The Best Small Load & Single Item Movers

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.

MiniMoves® is America’s only national moving company uniquely focused on moving small shipments in-town, interstate, and cross country.

Click below for a free, discounted small moving quote:

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MiniMoves has safely completed over 125,000 moves, an A+ BBB rating, and more than 30 years of serving customers with small & specialty moves.

Small Moves 101

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.

What is a Small Move?

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.

3 Best Ways To Move A Small Load or Single Item

several small boxes stacked by themselves in a room with brick wall and wood floor

You have many options for moving. For small or single item loads, here are our top 3 picks:

Hire a small specialty mover (best for medium-sized & long distance moves)

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.

MiniMoves specializes specifically in small, partial, & single item moving jobs with no minimum weight requirement. Since they have a national reach, they are the best small long distance movers. They’ve been around for 30+ years and have served over 135,000 happy customers. If you’re choosing to hire a small moving company – be sure to call around, starting with MiniMoves!

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Ship your stuff (best for very small, single items, & long distance moves)

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.

Move it yourself (best for in-town, local 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.

9 tips for a smooth small move

young woman sipping coffee and smiling happily near moving boxes with peace of mind for having a simplified small job move

Regardless of which service option you choose for taking care of your small move, follow these tips & tricks to lighten the load:

1. Start early

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 hot markets like Los Angeles where everyone is moving. 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!

2. Downsize & declutter

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.

3. Don’t underestimate your move

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.

4. Consider all moving options

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.

5. Call around

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.

6. Pack everything

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.

7. Stay organized

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.

8. Disassemble whenever possible

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.

9. Take care of your movers

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.

Book With The Best

close up of a woman signing a moving contract while a small mover holds it.

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.

We highly suggest MiniMoves, the only national moving company dedicated solely to moving small residential shipments. Click below and use discount code “9090” to get a free quote!

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