If you are planning to move around Dallas in the near future, there must be a few things you are currently stressing out about. Other than the typical moving complications such as decluttering, packing, and heavy lifting, you may wonder how you will fit everything into your budget. If you’ve just purchased a house or apartment, you might wish to invest more money in your new space instead of the actual move.
Is there something you can do about this? Absolutely! We are here to help you save money while moving, not just by cutting corners – but simply by choosing a different time for your relocation!
Did you know that the part of the year and specific date you choose for your move can affect your moving price? In some cases, it can be a significant difference.
So, if you are flexible about your upcoming move and are willing to push the date around if it means saving money in the long run, let’s dive into our guide to the most affordable moving times!
Off-Season vs Peak Moving Season: What Does It Mean?
Moving is a seasonal industry. This means that the demand for movers fluctuates during the year and reaches its peak during the warm summer months. Usually, the moving season starts around April and finishes around September. This can vary depending on the weather conditions, as not every year is the same.
When everyone wants to move during certain parts of the year, the affordable movers in your area may get completely booked up, and quickly. This means you will have a more challenging time finding movers who fit your requirements and your budget.
You will have to compromise – will you sacrifice the quality of your movers to save a few bucks, or will you spend a lot more money to secure reliable, professional movers?
This is rarely the case during the off-season. Since moving companies have less work, they usually lower their prices. This gives you a lot more room to pick and choose when you would like to move, and it also gives you a much lower rate at the same time.
Which Months Are The Most Affordable to Move?
We have prepared a table that shows the estimated demand for movers during every part of the year. As we’ve mentioned, the season can start earlier or end sooner, for example, if it’s colder or hotter than usual for that part of the year. This is simply a rough estimate.
Weekdays vs. Weekends: Does it Make a Difference?
Be sure that it does. Weekday moves may be your best option, especially during the season when moving companies are completely booked.
Weekends are very popular among people organizing moves simply because they are more convenient. People usually don’t work, and the kids don’t attend school on weekends. So, moving companies will either raise the weekend prices or lower the weekday prices (or both) to push the demand from weekends to weekdays.
When getting a quote, you can straightforwardly ask your movers: Is there a difference in price between weekdays and weekends? If there is, excellent! You can choose a date that works for you and secure it at a lower price, which is most definitely a win—especially if you are moving during the peak moving season.
Moving During The Holidays: Yes or No?
You might think that moving companies don’t get much business on Christmas, but you would be mistaken. When the holiday season comes around the corner, people are moving like never before. Not only are moving companies not working during the holidays, which means that the few movers working are probably overloaded with work, but most people have time off work, which may be the only time they can complete the move.
Less availability and higher demand over the course of a couple of days can really mean chaos. Avoid these times when moving unless you really, really have to. But if that were the case, you probably wouldn’t be here to begin with.
Booking Early: Can It Save You Money?
One of the best ways to secure a budget-friendly move for yourself is to start and book early. This works in more ways than one.
First, you will have much more time to find movers than someone who is scrambling to find them for tomorrow. That person won’t have much time to shop around, but you will.
Second, when you find your movers and book them, you secure your rate. This applies when working with a licensed and reliable moving company that offers guaranteed rates. If, on top of that, they have a flexible cancellation and rescheduling policy, you could potentially change your moving date and even month and keep the same rate.
Third, you are booking these dates when no one else is booking them. The more availability there is, the lower the prices are.
According to all of the above, booking early definitely saves you money. And nerves.
Flexible Dates and Negotiations: Is it Possible?
If there is one thing you need to be during this move to have these strategies applied to you: it’s flexible. If you aren’t flexible and need to move on July 1st, there is not much this guide can do for you.
If you are completely flexible with your moving date and time, you can negotiate with your movers, see which times are the most affordable, and secure them with the best possible rates. Instead of scrambling to find movers for the day after tomorrow, you will have the luxury of taking your time and carefully assessing your movers.
One more thing to remember: movers may charge differently for different parts of the month.
Most people move around the 31st and, therefore, the 1st. Avoid these days around the end and beginning of the month, as they are usually the most expensive time to move – especially if it’s a weekend on top of that.
You can always ask your moving company if:
- They charge differently for different parts of the month
- They charge differently for weekends and weekdays
- They price match with other companies
- Their rates are guaranteed, and if they are prone to change
DIY Moving vs. Professional Moving: What is REALLY More Expensive?
Everyone will tell you right off the bat: professional movers are way more expensive than DIY moving. And yes, they may be right – in some cases.
This is always the case if you are a professional mover yourself. But, if you’re not, more variables come into play.
Hiring professional movers is expensive, but so is that antique vase you plan to move. And that mirror you’ve had for a while. As well as the contents of your china cabinet.
This is without even discussing the seriousness of moving injuries and how invaluable your back is. We’ll remove that from the equation to make this comparison more fair, but ultimately, moving injuries are more common and serious than you may think.
When comparing the two, the price isn’t the only thing that comes into play. Your time and energy should also be accounted for.
So, moving may be more expensive upfront and as a “total price,” but you need to consider the separate expenses you will be paying for your DIY move.
You’ll be purchasing tools you won’t need. Moving dollies and wardrobe boxes, you’ll probably not get much use of them again. You’ll be paying for all the truck and transportation expenses. You’ll be purchasing all of the packing supplies – and you may over-buy or under-buy and have to go to the store multiple times. You’ll have to pack AND disassemble everything you own. You will have to load everything onto the truck in a logical order. You will have to unload everything and then repeat that process in reverse order once again.
So yeah, it may be more affordable in dollars, but is the amount you’re saving really worth it?
How to Save Money When Organizing, Decluttering & Packing
The three phases of your pre-move project will either make or break your relocation. The more you prepare these three phases, the smoother everything will go. These phases are organizing, decluttering, and packing.
Organizing
Good organization is going to be half of the success of your move. If you are a journaler who makes lists for everything, you’ll probably have the time of your life with this part.
Writing everything down is important. Every little task, no matter how insignificant, should be on your to-do list. The tasks on your to-do list should be as detailed as possible. Break down “packing,” for example, into 15 different tasks. That way, you won’t forget anything and can easily organize your time and tasks accordingly.
Decluttering
Decluttering is one of the most essential parts of your move. The more you get rid of, the less you will have to move and, therefore, pay to move. Apart from the money-saving advantage of decluttering your home, it can also be quite emotional.
This is something that should be acknowledged more often because it is very frequently underestimated how hard it can be to go through all of your items and get rid of them.
Of course, you don’t have to get rid of anything you don’t want to. However, even insignificant clutter in your home can really get you in the feels because, let’s face it, moving is an exciting and sad process at the same time.
Don’t be so hard on yourself while going through your items. Get rid of as much as you can, and pat yourself on the back for every item you’ve put in a pile that isn’t “keep.”
Give yourself frequent reminders that decluttering will save you money during the move. You can then spend that money on purchasing items for your new home or creating new memories in the upcoming chapter of your life.
Divide your decluttering piles into toss, donate, repair, sell, and keep. This will help you keep track of everything you’ve decluttered already.
Packing
Packing is the most time-consuming and tedious part of your entire move. It is also quite physically demanding if you have a lot of stuff to pack. You can save some money during this process by:
- Not buying as much as you possibly can. This means finding tools and equipment elsewhere, like your family and friends who may have these tools or have moved recently.
- This can also apply to boxes and other packing supplies. Try finding them at local grocery stores, hardware, liquor, or bookstores. They may have some supplies for you to take for free.
- Utilize items you have lying around the house. You already have to pack them anyway, right? Use everything you already have, like suitcases, bags, bins, bedding, clothing, etc. instead of packing supplies.
- Disassemble your furniture before your movers arrive – it will take them less time to move everything, therefore, you will be saving money.
- Moving your packed boxes near the entrance of your home can speed up the loading process significantly. Your movers will be in and out in no time!
Conclusion
So, is it possible to save money during your move? Yes, it most definitely is! With A#1 Movers, you are armed with affordable movers and the best tips to move at a lower price at the same time.
With our professional Dallas movers, every part of the year is affordable. You won’t have to ever sacrifice quality to fit your movers into your budget. Hiring professional movers in Dallas doesn’t have to mean going broke. It can be a positive experience and a seamless relocation without you having to lift a finger!
Contact A#1 Movers for Your Affordable Move
When searching for a Dallas moving company to fit your needs, you should know that A#1 Movers is among the top Dallas movers for more reasons than one.
We offer:
- All-inclusive pricing.
- Personalized quotes.
- Guaranteed rates.
- Unmatched customer service and ongoing support.
- Trained and professional movers.
Get in touch with A#1 Movers and secure the best moving experience for yourself, at an affordable price. Let’s start planning your move together!