Moving Interstate is overwhelming both socially and financially. It may seem a normal and casual move but actually, it is not and sometimes is a cause of sleepless nights. The moving cross country needs a lot of planning, energy and not to forget the money. Though moving cross country is definitely a costly affair but there are some cheaper ways available as well. Hiring the best interstate moving companies is not the only option to move, you can plan other ways too like hiring labor only, shipping your things, hiring of movable containers and/or hiring a shipping container.
Moving Budget
The moving budget is comprised of many things including packing expenses to labor to moving expenses. These may include many things like cost of packing materials, labor cost at least for loading and unloading of the stuff, road taxes, moving company cost, etc. Moving costs also depend upon the distance to be moved and the weight of the material to be taken.
Decluttering; A way to save money as you move
Out of all other important things that should be kept in mind while packing for an interstate move, sorting your belongings is the most important one. Sorting will not only help you in reducing your unwanted stuff but can also make a good amount of money by selling that stuff in a garage sale. Sorting your stuff will also lessen your load on the moving truck, will save a lot of packing material, and will also lessen your labor cost. It will automatically save a lot of money due to all these cost cuts.
Before you plan a garage sale, the first thing that you have to do is to sort all your stuff and take out items that are in good condition and can be sold out. Make a trip to all your rooms and take out each and everything and take out everything that is unwanted including oversize clothes, things not of your choice, things that you haven’t used, and/or any extra utensils. You should also consider the area that you will get at your new place and should remove all the extra furniture from your list of things to be moved. Gather all the stuff in one room that you want to sell.
To organize and have a successful pre-move garage sale, you can follow the tips given below.
How to Make Garage Sale Successful Before An Interstate Move
The garage sale is one of the best ways to ensure you have limited inventory as you move. You also get a chance to make some extra money by selling items that you do not need anymore. However, garage sales are not always a successful venture. You need to ensure you organize the garage sale in a way that you get more and more footfall and sell out all the items listed for sale. Here are a few tips for organizing a garage sale before an interstate move:
Choose the Right Time for the Sale
The success of any type of sale depends upon the number of visitors so it is very much advisable to choose the right time to have a heavy footfall in your sale. Weekends are the best time to organize a sale as many people come out of their houses to try things and remain busy during weekdays. Start the sale early in the morning through the afternoon and evening.
Call Local Authorities If Any Permission is needed
Though organizing a garage sale should not be an issue but still call up your local authorities on the safer side if you need a permit for organizing a sale like this. Call them at least a few weeks prior to you sale day so that if you need to apply for a permit then you have enough time for it.
Create an Inventory
Don’t forget to keep an inventory of the things on sale, this will help you in being organized and will also enable you to know the exact things that you are offering. You can simply check the list and let the customer know if you have a particular thing or not instead of going through all the stuff when asked.
Advertise in All Possible Ways
Advertising about your sale is very important. Spreading a word of mouth along with the signboard on the side of the road will help you in fetching many customers. Send a sale note on all your social media apps to all your contacts. Take your creative side out and make an eye-catching advertisement. Paste some pictures of the things on sale on your advertisement pamphlet. Ask your friends to send it further to their contact lists. The impact of social media advertising is always very high and good.
Pricing
Be realistic and reasonable with the pricing. Don’t overprize any item. Though the main motive of this sale is making money but setting unfair prices will keep customers away as they expect low-cost items in garage sales. If you are sure of the right pricing then visiting other garage sales before starting one is a good option or you can also ask someone who has ever organized a sale of this kind.
Bulk Offers
A garage sale becomes more successful when u offer bulk deals. For example, if you are charging $2 for one item then you can sell two for $3, this will help you in selling your things faster. Surprise grab bags and after-sale offers are other good ways of attracting customers.
How to hire an affordable interstate mover?
Once you are done with the sorting of your belongings and making good money, now, you can concentrate on ways of saving money in a move. Moving interstate is a very expensive and stressful event in anyone’s life. Moving cost depends upon the following points
- Distance to be moved
- Total weight of the things to be moved
- Special packing and moving required to specialty items
- Additional moving charges
Finding an affordable interstate mover is also a task. It is not easy to find the right and cost-effective moving company. The following points can be kept in mind while looking for an affordable moving company:
Research Before You Decide
Search online for a good state to state moving companies. Saving money is very important but what is more important is to find a reliable one. You can ask people near you for recommendations. Beware of moving frauds. Don’t forget to check the rating and reviews about the companies that you are considering. Check the working license and proper authorizations and permit to operate in both the states that are involved in the move. Make sure that these companies should have a right and clean image in the market.
In-Home Survey
Don’t just select the first company that appears on the list, choose at least 4 to 5 companies and call their representatives for an In-Home survey before they quote you any price. Quoting an amount over a phone call should be strictly avoided. In-person visits and a written estimate will keep you safe from any after-the-moving mess. The company will not be able to claim any extra charges afterward.
Once you gather the cost estimations given by your chosen companies, now is the time to compare the services and rates quoted by them. Do not only compare the price but compare the services offered by them as a company may be charging a little higher than the other as they may be providing labor too. In such cases, compare the quotes accordingly, as labor may cost you higher if hired separately.
Moving Time
Moving time plays an important role in deciding the final cost of a move. Moving in peek season and hours is always costly. Prefer moving mid-month and mid-week as these will be less busy days for the moving companies. Most of the people move on weekends or month ends which makes movers extra busy and they don’t compromise on their rates. So choosing the right time to save money is very important.
By keeping the above-said points in your mind will not only save a good amount of money but will also save a lot of energy and effort.
Enjoy a happy and successful moving experience!
