gives you a fairly consistent idea of the size of the place being moved. But be sure to quickly follow this up by asking the customer what other rooms they have—and what is inside each. As long as they don’t have four grand pianos and a half dozen pinball machines, the following estimates should apply:

Job Size Loading Only Unloading Only Load & Unload
Studio or Small Apartment 2 movers for 2 hours 2 movers for 2 hours 2 movers for 4 hours
2-3 Bedroom Apartment 2 movers for 3 hours 2 movers for 2 hours 2 movers for 5 hours
2-3 Bedroom House 3 movers for 4 hours 3 movers for 3 hours 3 movers for 7 hours
3-4 Bedroom House 4 movers for 4 hours 4 movers for 3 hours 4 movers for 7-8 hours
4+ Bedroom House 4 movers for 5 hours 4 movers for 4 hours 4 movers for 8-10 hours
Large House or Castle 4+ movers for 6+ hours 4+ movers for 4+ hours 4+ movers for 10+ hours

It is important to note a couple of things here:

  • These are averages based on previous moves (albeit countless moves that have been performed since the dawn of the moving industry)
  • These averages, in turn, gravitate towards average circumstances: a 100-foot carry from the front door to the truck; an average number of staircases; rooms with an average amount of furniture; an average number of boxes; and a minor amount of furniture disassembly

But if every home was average, estimates would be much easier to give. In reality, we need to find out how a customer’s home might be different from the average to come up with an estimate that will deliver the expected service at the agreed price once the move is done. 

Step 2: Know your distances (plus the moving grounds)

mover estimate

I learned quickly to look not just at what a customer had but where it was in the house and how we were going to have to get it out.

THE INSIDE ROUTE: how’s your stuff getting out?

Carrying a heavy armoire down a long set of stairs is one thing, but getting a medium-sized dresser down a narrow, angled staircase is tougher and takes longer. And of course, everything else has to go down that same narrow staircase with the ninety-degree angle (too often paired with a low ceiling and/or a banister of some obtrusive kind).

 

“All other things being equal, unloading a customer’s belongings can take as much as one-third less time than loading them.”

 

Narrow doorways to narrow hallways can also slow things down—perhaps not by a full hour, but those extra minutes add up. Meanwhile, apartment buildings often have stairs that pull a u-turn halfway down. If the stairwell is wide, no problem! But if you’ve got a narrow space to work with, that means more minutes. So does being on the eighth floor with no elevator (hello, New York City).

THE OUTSIDE ROUTE: how close can we get the truck to the door?

If you can pull up the customer’s driveway, or park right outside the customer’s apartment building, awesome. If you have to park out in the street, or if it’s a long haul from the apartment building door to the truck, then you can safely tack thirty minutes onto a smaller move and an hour onto a larger one (for 3-4 bedrooms).

Another thing to consider is whether the path from the door to the truck is leveled. Having to go downslope can actually slow you down a bit. And going upslope will absolutely drag things out. It may not be by a lot, but any major slope may bump your estimated time up a half notch.

Keep track of all these minute-eating variables, they add up!

Step 3: Sort out the variables

Take an estimate of the heavy, bulky and high-maintenance Items! (If your business is listed on a move providing service like HireAHelper, “Extra Heavy Items” will be automatically communicated to you, which is part of the convenience.)

What’s an “Extra Heavy Item”? We’re talking time-consuming items like:

  • Pianos (both grand pianos and larger uprights) 
  • Gun safes (including laying down)
  • Hot tubs
  • Pool tables 
  • Grandfather clocks (which need to be serviced)
  • Exercise equipment like weight benches, including any plates that need to be removed

Variations apply, but a decent rule of thumb is that for Extra Heavy Items, four movers will spend 30-45 minutes on each such item.

 

“Remember to always give your customer a range, with the estimate in your head falling in the middle.”

 

 

There are exceptions. A hot tub that is already unhooked and ready to be carried from the backyard to the driveway and onto the truck requires little extra time. One mover can tackle servicing that grandfather clock, but the care it requires will keep them occupied for a half-hour, minimum. Disassembling an exercise machine and boxing up the plates and smaller parts may also only require one person, but again, the task can eat up half an hour, easily. 

Note: Feel free to try to muscle that exercise machine down that curved staircase and across that marble floor to the front door and out to the truck at the curb, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Step 4: Figure out the weather conditions

The weather itself usually doesn’t especially slow things down, but what does add time to the job is making sure everything is done safely.

This means taking time to clear out and keep away snow and ice; keeping floors, stairs, trucks and ramps dry so we maintain sure-footing; and not overheating when the mid-summer sun is blazing and the inside of the truck is 120 degrees. It is difficult to predict to what extent the weather will affect our ability to get the job done in a timely manner.

Here’s my best advice: Go ahead and tell the customer it’s an uncertain science. In other words, tell them you will do everything you can to keep everything dry and safe in as little time as possible, but the impact will vary. Making walkways or shoveling or cooling down should only take a few extra minutes here and there to keep things from getting bad. But do take those few minutes. It’s much better than losing several hours due to a sprained ankle.

Step 5: How many people are on your crew (on both ends)?

It may seem reasonable to say that a job that takes two people ten hours might take four people five hours. And the reality isn’t that far off. However, having two movers empty the house to a staging area and another two people grabbing all that stuff and loading it on the truck takes less than half the time it would take two movers to do it all. This difference only grows with the size of the job.

In other words, more muscle makes things exponentially quicker.

Also, it took me exactly one local move to learn that unloading a truck is way faster than loading it. All other things being equal, unloading a customer’s belongings can take as much as one-third less time than loading them.

Final step: What’s the drive time?

Take the time to look at a map and know how long it will take your crew to get to the job site. Your job doesn’t officially begin until you arrive, but your crew’s hours definitely accumulate even before they start the job. Also, take some time to consider how long it will take to drive from origin to destination, but in a loaded (versus unloaded) truck.


Bottom Line

Never completely wing your estimate. If you guess low, you’ll end the job with an angry customer demanding to know why their bill is twice the given estimate, and you can start counting the minutes until they post a negative review. If your estimate is too high, then there goes your prospective customer, running across the street to the competition.

Ask the right questions, and pay attention to every detail before giving your estimate. Over the phone, get as much information as possible about all the furniture, all the boxes, and all the variables, reminding your prospective customer that the accuracy of their estimate hinges on the accuracy of their information. (Or trust that your customer service rep at HireAHelper has already done this for you.)

Use the chart in this post, and add or subtract from those estimates depending on the extras. Remember to always give your customer a range, with the estimate in your head falling in the middle. Make it clear that every home and every situation is different, but based on your experience you are giving them an estimate they can bank on.

2021 Review: My Move With a Penske® Truck

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When it comes to moving truck rental companies, your cup runneth over in terms of choice. You’re probably looking for any little detail to help one option stand out from the rest, so I’m going to tell you my experience moving with Penske, a national truck rental company that supports commercial, personal, local, and long-distance moves.

How does getting a Penske truck work for a local move?

My journey began on the company’s website—specifically, its personal rental page and not the commercial one.

They have this page they call the Penske’s Truck Wizard tool, which I used to determine which size vehicle I should rent. I clicked “Get a Quote” and then added my desired dates and my pick-up and drop-off location information.

penske
Penske’s truck wizard can help you approximate what size truck you’ll need – Penske.com

The first time I moved, I was making a local move within my state, so I selected the same spot for both to keep costs down: Hackensack, New Jersey. 

Then you pick the day

I chose a weekend for vehicle pick-up. Penske automatically determined the drop-off date based on my move details, inviting me to add up rental supplies and spring for insurance. Thankfully, I was also chatting online with a Penske customer service representative during this process (click the “live chat” button on Penske’s site to be connected).

My personal estimate initially suggested I would pay $79 per day for the truck rental and $0.99 per mile for my move, but my rep asked if I wanted to pay a lower rate. Yes, please!

 

“The other major difference for long-distance moves with a Penske truck is that you’ll be offered free unlimited mileage.”

 

They were able to knock down the price to $70 per day for the truck rental and $0.87 per mile driven, with the caveat that the offer was good only during the duration of our conversation. If I’d let it slip through my fingers, there was no guarantee I’d be able to get that same price again. Luckily, I sprang for their offer over the phone.

Penske guarantees your reservation

Once I’d accepted my quote, Penske guaranteed my reservation detailsIn case you haven’t used a ton of other moving truck companies before, you should know that this is huge; U-Haul, for example, can change the details out from under you at will, so it’s a huge perk that Penske sets your deets in stone. (The only exception is for bookings made less than 24 hours in advance, in which case Penske might switch you to a larger truck or alternative pick-up location.)

Mileage fees (only for local moves)

Another fine print to be aware of is that the calculated mileage ratings listed on your estimate are exactly that: an estimate. Penske notes that fuel mileage may vary depending on land, terrain, weather, and driving speed, so be sure to leave some wiggle room in your budget.

 

“And because I reserved through HireAHelper, I got an additional discount of $193.77.”

 

If you have to tack on extra days before truck pick-up, you’ll be charged $50, while if you add on after pick-up, the fee will increase to $100. And no, you don’t get a refund if you return the truck early, sorry.

How does Penske work for a long-distance move?

Penske

If you’re scheduling a long-distance or “one-way” move, as they often call it, the process will be similar to the way things work locally:

  • Head to the website for a quote
  • Chat with a representative to see if you can get that quote lowered
  • Sign up for the appropriately sized truck

For a long-distance move, you’ll likely be picking up and dropping off your truck in two different locations, which Penske, like most moving truck companies, charges more for.

The other major difference for long-distance moves with a Penske truck is that you’ll be offered free unlimited mileage. That’s instead of the initial $0.99 quote I got for my local move estimate. If you want to apply that discount toward your move immediately, you can search HireAHelper to see if it’s feasible to hire a team of movers on one or both ends. (Spoiler alert: it probably is.)

How much does Penske cost?

As you might expect, prices will vary based on truck size, distance traveled, and the length of time you have the vehicle. But what you might not expect are the many ways to slash your bottom line. Penske prides itself on its discounts and usually has some sort of seasonal offer going on.

Here are the basic savings available year-round:

 

Discount For Discount Amount
US military 10% off all truck rentals
Students 10% off all truck rentals
AAA 12% off all truck rentals

$129.44 for a local move — three bedrooms || 5 miles

I received this quote in February of 2021. Even before I received any discount, my local move was looking quite affordable. A 26-foot rental truck, with enough space to move a three-bedroom home plus basement and garage from Fort Lee to Ridgefield Park within New Jersey, came to $129.44 with the following breakdown:

  • Daily fee: $79.99
  • Mileage: $4.95 ($0.99/mile x five miles)
  • Environmental fee: $2
  • Vehicle licensing recovery fee: $2.50
  • Limited Damage Waiver: $40

TOTAL: $129.44

$2,089.05 for a long-distance move — three bedrooms || 1,200 miles

I received this quote in March of 2021. To move that same three-bedroom house from northern New Jersey to central Florida, I was charged $2,089.05, which included:

  • Truck rental: $1,614.75 for the use of a 26-foot truck over six days
  • Free unlimited mileage
  • Furniture pads: $30 (two dozen at $15 per dozen)
  • Hand trucks: $40 (two at $20 each)
  • Protection plans: $232.50 (Limited Damage Waiver for $132 and supplemental liability for $100.50)
  • Sales tax: $162.80
  • Environmental fee: $9

TOTAL: $2,089.05

These costs put Penske right in line with those offered by Budget® and U-Haul®, but make sure to talk to an agent over the phone like I did, because you never know what cost-cutting promos you might qualify for.

The biggest perk for Penske

The first major thing is that a long-distance move gives you unlimited miles. This is massive value if you’re going across the country!

Plus, I don’t know about you, but since the average day doesn’t find me behind the wheel of a 26-foot truck, I was endlessly appreciative of everything offered in Penske’s vehicles. We’re talking safety features like: 

  • Anti-lock brakes
  • Dual-faced mirrors
  • Free roadside assistance
  • Convenience stuff like an easy-to-operate loading ramp with a 1,000-pound capacity and a translucent roof with interior lighting so I could load and unload the truck in the dark.

My anxiety also really appreciated knowing that the average truck was less than two years old and that I could test drive one before pick-up, a perk that I wish more rental truck companies offered. (Just contact the district office in your area if you want to do the same.)

Potential downsides of using Penske

This first one is kind of a double-edged sword: Your truck may be more reliable than other rental companies, but the trade-off is that Penske prices might look higher than those offered by other rental trucks—at least at first glance. But ultimately, prices will vary based on your approach and how adept you are at sniffing out discounts.

Some ways to shrink your bottom line are by reserving through the website, a step that saved me $215.30! And because I reserved through HireAHelper, I got an additional discount of $193.77

Along the same lines, I highly recommend being on the lookout for hidden fees, which can be as hard to pin down as the secret discounts. For example, it was only after multiple questions about the supposedly “nonexistent cancellation fees” they advertised. I was finally told that I would, in fact, be fined $100 if I made changes to my reservation within 48 hours of pickup. Dumb.

They can get pretty big!

Why should you choose Penske over other truck rental companies?

For me, it came down to three major factors that helped mitigate the stress surrounding my move: 

  • The free unlimited mileage on long-distance moves (this is huge)
  • The emphasis on safety in the vehicles themselves 
  • The fact that roadside assistance included with every order, totally free of charge

Ultimately, if you’re someone with safety concerns who’s willing to snuffle around for a while in search of the lowest quote, I definitely recommend Penske. The sheer amount of opportunities to negotiate your price down are frankly unmatched in competitors, and the ease of using the website and online chat functions really set the company apart.


To read our full 2021 Penske truck rental review, check out Moving101’s Penske page. And, for more information on long distance movers, check out our list of verified long distance moving companies.

The Comprehensive Guide to Moving With a Child

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Moving With Small Children is a Big Challenge. Here’s How to Succeed.

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How to Orchestrate a New York to Los Angeles Move in 28 Days Flat

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In February 2019 I’d been living in New York for a decade. I had vague, hazy plans to consider a move to the west coast in the next three to five years, but had done zero planning about how to make that happen.

Then, on the first of the month, my boyfriend was offered his dream job in Los Angeles, with a proposed start date of March 1st. That gave us just four weeks to break our lease, pack up our entire lives, make the cross-country move, and find an apartment in an unfamiliar city. Yikes.

Where do I even start with my whirlwind NYC to LA move?

It was an intimidating proposition, made even more so by the fact that I couldn’t find any published resources to help guide the way. Luckily, my partner and I are both writers and performers, so there were a lot of people in our community who’d made that same move. (It’s super common for creatives on one coast to get cast or staffed on a show on the other, and have just weeks or even days to show up on site.) 

Through a combination of their recommendations and my own frantic research, I was able to cobble together a plan for how to do the long distance move from NYC to LA that went off without a hitch… and then I wrote it all down.

Month 1: Leaving New York

leaving new york

Day 1: Book your movers ASAP (they get booked fast)

Your very first call should be to a moving company, because long-distance mover slots book up lightning fast. Come in with as wide a range of possible moving dates as you can—shoot for three to five days—that flexibility will make it more likely that you’ll be able to snag your first choice.

Our first choice was a business called Oz Moving & Storage, a company offering residential, commercial, and long-distance moves in three states: New York, New Jersey, and California. (But of course, you can check a mover marketplace like HireAHelper.com to find a company that works for you.) Not only did Oz come highly recommended by friends who’d used them, but the company offered a service that seemed tailor-made for our situation: the ability to book without an existing address on the LA end, plus 30 days of free storage.

Oz quoted me a price of $1954.59 to move our one-bedroom just under 3,000 miles (this is not a bad deal for a coast to coast move), and I put down my $50 deposit to reserve an appointment. Then I moved on to the next item on my list, ready to build out the rest of my schedule around that tentpole.

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Day 1-5: Get your plane ticket

Now that your stuff has a way to get to LA, you should probably find a way to get your body there as well.

We’d toyed with the idea of driving for our cross-country move, but ultimately opted to fly so we’d have more time to apartment hunt on the other end. Also, like most New Yorkers, we didn’t have a car, which both complicated and eased our travel arrangements.

Once we’d booked a flight—scheduling it for well into the afternoon, since our movers were set to arrive in the morning—we looked for a short term Airbnb in LA. We booked an affordable spot for five days up front, and confirmed with our host that she’d be open to us extending our stay if we didn’t find an apartment during that time. 

Day 1-5: (Gently) break your lease

Ideally, your lease is ending organically, or you’re in a month-to-month situation, but if you’re not and don’t want to pay a penalty, your best bet is to drop the news on your landlord as soon as possible. The sooner the unit is filled after your departure, the less likely it is that you’ll have to pay any kind of penalty for bailing out early. In our case, avoiding getting dinged came down to flexibility… and a tremendous amount of luck.

“Your very first call should be to a moving company, because long-distance mover slots book up lightning fast.”

Moments after we spoke to our landlord, he ran into our downstairs neighbor, who happened to have a friend looking for a spot. She shot some video of our space, and he asked if he could come by to view the place before a scheduled trip took him out of town. He committed to taking the place on the spot. 

With a move-in date of March 1st, the apartment wouldn’t sit empty for a single day, so we didn’t have to pay a penalty, and got back every dollar of our deposit. Phew!

Day 5-infinity: Spend as much time as you want apartment-browsing online, but don’t sign anything

Los Angeles, California

You’ll notice that I haven’t said anything about trying to lock down an apartment in advance, and the reason for that is —I didn’t do it, and I don’t want you to either.

Here’s why: for those of us who have lived in New York City for any length of time, the rental market has broken our brains. This is a fact. But the Los Angeles market isn’t nearly as competitive, so signing an LA lease sight unseen is setting yourself up for a scam or a disappointment. 

For example, one of my friends lined up a gorgeous one-bedroom in advance, only to discover a cockroach infestation that necessitated a quick move-out. I was also shown quite a few listings that were priced higher online than the number I was quoted in person. It seems many agencies are well aware that out-of-towners are eager to get everything nailed down in advance, and some take advantage by increasing the rent on online listings to see what they can get away with!

Also, final note: the LA apartment we ended up renting was one I’d seen a listing for in advance and hadn’t even bothered saving. But I had a totally different reaction when I saw it in person, so please don’t stress too hard if you’re not seeing anything that grabs you. 

Day 10: Sell any big-ticket items you’re not in love with

The price of a long-distance move has everything to do with the amount of boxes and larger furniture pieces you’re bringing, so make your choices wisely. Anything that doesn’t fall into the must-have category can go up on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, where the profits from its sale can go toward your moving costs.

Neither of us was completely enamored with our couch, so we sold it in New York — for almost as much as it had cost in the first place. And since we had a connection to the guy who was moving into our place, I took photos and wrote detailed descriptions of all the furniture we weren’t bringing with us, in hopes he might want to buy some of it. It was a time-consuming process, but the new tenant wound up wanting almost all of it! He Venmoed us $1,100 for the pieces he was interested in, which made it well worth the effort.

Day 14: Start packing up your New York apartmentmoving city apartment

My personal feeling is it’s never too early to start packing, but I’d say make sure you’ve begun in earnest by the time your move date is two weeks out. Don’t seal up the boxes until Day 25 or so, but you can start filling them now with items you don’t use on a regular basis, making sure to label the boxes carefully and avoid overloading them.

Day 28: Bring your freaking sheets with you

Since we’d have to go without the majority of our stuff for weeks as we waited for the rest of our stuff to arrive, I made sure to leave space for daily items in our checked luggage. For us, that list included a few kitchen supplies, toiletries, our electronics, and was missing one big item: bed linens. 

We’d always planned to purchase an air mattress before our first night in our new apartment, but for some reason, we hadn’t considered what we’d sleep under. We spent a few embarrassing, shivery nights swaddled in coats and towels before a lovely friend took pity on us and brought over some sheets, pillows, and a comforter. 

Month 2: Okay, You’re in LA. Now What?

Los Angeles downtown

Congratulations! Your feet are on the ground in Los Angeles, and the settling in has begun. (This is the easy part, I promise.)

Day 1-5: Stretch your apartment-hunting legs (literally)

The advice we heard over and over again was simple: walk the streets looking for “FOR RENT” signs. Once you find one, call the number listed and cross your fingers you get to talk to a real person, who will either schedule an appointment or come show you the place right then.

“To get a moving permit, Los Angeles City residents can call (213) 485-2298 with at least five days’ notice—be prepared to pay around $50.”

We got started in West Hollywood, because it was walkable to my boyfriend’s new job, and set our sights on a one-bedroom for $2,000 or less. I’d learned from my research that that would be a tough ask, and one agent actually laughed in our faces as she showed us a unit, but I figured we could afford to be a little picky since this was our first day looking. That mindset paid off when just down the block from that giggly agent, we found the perfect spot on our very first day looking: an adorable one-bedroom for just $1,750.

We applied on the spot and were approved, our new building manager eyeing us nervously as we sweatily raced through the application, desperate to protect this apartment from the hordes of prospective renters we were certain were on our tail. (We saw no one all day, our brains are very sick.)

Day 5: Give your address to your moving company

Once you have keys in hand, it’s time to inform the moving company (or whoever you’re storing your stuff with) of your new address, which in our case also triggered the next phase of our move. Oz would be moving our boxes from New York storage and onto the truck any day now, which opened a 14-day window during which we could expect to receive our items.

Day 15: Get a moving permit, ideally for the correct city

As the time got closer, we heard from Oz again, with informative emails narrowing down the delivery window to a certain day, and noting that we’d likely need a moving permit.

To get a moving permit, Los Angeles City residents can call (213) 485-2298 with at least five days’ notice—be prepared to pay around $50. (For West Hollywood residents, the number is (323) 848-6392, and charges start at $10 and go up to $35 depending on the specifics of your move.)

Just for fun, try knowing what city you live in before you get a permit. I called LA instead of WeHo, and they got all the way out to our block before realizing that we were outside the LA City limits. They refunded my money, but I had to start over with WeHo with not enough time before the deadline, which was nice and stressful. (Thankfully, everything ultimately worked out.)

Day 15: Ask your landlord whether your new building requires a Certificate of Insurance (COI)

This was a new concept to me. Oz noted in an email that if our building required one, they’d be happy to provide it, but that didn’t turn out to be necessary at our location.

apartment fridge
I wish my fridge looked this cool.

Day 15: Be aware that for some bizarre reason, your apartment might not come with a fridge 

I know. This is a very weird one. Our apartment did come with a fridge. And we were warned that plenty don’t. If yours doesn’t, don’t worry—there’s apparently a thriving market for secondhand fridges in and around LA. If you need one, consider planning its arrival for the day the rest of your stuff arrives, so you don’t have to lug it into your apartment solo. (Remembering to check with your movers to make sure that’s an okay task to add, of course.)

Day 366: Note that your lease will likely transition to month-to-month after a year

Apparently, this is the case in other cities as well, but since I’d been in a rent-stabilized unit for most of my time in New York, I wasn’t aware. After your first year in many LA apartments, your lease will switch over to a month-to-month situation. 


And that’s a wrap on that—you’re officially an Angeleno! Who knows if the time will ever come when I need to attempt this long distance move in reverse, but if it does, I feel much more prepared now than I did the first time around.

Moving to New York City instead? Check out our guide.
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