: The Actual Move – DIY or Hire a Pro? Part 4 in a series by Matthew Forman

In some ways, this one is a no-brainer. After all, if you are going to be living in a dorm, or taking a furnished apartment situation, it’s really easy. If you are driving, or your folks are taking you, 3 suitcases and a box of dishes should do the trick! This means you just load it all into the car, and then play out your own cheesy, yet heartwarming, “our baby is growing up to fast” commercial.

For the record, as long as the commercial is not sponsored by a credit card, then cheesy is a good thing here! And if your parent(s) are driving, and you are going to be more than 100 miles from home, then this is a great opportunity for a mini vacation!

Let’s say you live in Memphis, TN and are going to attend UT Knoxville…a weekend in Gatlinburg before you actually move in would be a super way to end the summer and start the school year!

Now, let’s say that you are not moving into a dorm or furnished apartment situation, and you need to bring along furniture. Things just changed in a big way! Do you want to do it yourself, or should you hire someone to move you professionally? That is going to depend on what you need to take, and if you will really be doing it “yourself” or not!
If all you have to take with you, besides the 3 suitcases and box of dishes, is your bed, dresser and a desk, than you can probably get away with the do it yourself. One factor will be your age, as you cannot legally rent, or drive, a rental truck if you are under 18. Also, you will need to either have proof of insurance that will cover the rental liability, or purchase the insurance from the rental company. This can add $250 to the bill!

But let’s say that you are moving an apartment full of furniture; couch, tables, chairs, the works. In addition, we will assume that you have never driven a minivan, let alone a moving truck. It now makes perfect sense to hire a REPUTABLE company to move you.

What makes a company reputable?

Unfortunately, having a truck with “JJ’s Movin’ Company” on the side does not make them reputable – sorry JJ. A reputable company will have plenty of insurance, not only liability in the event of a traffic accident, but also insurance (or in some states a bond) for up to $1,000,000 in physical damage. This is what pays you if your property is damaged or destroyed due to negligence, or it is stolen while in the company’s care. Ask if the employees have all been bonded (this means insured, not bailed out of jail!), and if the company has done criminal background checks on the employees. I know that this sounds like another no-brainer, but the fact is that most companies do not do these checks unless the home state law requires them!
Will they be storing your belongings in transit, or will this be a straight through move?

A good place to begin checking moving companies is with your local Better Business Bureau. They can help you find out who is reputable, or at least can tell you if there have been complaints against the company you are considering. A great benefit to hiring the move out is that the company will usually insist on doing the packing. After all, they are liable, so they want to make sure everything is done right.
Speaking of packing, do you know what you will need to prepare for the move?

Check back and we will go over that in the next article!