Affordable Small Move

Tips for an Affordable Small Move

It might seem easier to find affordable ways to do a small move than a large one, right?  Not necessarily. You may discover that it's more difficult to find ways to ship a small number of items.  And by "small", I'm talking about moves that are less than a studio-sized apartment— normally "just a few boxes".

The issue with these moves is often related to minimum weight or space requirements— where the minimum exceeds the small shipment's size. 

 So let's say you have a 200 lb. shipment, but the movers have a 500 lb. minimum.  Regardless of how much weight/space you use, you pay the 500 lb. minimum.  Or let's say you stack your boxes up in the corner of your garage and know that you're only going to need two linear feet in the moving truck.  If the minimum is five linear feet, you pay for five feet, regardless of how much space is used.  When this is the case, you may find that the cost to move a small amount of items (especially when it's a long-distance or cross-country move) can cost more than the actual monetary value of the item(s).  Though sometimes sentimental value outweighs monetary value.

So if you're shipping just a few boxes of household goods, and you don't have the ability to palletize them, your best option is probably parcel shipping.  One of the more popular ways to do this is through the United States Postal Service (USPS).  If you have the ability to palletize your items, shipping with ABF Freight System, Inc.  (MoveBuilder and U-Pack's premier carrier) is a great, affordable solution.

Now, let's talk about small moves where affordable options are more widely available:

*Tip: If you're flexible, choose an off-peak moving day; this helps lower moving costs too!  With MoveBuilder, off-peak days are typically Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the beginning of the month. Try to avoid the last week of the month and any holiday week.

Moving one room of furnishings.  When I say one room of furnishings, I'm talking about something around the size of a studio apartment or a dorm room. So usually this is like a small couch, bed frame and mattress, bed-side table, chest of drawers, small kitchen table with chairs and 20-30 small/medium-sized boxes.  My best advice for a long-distance move this size is to use a ReloCube or the minimum space in a moving trailer— which in MoveBuilder's case is five linear feet.  If your main objective is saving money, and loading/unloading help isn't necessary, you can lower your price significantly by choosing a U-Pack terminal to terminal move. That means you load all of your belongings into the ReloCube or trailer at the closest service center and you unload your belongings at the destination service center.  You can call 800-968-1276 or use the Free Moving Estimate form to the right to get prices.

Moving a one-bedroom apartment.  Similar to a studio apartment, a good option for moving a one-bedroom apartment affordably is to use ReloCubes or trailer space. In a move this size, you'll likely need two ReloCubes or 6-7 linear feet of the trailer.  Of course, this all depends on what's actually inside your home. If it's a sparsely furnished one-bedroom apartment you may be able to fit into less space.  The great thing about MoveBuilder is that your price is based on the space you actually use. So, if you assume seven feet, and you only use five, you only pay for five. And, if you assume two ReloCubes, but fit into one, you only pay for one. Very cool.

Like I mentioned previously, keep in mind that if you're shipping commercially, if you're shipping new items, or if your items are palletized, there are affordable shipping options available through ABF Freight System, Inc.

Have questions or need a moving estimate? Let us know! We'll be happy to help. Just call 800-968-1276 or click!