You’re here because you need to hire a moving company to move 1 or just a few things, and don’t want to be overcharged. You need a company that specializes in moving small loads.
Not ready to get your free quote? That’s OK. Stick around, because we are going to tell you everything you need to know about making the most of your small move – including alternative & DIY options.
A small move is any moving job where there is not much stuff to move.
It is generally classified as any shipment with a total weight of 1,500 lbs. or less.
To put that into perspective, a 1 bedroom apartment weighs an average of between 2,100 and 3,250 lbs. A couch weighs about 200 lbs. A queen size bed set weights about 250 lbs. Boxes can weigh anywhere between 10 and 50 lbs. Dressers can weigh anywhere between 50 and 200 lbs.
So small moves would usually consist of moving someone out of a small studio, a single item, several furniture items, partial load moving, or someone moving who just doesn’t have very much stuff.
Small moving jobs can be local/in-town, or they can be long distance/cross country.
What, how much, and how far you are moving will determine your best options for moving your small shipment.
You have many options for moving. For small or single item loads, here are our top 3 picks:
Many movers will turn down or overcharge you for your small move. That is because they want to be able to charge you for more weight and hours.
Some moving companies, however, specialize in having the right people and equipment to be able to accommodate your small move.
To find a company that specializes in small moves, all you have to do is fill out our quote form to compare rates from up to 3 top-rated small movers in your area.
If you have just 1 or several small, light items, then shipping small parcel is an excellent option. Small parcel is generally the shipment of anything weighing less than 150 lbs. Popular small parcel carriers are UPS and FedEx.
Anything over 150 lbs. is considered freight and will have different pricing & carriers.
If you have several items to move, then shipping could be an excellent alternative route to hiring a small moving company. Especially for small long distance moves.
If you’ve got a small, in-town move, then perhaps you can just move it yourself.
Borrow a friend’s pickup truck or rent a truck/trailer and enlist several able-bodied friends or family members to help you move.
This will be your cheapest route, but be prepared to do some lifting.
See also: Whether to Hire Movers or Do It Yourself
Regardless of which service option you choose for taking care of your small move, follow these tips & tricks to lighten the load:
Even if you’re hiring movers, there’s a lot that you have to do. From switching out utilities, closing on your house, packing, booking movers, & cleaning – the list goes on and on.
It can be especially tough booking movers last-minute, especially in places like Los Angeles where everyone is moving out of. All the more reason to start early to ensure availability.
The sooner you get started preparing for your move the better. We suggest 2 months in advance if possible. Of course, that’s not always realistic (life moves fast). Just don’t procrastinate!
If you landed on this page, we’re presuming that you’re already pretty good at downsizing and decluttering – kudos to you! Take a minute to see if there’s anything else that you can donate, sell, or dump.
You can make your small move even smaller by getting rid of stuff that you don’t need.
Sure, your move is small. But we’ve been in the industry quite a while, and odds are, it’s not as small as you may think. That’s because there always seems to be extra stuff hiding around the corner of your storage compartment. Just remember, moving can be a bigger task than estimated. So it’s best to overestimate on boxes, time, and expenses.
As mentioned, you have several options for your small move – including DIY, hiring small movers, and shipping. Check around on pricing and bandwidth to see what makes the most sense for your unique moving needs. Again, the sooner you start, the better.
Get quotes from several companies. Ask several friends to help you move. The more feelers you put out, the better. You can also use our service to get quotes from lots of different qualified movers with just a couple clicks.
If it will fit into a box, put it in there. The more that you consolidate your items, the easier and cheaper your move will be.
Be sure to label your boxes too.
Begin taking inventory of what you have to move early. Sort and segregate items by category and when you will need them next. Be sure to keep a personal bag with all of your stuff that you need on a daily basis – toiletries, medications, a spare change of clothes, etc.
You may be tempted to keep things put together so you don’t have to reassemble them. Trust us, even if it will fit through the door in 1 piece, you should probably disassemble it. This will make protecting & moving it much easier.
Whether you are hiring movers or enlisting some friends to help you, be sure to have waters & snacks on hand. Have a sitter booked for your pets and kids too. Your movers will thank you.
Small moves differ from traditional moves in that their size and scope is less.
If you don’t want to move yourself or ship your stuff, then you need to find a company that specializes in small moving.
You can spend hours browsing the web to find a company to move your small load, or you could just fill out our form to get connected with qualified small movers in your local area.