Rethinking DIY: The Risks of Self-Managing a San Diego Cross-Country Move

Reconsidering DIY: The Drawbacks of a Self-Guided San Diego Cross-Country Relocation

Mar 14, 2023

Are you planning a cross-country move from San Diego County? Regarding relocating, there is usually a choice – hire movers, or do it yourself. Many people often perceive DIY moves as the better option, mostly because they think hiring movers will be expensive.

But for a cross-country move, relocating on your own is not exactly a good idea. Things can get out of hand if you’re not prepared and experienced with long-distance moves. So, like most people, if you are debating between a DIY move and hiring professional movers, look at these key factors that explain why it’s not wise to take things into your own hands when you’re moving cross-country.

The Physical Demands of a DIY Move

tired couple resting in new home during moving

Are you underestimating all the physical effort that goes into moving? Even when you don’t have a lot of belongings and are moving nearby, it’s still tedious and exhausting to pack, load, and offload yourself. Just imagine how much more taxing it will be when moving your entire home and possessions hundreds of miles away!

What if it takes more than a day, and you must travel overnight? That makes things even more difficult if you’re the one driving the truck. After spending a night on the road, you must still be energetic enough to unload and unpack the next day. Just the thought of it is tiring enough, isn’t it? There’s no doubt that a DIY cross-country move will be physically draining.

The Mental Strain of Diving into a DIY Cross-Country Move

Young couple moving to new flat with fragile things

Before you put in all that physical effort on the day of moving, there is so much thinking and planning involved.

  • Will you hire a moving truck? Or source a suitable vehicle from someone you know?
  • Will it have enough space to fit all your belongings?
  • Do you need to hire helpers to pack, load, and unload? Or will you ask friends and relatives for help?
  • You’ll have to map the best route to reach your destination. Also, will you drive yourself or hire a driver too? Do you have experience driving larger vehicles, like moving trucks, especially over extremely long distances?
  • What safety measures have you planned if some mishaps occur en route?

These are just a few of the tough decisions you must make. To prepare for every aspect of your move and coordinate the entire process, you might have to start planning months in advance. And you’ll have to figure all this out while busy with your daily life and work. Is it worth all that mental stress?

The Hidden Costs of Going DIY for Your Cross-Country Relocation

The motivation behind opting for DIY moves is usually to save money. And that may be true for short-distance relocation. But during cross-country moves, unexpected expenses can quickly pile up, making the process more expensive than hiring a mover. Here are some of the major expenses you might have to pay:

  • Renting a moving truck
  • Hiring manpower like drivers and helpers
  • Buying packing supplies
  • Fuel prices

Also, factor in lost income, as you might have to take a day or two off work for the moving process. Now, what if something goes wrong on the road, and either you or a helper gets injured? Or maybe some of your items are damaged. These are not direct expenses, but such things also add more financial pressure. So when you consider all the upfront and hidden or indirect expenses, a DIY cross-country relocation can be costlier instead.

The DIY Dilemma: Expertise and Experience Deficits

If delicate, fragile, or high-value items are in your possession, they must be packed and handled cautiously. Or if you have lots of personal belongings and heavy furniture, you need special tools and expertise to pack, load and unload them.

Unlike professional movers, you may not be used to such things, so your lack of experience and expertise can lead to improper handling of your own items, especially considering the long journey for cross-country moves. The last thing you’d want is to damage your valuable items and furniture while attempting to move by yourself.

Considering all these factors, you can probably see why DIY moves aren’t ideal, especially when relocating cross-country.

Gaining the Upper Hand: The Advantages of Hiring Professional Movers in San Diego County

While a DIY cross-country move has many downsides, hiring a mover has just as many benefits. Here are some reasons why it’s better to hire residential long distance movers when relocating cross-country.

Experience a Stress-Free San Diego County Cross-Country Move

Couple resting on sofa near moving boxes in their new house

The obvious benefit of hiring movers is that you have a comfortable experience while they do all the heavy lifting. You can relax and monitor the work as they pack all your items, load everything, and deliver it to your destination. You don’t need to look for a moving vehicle or worry about finding helpers. They take care of everything while you just enjoy the experience of moving to your new home.

Freeing Up Time to Address Other Crucial Aspects of Moving

It’s not just the physical work. Professional movers in San Diego also have designated staff and coordinators who plan, execute, and supervise the moving process. That means they do all the mental work, so you remain stress-free and focus on the more important things like planning how to start your life in another state or city.

Will you be looking for a new job after moving? What about your children’s schooling? So many aspects of day-to-day life will be completely new for you after moving, and you’ll have the time and freedom to plan such things while the movers take care of the relocation.

Saving Money by Enlisting the Help of Experts

As already mentioned, a DIY move is not always cheaper. In fact, it can be more expensive for cross-country moves. On the other hand, movers can help you save money in many ways. They’ll know the best routes to reach the destination with minimum fuel consumption, the most efficient way to manage the total weight of your belongings.

They are also more experienced in handling items and furniture, making them less likely to damage anything. If mishaps do occur, moving companies usually have insurance that covers for damages. Due to these factors, you’ll most likely end up saving money on your cross-country move by hiring professional movers.

Safeguarding Your Possessions with Reliable Movers

Young couple unpacking cardboard boxes at new home.Moving house.Real estate.

Professional movers have the necessary tools, equipment, manpower, and expertise to ensure that all your belongings are packed, loaded, transported, and unloaded safely and carefully. Even if you have delicate possessions such as glass furniture or antiques, you can hire San Diego specialty movers who are specialized in moving such fragile or high-value items.

If you have too many belongings, which makes it risky to transport everything in one go, then reliable movers can also manage temporary relocation storage where some of your possessions can be kept safely for as long as required. Overall, your belongings are much safer in the hands of expert movers.

Entrust Your San Diego County Cross-Country Move to the Best Movers in Town

Now that you’re aware of the complications that can arise with DIY moves, it’s time to let professional movers take care of the job. And you don’t need to look any further to find reliable moving services in San Diego.

Oakley Relocation is one of the leading full-service moving and storage companies, and a certified agent for North American Van Lines. We have been successfully helping people relocate all over the country since 2008 and have established ourselves as one of the best downtown San Diego movers.

If you’re planning a cross-country move from San Diego, contact us for more details and a free quote.

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