Options for a DIY Move
Last updated May 2024
Moving yourself is hard work, but it is far cheaper than hiring pros, and you can move how and when you want.
Renting a Truck
A truck rental will probably be your biggest expense. Rental rates depend on many factors, including the truck’s size and whether you want to drop off the vehicle at your destination or return it to the rental location. We find substantial company-to-company variation on truck rental rates, so shop around.
To estimate what size truck you’ll need, know that a 12-foot truck holds about three rooms of furniture, an 18-foot truck about five or six rooms, and a 24-foot truck eight or nine rooms. If you’re moving bulky pieces or large appliances, you’ll need extra truck space.
Always load the heaviest items forward, near the cab. Load belongings so as to prevent shifting, and tie down your load.
Most truck rental companies rent dollies and hand trucks for $10 to $30 each per day. Some provide furniture pads for free; others rent them for about $10 to $15 per day.
Self-Service or Hybrid Movers
If you don’t want to shell out thousands of dollars to a professional mover but dread the prospect of driving a large moving truck full of your stuff, you can hire a self-service moving company, which drops off a cargo container, truck trailer, or truck at your house for you to load. Then the company returns and drives the load to the destination, where you unload it.
Self-service movers tend to cost more than renting your own truck—but much less than using a full-service company. For a local move using a 16-foot container, self-service movers quoted our undercover shoppers prices ranging from about $250 to $400. Many self-service companies offer loading and unloading at an additional cost.
Compare costs for self-service outfits with those quoted by full-service moving companies, especially if you’re thinking about hiring loaders and unloaders.
Also find out whether your homeowners insurance policy covers your belongings during a self-service move. If not, ask companies for their prices for extra insurance coverage. Since self-service movers simply transport, rather than handle, your belongings, they are not considered movers at all, but rather freight carriers. This distinction is important because basic insurance coverage for freight usually is set at only about $.10 per pound—coverage almost certainly too low for your belongings.