Long distance moves are dreaded due to their high costs. And in truth, some long distance moves, like relocating from coast to coast, can get quite pricey. So dreaded are such long distance moves that some people even contemplate selling everything they have and buying new furniture in the new city. Of course we do not advise that. Instead, you can keep your long distance move cheaper using the following tips:
Declutter your belongings and move light
If you have lots of belongings on your long distance move, that takes more movers and larger trucks to effect. And guess what? That will keep your moving costs high. Before you carry out a move (long distance or not) go through your inventory and declutter what you don’t really need. There’s no use paying good money to pack, transport, and unpack clutter items that you haven’t used in years and might probably never use. Once you shrink your furniture belongings you are likely to get a better quote from your mover.
Avoid moving during weekends and holidays
Everyone with a move planned is thinking of doing so on a weekend or the next available public holiday. And although that is convenient, it is not the cheapest time of the week to move; because everyone is doing it. Demand is high, open slots are few, and as a result rates may spike. Instead, schedule your long distance move during the weekdays if possible. There’s less hassle at this time and you will have some leverage to bargain for better rates.
Avoid moving during peak summer and spring weeks
The most cherished moving seasons are summer and spring. At this time there are lots of properties on the market, the weather is good, and schools may be on break. If you want to carry out your move at this time, avoid the peak summer and spring weeks if possible. Just as we have said about moving on weekends and public holidays, moving during these peek weeks may be more expensive due to the increased demand for movers and moving trucks. There may even be a shortage of moving dates, forcing you to take up higher quotes just to land a moving slot.
Ask about backloading services
Backloading refers to transportation services offered during a return trip. However, backloading services are rare to get because not all transport companies offer them. If you’re moving from California to Oregon, for example,and you seek transportation on the return tripof a moving truck that had delivered goods to Oregon from CA then that is backloading. Backloading services are cheap because you don’t get pay the full rate. You pay a fraction of that based on the leveraging fact that the truck could as well be returning empty.
Moving to Portland from San Diego, CA? GPS Moving& Storage offers the best long distance moving rates in Southern California. Request a free quote from us and compare with our competitors.
