Moving is expensive, so people try to do all they can to reduce moving costs. And of course, one of the best ways to cut down moving costs is to do as much of the work as possible by themselves.
So, instead of hiring full-service movers, many people choose to use partial moving services and take care of some moving tasks on their own.
One of the tasks that’s most commonly done without professional help is packing.
Think about it – it makes sense to pack your own things by yourself – you will handle them with utmost care and organize them in a way that is meaningful to you. As a bonus, no strangers will touch your personal items.
Needless to say, packing by yourself can help you save hundreds of dollars on your move.
Yet, self-packing comes with some risks and requires a lot of time and effort. In other words, you may not have the time (or the energy) to pack up your entire home and you may not want to risk the safety of your cherished possessions.
So, the bottom line is that it may be better to delegate the task to experienced professionals, despite the extra cost.
Is it worth paying for packing though? Won’t it be just a waste of money?
It depends on the situation… and on your personal preferences.
Read on to find out why – and when – hiring packers is actually worth it.
Benefits of hiring professional packers
Using professional packing services won’t just save you time and effort – it will make your relocation safer and more efficient, and will ensure your peace of mind:
Safety
There are many good reasons to hire packers, but ensuring the safety of your items is, without a doubt, the most important one:
- Professional packers have extensive training, so they have the technical know-how and expert skills to pack different kinds of household items in the safest and most efficient way possible;
- Professional packers use quality packing materials that provide optimal protection to the packed items;
- Professional packers have rich experience dealing with all kinds of items, so they know how to properly handle each object in a home and how to ensure its safety during a move;
- Professional packers are well aware of possible mistakes and potential risks when packing for moving, so they can easily avoid them.
Convenience
In addition to providing your items with the best possible protection for the move, professional packers will also make things much more convenient for you:
- The pros will do all the work (wrapping fragile items, boxing up stuff, sealing and labeling the boxes, disassembling furniture, wrapping larger household items, taking care of specialty items, etc.), so you won’t need to lift a finger;
- The pros will finish the job within several hours – either on Moving day or the day before. There will be no need to pack anything in advance, so you’ll have access to all your items right until the day of your move and won’t be living for weeks surrounded by pre-packed boxes.
Less stress
Using professional packing services will take much of the moving stress off your shoulders:
- You won’t have to worry about the safety of your belongings, as they will be expertly packed and will have top-notch protection;
- You won’t have to worry about time, as there will be no risk of your items not being ready for shipping by Moving day – the pros will pack up your home in one day;
- You’ll have peace of mind as professional packers and movers provide moving insurance and assume liability for loss or damage during the relocation.
As good as it all may sound, however, professional packing services will cost you a pretty penny – the average cost to hire packers is $80 per hour per packer when moving locally. When moving long distance, the packing service will cost you about $500-$600 (for a 2-bedroom home).
See also: How much does it cost to hire packers?
Is hiring packers worth it, then?
Yes, in most cases, it is. As detailed above, professional packing services are very beneficial and they can even save you money despite the added cost:
- The pros will pack your items in the most efficient way possible and will maximize the space in the moving boxes so that your belongings will fit in fewer boxes. This means that you’ll need fewer packing materials (your packing expenses will be smaller), loading and unloading will be faster (your move will take less time and you’ll pay less when charged by the hour), and your shipment will take less space in the moving truck (you’ll pay less when sharing moving truck space with others);
- Your items will be packed correctly, so you won’t have to repack at the last minute – and won’t lose money in the process. If some of your boxes are not packed properly, the movers may refuse to load them on the truck for safety reasons – the boxes will have to be repacked and you will need to either pay the movers for the time lost while waiting for you to finish the task or to pay them to do the job for you.;
- Your items will be provided with excellent protection, so they will most likely survive the move safe and sound – and you won’t need to pay for repairs or replacements. Even if an accident happens and some of your belongings get lost or damaged, the moving insurance will compensate you.
Now that you’re aware of the pros and cons of hiring packers, you need to evaluate the circumstances in your specific relocation case, so you can decide if paying for professional packing is worth it in your situation.
When to hire packers
Should you hire packers?
It depends on what type of items you have for moving, how far you’re moving, and how much time you have until moving day.
Professional packing is your best bet when:
1. You don’t have enough time to pack your items
Packing up a home takes a lot of time – time that you may not have:
- You may need to move on a short notice and may only have a couple of weeks (or just a few days) to get ready for your relocation. It will be extremely difficult – sometimes, downright impossible (if you have a big house, can’t take time off work, don’t have anyone to help you, etc.) – to pack your entire home in so little time while also taking care of other important moving tasks (See also: How to organize an emergency move; How to pack for a move in one day);
- You may have a large household and may not be able to take proper care of each and every one of your items by the day of your move.
Related: How long does it take to pack a house?
2. You’re moving difficult-to-pack items
Some things are easy to pack as they’re not very vulnerable to damage and are likely to survive the relocation even if they don’t have optimal protection (clothes, shoes, books, toys, linens, etc.).
Other things, however, are very delicate and require special packing care (and, sometimes, specialized packing materials) in order to remain safe and intact during a move:
- Fragile items – everything made of glass, crystal, porcelain, or other breakable materials
- Delicate items – musical instruments, works of art, antiques, etc.
- Sensitive items – electronics and other items that have components sensitive to heat, humidity, vibrations, etc.
- Specialty items – grandfather clocks, pool tables, hot tubs, etc.
- Large and heavy items – furniture, appliances, etc.
Professional packers have the skills and experience to handle such items safely and efficiently, and know what packing techniques and which packing materials to use in order to provide them with maximum protection during the move.
What’s more, the pros offer specialized services, such as custom crating – services that can sometimes mean the difference between safety and ruin when it comes to delicate items.
3. You’re moving too many items
If you wish to take too many things with you to the new home – for example, everything you own without going through a decluttering stage, then you may be forced to hire experienced packers who will protect your belongings much faster and safer than you ever could do it.
This is especially true for large and heavy household items such as furniture pieces and electric appliances.
Ideally, you will inventory your entire home and get rid of all the items that you no longer need. In reality, decluttering is a critical step during the house-moving process that you should never skip for whatever reason. Your decision to take too much stuff with you will not only increase drastically the packing time but is likely to create storage problems in the new place as well.
Read also: How to declutter your home before moving
4. You’re moving long distance
When moving long distance, your items will be on the road for a long time and will be at a higher risk of damage (there will be more jostling, more shocks and vibrations, longer exposure to heat or cold, etc.), so they need to be packed as safely as possible (well-cushioned, perfectly immobilized inside the moving boxes, and properly protected from moisture and extreme temperatures) – and professional packing is the safest there can be.
See also: How to plan a long-distance move
5. You can’t rely on your friends for help
Sometimes you just know that you won’t be able to gather up your best friends to give you a hand with packing. Even if your pals wish to help you out, the timing could be bad for them so you may be left to cope with the entire house-packing task on your own.
As a rule, packing an entire home is not supposed to be done by only one person – it’s just too much work.
So, unless you have a few months to prepare for the move – understand, to pack little by little every day, you should look for friendly assistance. But when your friends end up saying NO for one reason or another, then you won’t really have much of a choice but to pay packers and movers to help you during that tough transitional period.
Must-read: Pros and cons of asking friends to help you move
6. You’re not confident in your packing skills
If you’re not sure you can pack your items safely enough, you may not want to risk it:
- You may not have previous packing experience;
- You may not know what packing techniques to use for different kinds of items;
- You may not have adequate packing supplies;
- You may not have enough patience (or energy, or skill, etc.) to take proper care of each and every one of your items;
- You may simply not be up to the challenge.
7. Money is not an issue
If you can easily afford professional packing services or a full-service move, there is no reason to waste your time and efforts – and risk the safety of your belongings – by packing by yourself.
So, to sum it up: Is it worth paying for packing when moving?
It depends on the situation, but if you’re looking to reduce the moving stress and the risk of damage to your items, then hiring professional packers is definitely worth it.
Good to know: 10 items you should pack yourself (without hiring packers)