When hiring a moving company, time is money. By following these simple steps you can greatly reduce costs and ensure a simple and stress free moving day.

Pack – If your schedule allows it, packing up your home ahead of time can save you hours on moving day.  This can significantly cut down on costs when it comes to working with a moving company. While many companies offer packing services for your convenience, the cost can add up quickly. Even if its just a simple hourly rate. If you have the time, and want to save some cash, packing in advance is definitely the way to go. This will also allow you full control over the organization of your belongings and will in turn make un-packing a total breeze.

Bonus tip: Labeling and numbering all of your boxes as you pack will save you even more time when unpacking and will help you keep track of your boxes as they are moved from one home to the next.

Disassemble – By breaking down furniture in advance, like bed frames and desks with detachable legs, you can cut down on your moving costs even further. While it may seem like a small task for a group of movers and a daunting task for you, the reality is that the process takes time and time will cost you. Consider inviting your family and friends, ordering take out, mixing up cocktails, and making a night of it. What a great opportunity to catch up, celebrate your move and save a little cash.

Bonus tip: To avoid loosing any of those tiny screws and bolts you can label Ziploc bags for each of the disassembled items and make sure all of those pieces are placed in the proper bag. Make sure to keep all these bags stored together in a safe place.

Un-Plug – A lot of people over look this step. While it may seem small, it is extremely important. Several of your major appliances need special care when being moved. Waiting till moving day to figure this out will add a ton of additional time to your move and may even lead to damaged items. Refrigerators should be emptied and unplugged so they can defrost at least 24 hours in advance. Making sure that your stove is deep cleaned and allowing time for your dishwasher and washing machine to drain and dry completely will save you a huge mess and headache come moving day. Even small appliances and electronics should be unplugged. Movers are often not allowed to unplug your items, so having this done in advance will save you the hassle of running around unplugging a bunch of things on moving day.

Bonus tip: Wrap cords and other parts in a towel and place them inside the proper appliance. This will not only protect the chords from damage, but will prevent loss or misplacement during travel.

Empty – Making sure that all items have been removed from cabinets and drawers is a simple task that can save even more time on moving day. The additional weight of full drawers can make it difficult for the movers to safely transport your furniture. If the movers have to empty drawers during the move it will not only add time to your bill, but could result in the misplacement of your belongings. Creating separate boxes for each piece of furniture that will need to be emptied and organizing these in advance will speed up both your packing and unpacking process.

Bonus tip: Using a small strip of painters tape to close off drawers and cabinets can help to prevent any damage to your items during move and will make the process safer for you and your movers.

Dismount – Taking down wall hangings such as art, photos, TV mounts etc. is a great way to save a little extra money. It can be a tedious and timely task for your movers to dismount, wrap and load every item you have hanging up on the day of your move. Instead of waiting, you can take down items as you pack up each room, making sure to keep all nails and mounting supplies organized in labeled bags. This small step will cut down on hourly costs, and help you stay organized.

Bonus tip: Measure and take photos of your gallery walls and art displays prior to dismounting. This will help you when unpacking and decorating your new home.