6 Ways To Move Your Family For Less $$$

Moving when funds are tight can be scary. You may need money for your deposit and first month's rent, or you may be saving for a down payment. You may also need funds for utility deposits as well. With all of the costs of moving your family, it’s essential that you save wherever it is possible. Here are 6 ways to move your family for less money.

Downsize First

Take what you must and sell the rest, especially if you know you're moving into a smaller home. For example, if your new space has a refrigerator and stove, you may choose to sell the one you have with the house or sell them on Craigslist before you move. Do make sure to talk to your landlord; if they want to buy any appliances you choose not to move, it can save you a lot of hassle.

Now is the time to sort through

●     toys that no longer thrill

●     clothes that don't fit

●     movies you don't watch

●     dishes and cookware you don't use

Have a moving sale to raise extra funds. Donate the rest of the items to a family shelter.

Use a Camping Mindset

If your new home is within a few hours of your current space, use a camping mindset so you can pack non-essentials away for weekend moves to your new home. For example, now is the time to pack away all the baking dishes and holiday plates. Go through your linen cabinet and pull out the flannel sheets and down comforters so you can wrap up your fragile items before you put them in the free boxes.

Put Volunteers to Work

Speaking of cardboard, check your friends list for folks who work in offices to see if they can bring you free boxes. Paper boxes are an ideal moving tool; they're sturdy and consistently sized.

Check in with friends who have children. Can your friends take your children for an overnight on a Saturday so you and your partner can run a load of items out to the new house? Could a friend come with you to your new house so you can give the place a thorough cleaning? When people say, "Call me if you need anything," make sure you call them!

Ship What You Can

If your vehicle is small and you don't want to rent a truck, mail what you can to your new space or to a contact in the area. Check out if the local post office will hold your stuff in general delivery for a day or two while you drive out a car or vanload to your new space.

Shipping items is a great way to save wear and tear on vintage or collector's vehicles. If your family has multiple vehicles, motorcycles, and other recreational vehicles, you may want to consider using a vehicle shipping carrier. There are many auto transport companies in major US states like Arizona to get your vehicles safely to your new home.

Move in Stages

When you have a camping kitchen set up, you can start moving in stages. Keep your favorite movies and family games on the shelf and pack everything else so you can start loading boxes into your new home.

If you're concerned about security, check out the price of storage units in your new city. It may well be less costly to rent a storage unit for your belongings than to rent a truck to move them all on the same day.

Compress As You Go

If you don't want to pay for a Pod rental at your current house, clear one wall of stuff for boxes and label with care as you stack. Make sure the boxes are slightly away from the wall and keep them secure if you have little ones who may want to climb and explore the contents.

When you get that whole room boxed up, turn it into your moving pod space and keep going. If you can, create this space on the main floor of your home so you can easily roll out boxes on dollies when it comes time to load your moving vehicles.

Moving can be a great time to get rid of things that no longer serve you. Only move what still fits, what still works and what you still enjoy. Whether you're down-sizing or upsizing, you can move cheaply and efficiently.