4 Ways to Move Apartments for Less

Man Moving an Old CouchMany people who move out of an existing apartment end up moving into a new one. If that’s you, congratulations on your new place! Now, how do you get all your stuff from one apartment to the other efficiently and inexpensively?

Don’t Pay for Boxes

Lots of moving stores offer boxes for cheap — but why get boxes for cheap when you could get them for free? Check these 10 places for free moving boxes, plus the bins behind your local liquor store, deli, and self-storage units. In most municipalities, well-constructed, barely-used boxes are plentiful. Just get a roll of quality packing tape, and don’t go box-hunting if there’s been a heavy rainfall. (Soggy moving boxes are a big mistake.)

Be Selective About What You Move

Don’t just assume that everything should come with you. Maybe that overstuffed loveseat that was perfect for playing Halo 3 isn’t going to fit into your new space — and are you still playing Halo 3 anyway? For every item, ask yourself if you have a need, a place, and a desire for it. If any of those 3 answers is ‘no,’ sell it and either live without it or get a new, more appropriate one for your new place.

Pay Friends, Not Movers

Hiring a mover or two to unload your apartment (and then again to unload the truck!) is a great way to save your time and lumbar region — but it’s also a great way to blow your entire budget for the move. Instead, make a party out of it. Get your besties together, put on some music you can agree on, take a pizza break in the middle and watch a movie in your new digs at the end of the day. You can even offer up some cash if you feel like they worked their butts off. But for most good pals, the promise of future payback in kind is enough.

Be Smart About the Truck

If you can borrow a pickup or a van from a friend, you might be able to move for the cost of gas — which is high enough these days as it is! But if you have to rent a moving truck, shop around intelligently first. Call each of the rental companies in your area and ask for a precise breakdown of all of the costs involved with the rental. You’ll find that most advertised prices leave out a mountain of ‘small’ fees such as the mileage charge. Don’t get scammed!