A move is considered to be local when it is in the same city or general area that is within 50 miles of the original home. Roughly 75% of all the moves that will take place this year will fall into the category of being considered a local move.
Since this doesn’t seem like an extreme distance, most people going through a local move will opt to do the move on their own. Even though it is a bit more work than hiring someone, there are plenty of ways to help you safely and efficiently move your items by yourself.
Local Moves vs. Long Distance Moves
Any kind of move can be a stressful. It doesn’t matter if you are moving across the street or across the country. However, when moving a great distance, this can absolutely add on extra stress. When moving so far away, it is probably a better idea to hire a professional moving company.
Local moves are without a doubt easier to deal with and handle then if you were moving hundreds of miles to your new home. That doesn’t mean that your move, even if it is local, needs to be a hassle or headache. After dealing with finding a new home, and packing all your belongings, the last thing you want to worry about is making sure boxes are going where they need to.
Having the peace of mind that a professional company is handing all the stresses of the physical move can make all the difference. Furniture movers and packing professionals can be an extremely huge help to make a local move a breeze.
Most Common Services Utilized
Rent a Truck
Depending on the size and number of items you have, different truck sizes are available to you for your local move. You can rent moving trucks, trailers, cargo vans, and pick-up trucks. A lot of rental companies offer trucks that range in size from 10 feet all the way up to 26 feet. It all just depends on your personal moving needs.
Having the proper truck size can make all the difference. Even if you think the size you rented may be too large, that is a good thing. This will allow you to get more of your items in the truck and will allow you to make less trips. Most rental trucks charge by the mileage, so the less times you must go back and forth the better. They make any local move super convenient and easy.
The good thing about these trucks is that you yourself can drive them. Even though they are considerably larger than normal cars, you won’t need specialized training or a different type of license to drive them. The size of these trucks may be slightly intimidating, but they are no different than driving a van, that’s what most of the box trucks sit up on. Even so, if you don’t feel comfortable, ask a friend or family member to drive the truck.
Most rental truck companies make the process completely painless. They understand that you are already under a great deal of stress from the move. Most places simply have you sign the paperwork, take the truck, and just drop it back off when you are done.
Portable Storage and Self Storage
Sometimes your move may be temporary until you get to where you are ultimately going. For instance, your old house sold, and your new one isn’t ready for you to move in just yet. If this is the case, you will need to consider a portable storage container or a self storage unit.
A portable container can be stored outside where you are staying or on someone else’s personal property, if they allow it. This temporary solution can be a huge help having all your items there on the same property as you if you need to get something.
Renting a storage unit is also a good idea if you need to store items between moves. These storage units are usually kept at a temperature that guarantees your personal items inside are kept safe and won’t change or warp due to any weather conditions. However, this option would not be ideal if you think you will regularly need items store in the unit. It may not be easy to hop into your car and drive to the storage unit whenever you need something.
Factors to Consider
In addition, there is a big difference between local moving companies and long distance moving companies. Most local moving companies will not travel far distances. You must specifically seek out a company that specializes in the type of move that you need.
Before reaching out to these companies, take a very detailed inventory of all your items. This will affect the pricing and process of your move. Getting a few bids from different local companies will benefit you in the long run in assisting you make the best decision.
