Here's How Far In Advance You Should Book Movers

You know the feeling ... you take a look around your home, eyeing every piece of furniture, every piece of silverware, every television, every picture frame ... it all has to go because you are moving. With such an overwhelming task at hand, you're sure to want to hire movers to do all of the moving for you. So how far in advance should you book them? Well, the answer is a bit complicated and greatly depends on the volume of items, the distance between the respective residences, and the time of year.

If the move is from a one- or two-bedroom apartment with relatively low-cost furniture and appliances, there is some flexibility on when you should book movers. In fact, a move this minor can be booked in as quickly as one to two days in advance of the move. Believe it or not, Move Buddha notes Task Rabbit has become a go-to moving source for this kind of scenario. It is cost-effective, can be booked with short notice, and you can get a sense of customer service from other reviews. The main drawback is that this type of move cannot be insured.

Perhaps it is a three-bedroom, single family home moving across town to another single family home. There is a full garage, an extra storage unit offsite from the main residence, and a couple of family heirlooms you would rather not break. If that is the case, professional movers are a helpful resource. This type of move warrants movers who can go up and down staircases with expensive breakables flawlessly, load an entire truck in a couple hours, and not scuff up the house before the new buyer's final walk through.  

This kind of move should actually be booked six to eight weeks in advance. As the iMoving Blog notes, you want to book the move this far out so that you have time to complete a couple key tasks. The extra time will allow you to declutter space to get rid of what you're not going to need in your new home (why pay to move stuff you'll just get rid of at your new place?). Before picking who you want to move your precious belongings, you'll want to compare moving companies, talk to friends for referrals, and get moving insurance. A top-tier moving company can even tag which items belong in which rooms to streamline this process even easier. And the sooner you do your research, the sooner you can book that moving company and get ready to move on.

The most popular time of year to move is the summertime, with nearly three out of four Americans moving during that window (according to Moving Labor). With school ending, the 4th of July weekend, and Labor Day weekend, the summer goes fast, and moving companies book up even faster. If you are moving out of state and during this busy time of the year, you want to book at least a few months in advance (according to Move Matcher).

When you take the time to research moving companies months in advance, there are a couple of key elements to look out for. First, see if the moving company has an online presence and available reviews. Also, a legitimate moving company has a license from the Department of Transportation. If a moving company evades discussing moving insurance or demands a very big fee upfront, these are red flags to keep note of when considering options. Moving insurance for a major move is standard and to be expected, and payment should be after the job is done (as noted by On The Go Moving).