Tips on How to Move Home on a Budget

Moving to a new home is not only physically challenging, but financially too. 

Expenses can add up fast, so it is important to consider every opportunity where you can save money on your moving process. DIY move might be the first thing that comes to your mind in order to save money, but there are some who still consider hiring movers Singapore, due to the complexity of the move.

To help you out, here are some clever tips you can do to cut your moving expenses and stay on your budget while you are in the process of moving to your new home.

 

Plan ahead of time

Your move may not be in the next three or four months, but it’s never too early to create a moving plan. Planning ahead of time helps you anticipate future expenses and gives you ample time to find a way on how to avoid or reduce it somehow. It will also make your move as organized and smooth as possible.

Create a moving checklist and outline all the tasks that you need to do and specify a timeframe of when it should be done.  You should also set a budget for your move by assessing your financial capacity and determining your ideal and realistic spending amount.

 

Toss, donate or sell items you no longer need

Reducing the number of items you need to move will significantly reduce your expenses too. Remember that if you have more items, you will need to spend more on packing materials. And if you are hiring movers Singapore, you will have to pay more on their labor and the space your belongings are going to take up on the lorry. That is why it’s best to purge all your belongings before packing up.

Go through each room of your house. You will probably find a lot of items that you haven’t used for a long time. Identify the things you still need in your new home and separate those that you no longer need. If the item is still in good condition, you can donate it to charities and organizations. Or, if you want to earn some extra cash, you can sell some of those good condition items through a garage sale or through online marketplaces.

 

Look for free packing materials

When moving, it’s expected that you will need moving supplies such as cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper and other materials you will need for packing. But instead of going to an office supply store to buy these packing materials, start sourcing these for free first and then buy anything that you lack.

Ask for free cardboard boxes from offices and local stores. An appliance store is one of the best places you can get sturdy cardboard boxes that are good for packing your appliances. If you’re hiring movers Singapore, you might want to try asking them if they have some moving boxes. Some moving companies will provide it for free. Another tip is to look around your home for things that you can use as moving containers, these are suitcases, duffel bags, baskets, laundry hampers, even buckets and bins.

You can substitute bubble wraps and packing paper with magazines and newspapers for wrapping your items. Just make sure not to use them on light colored items. Clothing materials like towels, table cloth and blankets. Even t-shirts and socks can be used effectively to protect breakable items.

 

Pack on your own

Hiring a packing service will significantly increase your moving expenses, so if you are moving on a budget, go for DIY packing. Start as early as you can and pack first the room that is least used. You can begin with your storage areas and guest rooms and work your way towards the rooms and areas of your home that you regularly use.

Ensure that you pack your items carefully. Allocate a time every day for packing and make sure to follow so you can avoid last-minute packing. If you are running out of time, instead of hiring a packing service, you can ask a favor from friends or relatives who might be willing to give you a hand.

 

Consider DIY move

If you have a limited budget, then you might consider DIY moving, given that you don’t have specialty items like a piano, which is difficult to move and most likely will require expertise of professional piano movers.

DIY move is ideal if you are only moving locally, if the access from your old home and new home is easy, if you don’t have difficult items to move and you have enough help from relatives and friends. Even when doing the move yourself, there are still expenses you can incur, like rental of a moving vehicle and moving equipment and fuel expenses, so you need to reflect on whether the savings you will get from DIY moving will be worth your effort.

If you must, book movers Singapore early on

While DIY move appears to be an obvious answer in cutting your moving expenses, there are instances that DIY move is impossible especially if you have items that are difficult to move, such as a piano. If you need professional Singapore movers to help you out, do so in advance so you’ll have enough time to do your research about each mover. Booking early on helps you get a more affordable moving price compared to booking at the last minute.

Gather at least three to five quotes so you have a good range of choices. Keep in mind though that the cheapest mover may not be the best one. Make sure to ask what the quote includes and always check the moving company’s profile and read reviews from their previous customers.

Be transparent with your chosen mover as well. Make sure you include all your items on the inventory list you provide to the mover so they can give you the most accurate quote. Details such as level of floors where the items are to be collected and whether stairs or elevator is available, can affect the mover’s quote so make sure to inform movers about it for you to avoid surprise charges on the actual moving day.

Expenses are unavoidable when moving to a new home, but with advance planning and creativity, you can surely save money, while ensuring a smooth moving process.