How Do You Move By Yourself?

Moving homes is rarely uneventful and if you’ve read our Ultimate Moving House Checklist, you know just how big of a task it can be. There are some of us though, who are willing to roll up our sleeves and face the challenge all alone.

Maybe you’re downsizing, moving into a small studio apartment, or there’s just nobody to help. In cases like these, it might be worth considering trying to move by yourself. So follow along, as we outline all the necessary steps to perform your own “do it yourself” move, everything thing from preparation to injury prevention.

Plan your “do it yourself” move

First things first, a little preparation goes a long way.

Decide on moving yourself vs hiring movers

Many tenants don’t realise just how difficult a move can be disregarding the benefits of hiring professional removalists. Before you decide to move by yourself, you should factor in these three main components: budget, time, and health.

By answering these three questions and factoring in your personal preferences, you should have a better idea of which side you’re leaning towards. If your budget is tight, you have time to spare, and you’re physically capable, we’d recommend saving yourself a decent amount of money by moving by yourself. Conversely, if money isn’t a primary concern, your time is valuable, or moving is too strenuous an activity, you’ll likely want to hire professional removalists.

Find the right transport

Depending on your exact belongings, you’ll need to the find a suitable vehicle for the job. While your friend’s station wagon might be enough for a few cardboard moving boxes, if you have anything more substantial to transport (such as furniture), you’ll need to consider hiring a much larger vehicle meant for moving. In the spirit of moving by yourself, you might be wondering, Can I Move Furniture with an Uber? Let’s stop you right there and offer you some much better alternatives.

If you’re only looking to make a few trips to your new property, hiring a GoGet van might be the perfect solution. Being able to hire a GoGet by the hour or the day gives you the flexibility to schedule and only pay for what you need.

However, if you have more than several pieces of furniture or appliances, you’ll need to find a truck rental company with larger vehicles in their fleet. Thrifty, Budget, and Abel all offer rigid trucks that you can hire by the day on which you can drive with just an ordinary drivers license.

Ask for help

“Do it yourself”, doesn’t exactly mean going it alone. If you were looking to ditch the professionals, you could still ask your friends and family for help. Let them know a few weeks in advance, and if they’re reluctant to help, there’s a plenty of ways to try to convince them. We’re fans of food, drinks, and the ever so popular, guilt-tripping.

Moving by yourself

Use the right equipment

Having the right equipment is especially essential when you’re moving alone, helping to protect your belongings from damage while preventing severe injury. You’ll want to pick up the following items from your local home improvement retailer.

• Dolly or trolley
• Lifting straps
• Furniture pads
• Moving blankets
• Cardboard boxes

How to move furniture by yourself

• Lighten the load by removing all cupboards, drawers, and contents
• Place furniture sliders underneath all corners
• Slide furniture to a preferred destination
• If needed, place the item on a dolly or trolley
• Roll to a vehicle for transport

Pack with purpose

Every trip you make to your new property can take several hours, so to save you from multiple trips, spend the time and pack with purpose. By ensuring that all your items are placed in well categorised and clearly marked cardboard boxes for moving, you’ll be able to fit more in your vehicle and make unpacking that much more straightforward. A tip from professional packers, use an inventory list to keep track of all your belongings, checking things off as you unload to ensure that nothing goes missing.

Tips for moving yourself

Lastly, here are some expert moving tips we’ve learned over the years watching thousands of tenants move.

1. Start packing early It can take anywhere from days to weeks to full pack house, so don’t wait until the last minute to get started, packing one room at a time leading up to the big moving day.
2. Declutter your home Use the opportunity to cleanse your home by decluttering. Offer used items to local charities, host a garage sale, or even list your belongings on eBay. Who knows? You might also be able to cover the cost of your move.
3. Book in vacate clean Moving by yourself is an exhausting task, so you might want to leave it to the professionals to handle your vacate cleaning. The service should leave your property ready for final inspection for a full bond refund.
4. Prevent injury Moving alone can be physically taxing, so staying safe should be a priority. Use moving equipment when possible, lift with your legs instead of your back, take breaks often, and stay hydrated.

Well there you have it, everything you need to know about moving by yourself. It can be entirely manageable with the right planning and preparation. If you’re wondering just how long the move might take, check out our recent article, How Long Should It Take to Move House? for the answer.