How to Plan For Apartment Moving Expenses

If you’re planning to move to a new apartment in West Miami, you’ll need to start planning well ahead of time. Between giving the requisite notice to your landlord, hiring a moving company in advance, and packing your things, getting ready for apartment moving is a process that usually takes at least a month.

Apartment moving doesn’t have to be devastatingly expensive, but there are some costs that will be unavoidable. If you’re on a set budget, it’s a good idea to start planning for these expenses ahead of time, to soften the financial impact of your move.

Things to Consider

There are a couple of things that can affect the cost of your move, and that you’ll want to take into consideration when you make the decision to move to a new apartment.

• The time of year. Some times of year are particularly busy for moving companies, especially summer. If you move during the off season, you may be able to save a bit of money. This is less of an issue down here in the Miami area than it is in colder climates, where snowy winters aren’t really a good time to move.
• The amount of stuff you have. How much stuff do you actually have? Probably more than you’d think. The cost of hiring a moving company can depend on how much stuff you have to move.
• The distance that you’re moving. Long distance moving is always more costly than moving within West Miami. If you’re moving hundreds of miles away, you’ll need to budget for things like gas, meals, and hotel stays.

With these things in mind, you can start planning for specific expenses related to your move.

The Cost of Finding a New Apartment

The first step in the apartment moving process is to choose the new apartment you want to live in. Finding a new apartment can incur some expenses of its own, including:

• Application fees
• Security deposits
• Pet deposits
• First and/or last month’s rent in advance
• Utility deposits

You’ll need to have a bit of money saved up for these things. You can contact your new apartment community to find out exactly what you’ll need to pay for, and how much it will cost you.

The Logistics of Moving

Another locus of expense is the actual process of apartment moving itself. Hiring movers, getting the supplies you’ll need, and other things can add up.

• Professional moving services. Unless your budget simply doesn’t allow for it, the best way to go about moving to a new apartment is to hire professional movers. You can rent a truck and move things yourself, but it’s harder than it sounds. You’ll need to move large, heavy objects like furniture. You will probably need to ask people you know for help with the move, and the process is frankly exhausting. Hiring a moving company is much less stressful, and well worth the cost.
• Moving insurance. If you have the budget for it, it’s recommended that you invest in moving insurance. Moving insurance policies protect your belongings from loss or damage by making sure you’ll be reimbursed for them. Legally, moving companies are only liable for a certain amount of money if something gets damaged, which may be less than the item was actually worth.
• Packing supplies. You’ll need cardboard boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and other materials to pack up your belongings. You may be able to score some free boxes from the Free Stuff section of Craigslist, but you’ll probably need to pay for at least some of your packing supplies.
• Storage unit rental. If your new place is smaller than your old one, you may need to temporarily store some of your belongings in a storage unit.

Travel for Long Distance Moving

If you’re planning a long distance move, you’ll also need to plan for travel expenses, including:

• Gas. If you’re driving your car to your new home, you’ll need to plan for the cost of gas to get there.
• Airfare. If you’re moving across the country, you may choose to fly instead.
• Hotel stays. You might need to stay a night in a hotel, especially if you’re driving a long distance.

Apartment movers in West Miami

When you’re planning your upcoming move, be sure to account for all of the expenses associated with the moving process. At Orange Mover, we provide affordable and professional apartment moving services in West Miami. To find out more, call us any time, or fill out our online contact form to get in touch with a helpful representative.