How Far in Advance Should I Book Movers?

Moving is one of the most exciting yet stressful experiences. For many people, it marks the start of a new chapter in their lives, a new career, or a closer relationship with loved ones.

But let’s face it - moving is stressful. You have to pack up all of your belongings, find a way to keep them from breaking and transport them to your new home. One of the best and most common ways to do this is to hire movers.

In this process, one of the most important things to consider when hiring movers is when you should employ them in the first place. In this article, we’ll outline everything you need to know about how far in advance you should book movers.

When booking movers, you need to consider your needs first. There are a couple of key points to consider when going about the hiring process.

• Your Schedule: How flexible is your schedule? Sit down and look at your calendar to find the time of day that works best for you to move. Remember that it usually takes 3-4 hours to move everything out of a house, so find a time that best fits your schedule.

• Where You’re Moving To: Are you moving locally or far away? This is important to consider because you’ll need to be more careful with fragile items when moving from a long distance. The longer the drive will be with your belongings, the more important it is to pack fragile items carefully and ensure everything is secure. It’s wise to leave extra time to pack everything safely to ensure nothing breaks on the move.

• Deadlines and Time Restrictions: It’s important to ask yourself if you have to meet any deadlines and time restrictions with your movers. For example, do you need everything out of the house by a certain time, or do you need to be at your new home by a certain time?

Asking yourself these questions and taking personal notes is crucial in the moving process to ensure a safe and easy move.

One of the most important things to consider when booking moving companies is their demands. Remember, not all months are equal. Moving companies tend to be busier in the summer months from June - August, especially on the weekends.

If you know you need your movers during that time of year, you’ll need to book further in advance.

Having a strong understanding of these peak times will aid you in the moving process and help you leave enough time to ensure you aren’t scraping for help on the day of the move.

Depending on the details of your move, a few key factors may impact how far in advance you need to book movers.

• Size of the Move: Depending on the size of where you’re moving from, the moving company will require more resources, employees, and space to do the job properly. If you’re moving out of a small studio with minimal furniture, you’ll likely require less resources than someone moving out of a mansion. 

• Specific Scenario Challenges: If your move involves any of the following;
• Large glass objects
• Large scale electronics
• Fragile amenities such as chandeliers
• Any miscellaneous goods of high value

It will be important to leave extra time to pack these items safely. Also, remember that they need to go in specific areas in the moving truck to avoid damage.

Now, we’ll go over the best time to book each time of the move so you can have a happy, stress-free experience when traveling to your new home! 

• Same City/Local Move: If you’re moving inside your city or within a 40-mile radius, you should book your movers 2 months before the day of your move. If it’s not in the summer months, 2-4 weeks should be perfect. 

• Same-State Move: If you’re moving over 40 miles but still remain in the same state, it’s wise to book 2-3 months in advance in summer months. If it’s in winter, fall, or spring, you book 1-2 months from your move-in date!

• Different State/Out of Country Moves: If you’re moving out of state or to a different country, such as from the United States to Canada, you’ll need to leave extra time to book your moving company far in advance. We recommend booking six months from your move date for the summer months to ensure you find a quality mover to help you move the long distance. In the off-season, you can get away with booking 3-4 months out from your move-in date!

We know how stressful moving can be. To make your experience as smooth as possible, here’s a simple formula to remember when you’re considering booking a moving company: The further the distance and the closer it is to summer, the sooner you should book your movers. 

Following this simple rule will not only ensure you find an available moving company but also give you time to research which one to book, ensuring you get the highest quality service possible. You’ll never go wrong by booking further in advance. Wherever you’re traveling, we wish you a safe and happy move! Cheers to starting a new chapter in your life!