Hiring a full service moving company for your move can be expensive but there are some ways to save money. Because movers use a cube sheet as a big factor in pricing your move then the biggest thing you can do to save money is to reduce the weight of the belongings that you are moving.
By looking at the cube sheet you can easily see which items affect your total weight the most. Items that are indicated as having a high number of cubic feet per piece are also determined to be the heaviest when using a cube sheet, even if these items actually are not as heavy or as large as the cube sheet indicates.
Typically, (on an interstate move) if you are given a binding estimate then the actual weight will not affect your price because the estimated weight will be used to determine your price estimate. If, on the other hand, you are given a non-binding estimate then the actual weight will be used to determine your final price, regardless of the estimate. Although moves within a state don’t necessarily follow this pattern and are governed by that states regulations they will still depend on the weight to estimate and determine final cost.
Either way, you can see that by getting rid of certain items you can drastically cut the weight and save money. If, for example you have a bed, couch, refrigerator, freezer or other large appliance or piece of furniture that you’ve been thinking about replacing, now would be the time to do it considering how much you’ll pay to transport these items. This is especially true when you’re moving across country or very long distances and the cost to transport large items long distances can be several hundred dollars.
Another thing to consider especially when given a non-binding estimate are items that are heavy but don’t show up as such on the cube sheet. Items like boxes of books, china or anything else that is small and heavy really add up. If you really need or want to keep them you might want to take these items with you in your car if you’re driving because it will save you money.
Now I’m not suggesting that you just throw these items out but by being creative you can replace them with new items for very little out of pocket expense. As discussed in an article from Joshua Zerkel about what to do with your unwanted stuff there are several options when trying to dispose of these items.
I highly recommend attempting to sell them using a free online classifieds service like Craigslist where you can likely get a little cash. If that isn’t an option consider donating them to a local charity and use the donation as a write-off on your taxes. Finally, if your stuff is in bad shape you can post them in classifieds as a free item (or leave them on the curb if this is an option in your area) and you’ll surely find takers.
Finally it’s important to remember that the amount you pay per pound to transport your goods varies greatly and depends on the whether the move is interstate, intrastate and the overall distance of your move. As an example of how much it may cost to transport weight we can consider California where it can cost anywhere from $.30 to over a $1.00 per pound to transport your household goods. Even with an average of $.40 per pound and figuring a queen sized bed that weighs 560 pounds it may cost you approximately $224 to move that bed, and that’s just within the state.
So, my advice is to take a really close look at what you’re moving (and how much it weighs) and make decisions on those items before you move. It will pay off in the long run.
Sterling Van Lines, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based moving and storage company specializing in small moves. With over 50 years of combined moving experience, over 10,000 moves, and a reputation for quality in our industry, our goal is to customize our services to the needs of each customer — whether you’re moving your home or office, or just a few pieces, we’ll make your move worry free! Visit us at 