Less Stuff Means Fewer Expenses
Relocation comes with more than its share of expenses. The bottom line is simple: the more stuff you move, the more it’ll cost you. For long distance moves, your primary cost factors are weight and distance. For local moves, your costs are calculated by handling time and added services, like packing.
By planning early and following these tried-and-true suggestions for minimizing your moving costs, you can save significantly, especially on long-distance moves. From eliminating large or unnecessary items to reducing transition costs, we can help you lower your moving bill. For detailed ideas on your specific move, talk to your Wheaton Agent about other cost-saving measures.
13 Money-Saving Items to Eliminate Rather Than Relocate
While you’re organizing or packing for your move, sift, sort and use a heavy hand toward the trash can. By leaving these items behind, you lighten your load and your expenditures:
1. Books
Condense your library as much as possible, and then investigate the cost of mailing treasured volumes compared to the cost of moving them. The special postage rate for books may save you money.
2. Furniture
Make sure you have the proper space in your new home for your current furniture. If your sofa doesn’t fit or won’t match, you might want to leave it. Often, replacing furniture items is more cost effective than re-upholstering or moving them.
3. Clothing
While one dress or one suit doesn’t weigh much, the average full wardrobe carton weighs 75 pounds. So, if you’re never going to wear it, don’t relocate it. Contact your local Goodwill agency and make a donation—there may be tax benefits.
4. Music and Media
Hundreds of CDs and DVDs can make for a heavy box. Instead, sell your outdated CDs and DVDs for cash or utilize streaming services to reduce the bulk of discs.
5. Outdoor and Indoor Toys
Now’s the time to clean out the toy box. If the kids are old enough, give them an incentive. Let them stage their own garage sale and keep the profits to buy something special—after you’ve moved. Swingsets and jungle gyms are likely more cost-effective to replace than transport.
6. Exercise Equipment
If your treadmill hasn’t gone a mile in years, moving it won’t help. Consider selling weight-lifting equipment and replacing it at your destination. Remember, weight equals cost.
7. Food
Frozen foods cannot be shipped and canned goods are heavy. Plan menus to make the most of what you have, or donate non-perishable food to Move For Hunger. Be sure to empty your refrigerator completely and clean it thoroughly to prevent odor problems.
8. Tools
The workshop is a storehouse of bulky, heavy items. Evaluate them carefully, from the workbench to the tools. It might be advantageous to replace the massive workbench and only take the tools you think you’ll need in your new location.
9. Pool Table
A pool table requires special handling. Your best shot might be to include it in your home’s sale, or sell it, and then replace it, at your new destination.
10. Piano
Pianos and organs also require special handling and should be tuned after a move. If they’re an enjoyable part of your lifestyle, contact us to carefully move them. If they’re just impressive trimming, you might want to trim your moving cost.
11. Chemicals
Do not move flammable items. Instead, empty fuel from the lawn mower, power tools and kerosene lamps. Don’t take paints (oil base), bleach, cleaning fluids, lighter fluids, matches, ammunition or any other type of combustible. Butane tanks cannot be loaded into a moving van unless they are certified as being professionally purged. Check out more information about what not to pack. If you have doubts, it’s better to leave it behind.
12. Appliances
Consider the age, size and color of your appliances. These are very heavy items, and usually require professional servicing before the relocation and special installation upon moving in. So, if your stove, refrigerator, washer, dryer or freezer won’t fit or match in your new home, perhaps it’s time to start anew. Find out how to prepare appliances for a move here.
13. Shelving Systems
If you have a built-in shelving system, leave it that way. No new owner will appreciate holes in the wall where the shelves used to be. And it probably won’t fit wherever you’re headed.
For even more ways to save money during your move, check out our guide with 72 money-saving tips.
5 Ways to Get Rid of Things and Reduce Moving Costs
Once you decide what you’re going to part with, you have to figure out where it will go. Here are several options:
- Leave it Where it is: If you’re selling a home, the buyer may be your best customer. Some items can often be advantageously sold with the home, especially if they fit perfectly.
- Have a Garage Sale: Organize it, advertise it and manage it. You’ll be amazed to see how profitably your goods can become someone else’s treasures.
- Online Listings: Websites like NextDoor, Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace offer free listings that can reach thousands of buyers. Include a photo of the item to enhance its value and exposure.
- Donate: Goodwill, schools, churches and other organizations can use the items you no longer need. Itemize each donation and keep a receipt. It may help you qualify for a tax deduction.
- Friends and Family: Open your home up to friends, neighbors and family members. See if there is anything they could take off your hands.
Reduce Your Moving Expenses
A lighter load makes your move less expensive and makes moving in go quicker. By leaving behind large, bulky items and items you no longer need, you’ll have a more efficient experience and save money moving. To learn more, get in touch with your local Wheaton agent. They can provide a free estimate, help you plan your move and offer other tips to cut down on the costs of your move.
