Having moved several times in my life, I know moving can be expensive.  My family will be moving to a new apartment in just a little over a month and already I am starting to organize our stuff, pack and make moving arrangements.  I believe that the earlier you start to prep for the big day, the easier the transition from one home to the next will be.  You’ll also be able to have a few dollars in the process.

Here are a few savings tips I have learned on my many moves:

1. Start Early.  The earlier you start planning, organizing and packing, the more efficient your move will be.  This will eliminate undue stress and keep you from making those last minute purchases like extra packing tape and boxes, or mistakes like underestimating the time you need to move which might cost you to pay for an extra day for the moving truck (if you rented one) or worse, paying the movers overtime.

2. Take Inventory.  Make a list of what you own.  Estimate how many boxes it might take to pack everything, how big a truck you might have to rent and how many trips you’ll have to take to and from your old and new homes.  This will help you estimate how much the move will cost.

3. Give Stuff Away.  After taking inventory of what you own and if you did a good job, you’ll likely find some items that you haven’t used or looked at for years lurking in your closets or storage area.  You can have a yard sale, if you have the time, or donate your unwanted goods to a local charity like the Salvation Army.  Most charitable institutions that take these types of donations will pick up your goods from your home.  Giving stuff away is a great moving strategy because it not only lessens the amount of stuff you need to pack or move, but also helps your community.

4. Trash Day Vs. The Dump.  You might find that you have a few things that are too far gone to donate or give away.  Before taking a trip to the dump and paying to use their services, call City Hall or your local Recycling/Garbage Disposal Centre to see what types of trash items they will pick up.  Where I live, the city will pick up one bulky item per week that won’t fit into your regular garbage bins as well as old appliances.

5. Plan your budget. Too many times people are caught unaware of how much a move will cost and end up charging their credit cards then carrying that balance for months.  After you do tips 2-4 and estimate the cost of the physical move, add in the amount of money it will take to do mail forwarding to your new address, cable re-installation, phone hook-ups, etc. After listing all these amounts down, start putting away some cash to help pay for your listed expenses up front.

6. Drive Vs. Fly.  Can you drive to your new home?  If you can, consider doing so as it might be cheaper to bring everything with you in a truck than shipping them or hiring movers to do so.

7. Get Help. It’s always cheaper if you can move your stuff yourself.  Movers are expensive, so if you can, rent a truck and ask your friends to help.  Or consider hiring your friends’ or neighbours’ kids just to help load and unload the truck.

8. Reduce Work for Movers. If you find that you need to hire movers, reduce their work hours by dismantling shelves and beds before they arrive.