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Moving to a New City: 5 Cost Effective Ways to Get Your Intrastate Move On

By National Van Lines
01/06/2017

The moving process can be a time consuming task. You’ve searched far and wide for the perfect home, and it’s just a few cities away. While that may have been a challenge, getting ready for the actual move is the most critical of all the steps. This is your make or break moment! Although your list of things to do is long, there are several creative ways to get things taken care of. While some may require a bit of extra time, saving money throughout the process is always helpful.

Reduce your spending with these 5 cost effective hacks:

1. Pack Wisely

While you may be focused on carefully packing your fine china and delicate art pieces, taking extra good care of your clothing is just as important. Save your boxes for some of your larger items, and try packing as much of your clothing into wardrobe boxes. This allows you to save money on moving boxes, and will most importantly put your mind at ease.

2. Say Goodbye to Unnecessary Items

Whether it’s the t-shirt you haven’t worn in four years, or the old couch that you’ve meant to ditch, everything needs to go! There is no use in packing extra items that won’t be used post move. Save yourself the trouble! Make it a fun experience by hosting a garage sale, or give back by donating your things to charity. It’s a win, win for all!

3. Newly Purchased Items

Chances are once you’ve chosen your new home; you’ll be more than ready to begin shopping for everything from new furniture to throw pillows and décor. While you may want to bring your newly purchased goods home right away, do your best to wait or have them shipped directly to your new home. Doing so will not only lighten the load on the moving truck, but will save you the hassle of bringing things back and forth.

4. DIY Approach

Your extensive to-do list isn’t going anywhere, and you have plenty of time to get things done. If there is something you can do yourself, do it! Whether it’s packing boxes yourself or reserving a parking spot for the moving truck, using the do-it-yourself approach makes moving on a budget a breeze.

5. Avoid Popular Moving Times

If your moving timeline is specific, choosing dates may be a bit more difficult. However, if you do have the option, the best time of the year to take on a move is during winter months, more specifically mid-week.  Summertime is notorious for being a hectic time for moving companies. Therefore, prices may go up, costing you more than originally planned. If possible, avoid peak moving times at all costs! You’ll be happy, and so will your wallet.

Moving on a budget takes extra time and dedication, but is more than worth it in the end.