3 Tips You Need to Know When Moving with Your Own Car
There can be no denying the fact that moving is an expensive endeavor. However, there are several hacks you can incorporate into your move to bring down the overall cost of moving. One way you can do this is to move with your own car.
Moving with your own car is not for everyone, though, as it literally means doing every single little thing on your own – provided you even have the space to accommodate the items you want to take with you.
But for anyone looking solely at cost, moving with your vehicle is a better option as it is cheaper compared to both hiring a truck rental or professional cross country movers.
However, it is important to remember that moving with your own vehicle is limiting in terms of what you can carry.
Heavy items like furniture and refrigerators will probably have to be left behind – either sold on the second-hand market or donated. It also means this moving option is out of the question in the case of larger households that will need a larger van or truck.
So, if you are moving a smaller household and don’t have much you plan to move with you, below are three tips that can help you maximize on the small space you’ll be working with.
- Avoid using cardboard boxes
Cardboard boxes are the default material when it comes to packing our items for moving. They are readily available, affordable, and versatile enough to be used with most items. And of course, they are easy to find on a free for anyone working with a limited budget.
Thing is, though, for all their benefits, these ever-present packing containers are not the most ideal choice when moving with your own vehicle, especially when it comes to smaller cars.
That’s because they take up a lot of space and are not flexible enough to be stashed into tight spaces such as the trunk or inside of a small car.
Moving with your car is all about maximizing space, you see, and cardboard boxes are not the best candidates to help you achieve that.
Opt for copy paper boxes instead, and in the case of softer items, consider using plastic bags.
- Consider investing in an overhead carrier
If your car is not the largest and you’re sure it will not be able to take up all the stuff you intend to carry, you might want to consider investing in an overhead carrier to leverage on the free and large real estate that lies unutilized on the roof of your car.
That’s particularly so if you’re moving long-distance such as across multiple states.
Quality overhead carriers do come at a cost, though, and that’s not probably an added cost you were looking to incur right now – may be the main motivation of moving by your own was to keep your moving expenses as low as possible.
However, it is important to note that you’ll not just be purchasing the carrier for one-time use only. Consider it an investment as this is something you’ll still find handy way after you’re done moving.
Moreover, sometimes, the inability to accommodate all the items you plan to move can end up being the costlier option of the two, so that’s something else to think about.
There are some quality overhead car carriers on the market that won’t blow a hole in your budget, so make sure to do some research and see what you find – preferably hard-case models.
- Pack the essentials first
Moving with your car means there are sacrifices that will have to be made as it’s literally not possible to fit your entire household in a car.
That in mind, you want to start with the most essential items that you cannot afford to leave behind, then pack everything else in order of value and importance.
This way, should you not manage to fit all your stuff in, it means you’ll still have your most prized items loaded and ready for moving.
Not only that, but nobody wants to waste time and energy packing up painstakingly only to have to remove non-essential things that went in first so as to make space for the more valuable items you don’t want to leave behind.
