Moving is a huge pain, but we all have to do it at some point. Start calling movers well in advance of your move. You can look in the phone book or online and find dozens of choices. Thirty days notice is standard to book a mover or a moving van, and you’ll need a bit more time than that if you want to get estimates from several companies to compare prices.

Where to Start

If you are really on a tight budget, you’ll probably want to consider a do-it-yourself truck, such as U-Haul or Ryder. It’s a hard job, but certainly it’s cheaper. You will have a set price based on the size of the truck and the distance you’re going. There will also be a time limit - you have to have the truck turned in by a certain day. You’ll have to pack everything in advance, get a bunch of muscle-bound friends over to help, and treat them well. Splurge on renting a dolly and some blankets to pad your good furniture.

Plan on at least two days to pack the van since you’re amateurs and might need some time to, oh, I don’t know... rest or eat or sit around griping at all the work you have to do. You don’t want to make your friends resent you by rushing them and prodding them when they’re only doing you a favor.

If you’re a little more flexible with cash, it’s a whole lot easier on your back to hire a moving company. Usually a company will either do a detailed phone call or send a representative out to your house to figure out an estimate of the weight of your stuff. That number plus the distance you’ll be traveling will determine your price. The company should give you an estimate in advance. Once your stuff is all loaded on the truck, they’ll actually weigh the truck and get an actual weight to use in figuring your final price. When you’re figuring your estimate, be sure to ask about special items that need to be moved, such as cars, pianos, or other especially heavy items. Find out in advance if there will be an extra charge for these items.

When the movers arrive, you’ll probably have to give them a deposit. Don’t pay the entire fee in advance. You can pay the difference when your stuff is all put together and moved into your new place. Before you pay, make sure everything has arrived unbroken, without scratches, and to your satisfaction. If something is broken or missing, you can make a claim.

Buy the insurance. You can get insurance through the moving company or moving van, or you can call your car insurance company and ask if they have an insurance policy you can use. We once moved ourselves across the country in a rented van. We were exhausted and loopy, and we drove the van into the overhang at a motel where we were stopping for the night. We wrecked the van, wrecked the motel, and damaged some of our stuff. It was all covered by the insurance (thank goodness!). Bottom line: you can’t predict what might happen, and it’s worth the peace of mind to buy it.