Is Hiring a Moving Company Worth It? When It Makes Sense
Wondering if hiring movers is worth the cost? Discover the key scenarios when professional moving services make practical sense for your next relocation.
27/02/2025
Is Hiring a Moving Company Worth It? Here’s When It Makes Sense
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that about 8.2 million Americans moved interstate in 2022. If you’re among these people, then you may be all too familiar with how extensive and stressful the entire moving process can be. And for those who’ve pulled off a DIY move, you may have already experienced having at least one or two broken items, a sudden dent in your furniture, or a pulled muscle in the back that probably lasted for weeks. (1)
Yes, the DIY approach is possible, and it can help you save some money from high moving costs. But would you really risk it if it means arriving at your new home with damaged items, potential back pains, or even injuries?
If you’re not yet convinced about hiring a moving company, read on, as this article will showcase some situations wherein hiring professional movers simply makes much more sense.
You’re Moving Long-Distance
If you’re moving to the next house beside your current one, no one will question if you decide to move on your own. But if you’re having a long-distance move, you’re up for a long, exhausting, and complex relocation process. Driving a rental truck for hours (or days), going through unfamiliar roads, and handling all the loading/unloading yourself is a recipe for burnout.
You can avoid all these possible hassles by hiring a professional moving company. They don’t just pick up your boxes and move them right away. They handle the logistics, fuel costs, and even storage if your move-in dates don’t align. Plus, they’re insured, which means if your antique vases or porcelain plates don’t survive the trip, you’re covered.
But if you really insist on going the cheaper route, some moving companies may offer you hybrid options. For instance, you can do the packing yourself while the movers handle the transport.
You’re Short on Time or Energy
Life doesn’t stop for a move. If you’re juggling full-time work, kids (and pets), or a tight deadline, hiring movers can save you time and energy (and sanity).
Packing and labeling everything can take hours. In fact, a survey showed that 27% of the respondents spent 40 to 80 hours packing their belongings. Loading the truck with heavy items takes hours. Unpacking? It can also take hours, even days for some. (2)
If you decide to hire a moving company, they can knock out tasks that would take you days so you can focus on the million other things on your plate.
Your Health or Physical Limitations Are Concerns
Moving is physically demanding. It requires strength, stamina, and the ability to navigate awkward spaces while carrying heavy furniture. If you have back problems, are recovering from surgery, are pregnant, or have other physical limitations, hiring movers is the only right answer.
Also, truth be told, not everyone is cut out for heavy lifting unless it’s something you do literally every day. Even if you're in great shape, consider whether the potential for injury is worth the savings. Keep in mind that post-move injuries are surprisingly common, with 64% reported suffering from a spinal cord injury. (3)
An unexpected back injury could cost far more in medical bills and lost work than you'd save handling the move yourself. So, if the idea of hoisting a sofa up a flight of stairs makes your back ache, save yourself the injury risk.
You Have Bulky or Fragile Items
Specialty items like pianos, pool tables, large porcelain figurines, or delicate artwork require expertise (and proper equipment) most of you don’t have. Meanwhile, movers know how to disassemble, wrap, and secure bulky or fragile belongings without turning them into kindling.
Even if you’re a DIY pro, try asking yourself this: Is saving a few hundred dollars worth the stress of moving a king-sized mattress down a narrow hallway? If you answered no, then hiring a moving company is simply worth it.
You’re Moving to/From a Tricky Location
City dwellers, this one’s for you. If your new apartment is on the fifth floor with no elevator, or your current home has a driveway that’s impossible for a rental truck to navigate, then hiring professional movers is necessary.
These people have seen it all: tight corners, steep driveways, questionable stairwells. They have the complete and proper tools, such as ramps and furniture dollies, to get your stuff where it needs to go.
Plus, they've been meticulously trained to safely address these challenges without damaging your belongings or the property. What might take you and your friends hours of sweating, strategizing, and possibly injuring yourselves can be handled efficiently by reputable movers who do this daily.
You Want To Avoid “Friend Debt”
A DIY move or self-service option is possible, but most of the time, it involves tapping into the help of your closest buddies and neighbors. In exchange, you may have promised them pizza and beer for their lending hands.
But what if halfway through, every one of you realizes that no one knows how to Tetris a couch into a truck? Or maybe one of your friends accidentally drops a box labeled “fragile”? Suddenly, you’re out of a favorite lamp and owe a lifetime of favors.
Hiring full-service movers means no awkward “Can you help me move?” texts. Your friends can also be saved from the guilt of breaking something that could possibly ruin your friendship.
Key Takeaway
Hiring a moving company is a practical solution for specific situations. If your move is complex, time-sensitive, or physically demanding, the cost is often justified. But if you’ve got the capacity (and a few strong friends), DIY can work, too. At the end of the day, moving is about transition. Whether you hire help or tackle it yourself, give yourself grace. After all, the end goal here is to start the next chapter of your life on your own terms.
References:
- 1. “Top Moving Industry Trends and Statistics”, Source: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/moving/moving-data-and-statistics
- 2. “Poll: Moving More Stressful Than Breakups”, Source: https://www.nar.realtor/magazine/real-estate-news/poll-moving-more-stressful-than-breakups
- 3. “Who Moves? A Demographic Profile of Post-Injury Residential Movers in a Sample of People with Spinal Cord Injury”, Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003999321010704