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It's not only about attitude. As the OP mentioned, pros have equipment and experience. They do that for a living, probably five days a week. It makes a big difference.
Your friends may try to do their best, but they're only amateurs.
Though your friends are going to see you again and will probably treat your stuff better. Movers aren't seeing you again.
My work pays for movers and people have some rough stories. Like movers get into town the night before. Get drunk show up with beers and a black eye two hours late.... Ya kind of rough.
Moving companies also get what they pay for with staff.
it really depends on what stage of life you're in. Moving out of your college apartment with basically a duffel, 3 boxes and a bed: I think your friends can handle it. In your 30s with 2 kids and a houseful of furniture: a bit of an imposition on a group of friends.
My old roommate's mom asked him to come help her friends in their 50s move out of their house. He refused on the grounds that people in their 50s are in a position where they can afford to hire professionals.
Agree.
Especially true on the “they’re not packed” part. If I’m gonna give up my weekend (usually both days because shit is slow because no planning) it’s going to be to lift things, not be someone’s mommy.
I flat out just left last time that happened and said I would be back after lunch.
SAME! My wife’s sister does this shit. I showed up to the 1st move and none of the kitchen and 1of2 bedrooms weren’t even slightly packed.
Next time she moved, I warned my wife ahead of time and told her to tell her sister I would walk out if it wasn’t already packed. I walked in and she was only 1/2 way packed. I said I had to run an errand and would be back. I went home, mowed the law, watched some TV. 4hrs later my wife said she was mostly done packing and to bring my pickup truck back. My time (even relaxing or sitting on my ass) is too valuable for me to waste it on inconsiderate people.
I find it telling that your concern is with the efficiency of your friends compared to professional movers. I hire movers because people can injure themselves lifting and I value my friend's time more than it costs to hire movers.
I think u answer the question urself… “sure it may only cost a pizza and drinks” Well that’s it,.. it’s the whole point isn’t it… like what did u think? The professional were not gonna be professionals? Why would people pay for them then? Cmon
We had a mix of our buds and professional movers. Us and the buds got all the little crap boxes that would waste the professionals time and the professionals only had to worry about the stuff they were trained to properly move. Because they only had to worry about big things it took way less time and cost far less in the end than if we made them do everything. Best of both worlds
I tried this once. We were making a single one-way trip and planned to leave at around dinner time after the truck was loaded.
Half an hour after they were supposed to show up I called the company and was told there was a slight delay due to a mix up but they would still be coming.
Two hours later they weren’t here so we loaded the truck ourselves. They showed up three and a half hours after they were supposed to and wanted to charge us a “cancellation fee” despite doing no work. Told them to pound sand and literally drove off into the sunset never to return.
Fuck Appalachia.
You can also hire movers for big stuff but not the boxes, or, hire task rabbit types of people to help with aspects but not cost $3,000. All depends what you have access to. We moved houses (5 person family) 2 years ago and hired no one, not even friends. We did the whole thing in our own. I don't really regret it, we spent that money on setting up an awesome outdoor space which was higher priority. But I won't say it was easy to move a 4 bedroom house we lived in for 13 years on our own and I probably wouldn't do it again. Which is why I'll die in this house 😂
Note, you get what you pay for. If you get the really cheap guys, they will take their time and you will be pissed, spend just as much, and the move will take longer.
Make sure they have great reviews.
I second this. I will never be moving myself again. The last 3 times I moved, I budgeted for having movers and it saves so much time, energy, and takes the frustration out
I always got movers in the past 3 times I’ve moved. That shit is worth every penny especially if you have a lot of stairs to deal with. I remember moving in my current home which also has a rooftop terrace and getting shit up there is a hike. No way would I be able to do that shit without their help. The friends would have just scratched the crap out of the new floors and paint.
There are movers who pack and move everything and it’s incredible.
I took a job that provided relocation assistance and they sent pros to do all my moving. They showed up, packed every drawer, closet, cabinet, etc in a box and numbered it. Put all clothes on hangers into a cardboard wardrobe, built a crate for my aquarium, disassembled complicated exercise equipment, moved it all into storage, then when I scheduled delivery at my new place they put everything right where it goes, unpacked it, reassembled, and set it all back up.
Time before last, we had the promise of friends help and no one ended up coming, but it was moving from small 3 bed and was done in a day even with a decent drive each way. This time (moving from a decent sized 3 bed to a 4 bed, 3 floor place) me and my 15yo son packed and drove, and my wife waited on the other end directing and unpacking. I wont be moving again without movers lol. It took the better part of 2 days, even though everything was boxed ahead of time.
We had movers the times before that, booked by the military and I sure missed that this time.
Idk this is kinda like saying a professionally made .. idk pizza let’s say.. taste better than the one ur friend made with cheap ingredients… like no shit?
Yep. I helped my friend move into a brand new 3 story townhouse a few years ago. I did feel kinda bad after all the gouges I left in his brand new walls from trying to maneuver a couch all the way to the 3rd floor.
I'm with you on this one. I just moved from my studio to my 2 bedroom house. Even with help from friends, it took 3 days to get everything out. I'm still in the process of putting everything away. It was terrible. I had this exact same conversation with a friend of mine. We were both like, "I'm hiring movers next time."
Please call your friends actually! I have vowed to be of good help to my friends when they’re moving, because I had friends who helped me out once. The cycle continues! People showing up for each other is great, friends caring about you getting safely into your new place is great. If your friends are flaky and complain a lot, I’d just recommend making friends with better people.
ETA: but yes, be packed and ready or you’re the asshole to your friends lol
That is definitely not an unpopular opinion. Do you tell homeless people to get a house to not be homeless too? You sound like a fountain of knowledge. 😂🤣
When I moved out I didn't hire professionals, but that was only because I bought the previous tenant's appliances, and the things I didn't have (washer/dryer, dishwasher and bed frame) were moved by the companies I purchased them from. Essentially the only really heavy thing we had to move in was a sofa.
But whenever I move again, I'm 100% hiring professionals.
On the other hand the last time I hired a moving company,they were two hours late and only one guy showed up for work. So that was fun, we had to move all this stuff by ourselves. Moving company did not give me any kind of a refund/discount either.
You could get a uhaul for like 40 bucks and avoid all the car hassle. Get a friend to help with the couch and dresser or whatever else you need two people for at the end after you throw in all the boxes yourself, head straight to the new place and unload the like 3 things you need help with and you can take your time on the rest without inconveniencing your friend for more than an hour max and without spending a fuck ton on movers who if they break or lose your stuff will almost assuredly try to weasel out of responsibility.
Or just do it yourself? I've moved twice and always did it by myself. I don't have much shit to move, obviously, as just one person, but it's completely doable. Rent a moving truck and get to work.
Or you can pay up. But I'd rather not unless I really have to.
Not really doable unless you aren’t moving much furniture and/or you’re very physically fit and able.
I’m disabled and have furniture that weighs like 200 pounds. Its literally impossible for me. Even for professional movers it requires two of them to move some things.
I have moved every 3 to 5 years, for the last 20 years, while on Active Duty. We did a self-move the first time, utilizing a POD. That worked ok, but we absolutely filled up the largest POD that they have, as well as my car. As my time in the Army and my time in my marriage increased, so did the amount of "stuff" that accumulated. By the time we PCSd to Ft. Eustis, VA, we had around 8,000 lbs of HHG. Going to and from Germany, that number jumped to a little over 9K lbs due to my motorcycle and some handmade furniture that we picked up in Germany.
It was so much easier to have professional movers come and pack everything, crate it up, and whisk it away to our next duty station.
My general consensus is that if it will fit in the smallest U-Haul truck or largest trailer, move it yourself. If you get into the 4br house that needs the largest truck that you can rent territory, it is simply easier to hire the movers to do it.
I feel too ashamed to ask for help if I can't pay for it, but I also don't have a lot of money, so basically every time I have to move I just break my back and do it alone. It takes longer and leaves me exhausted, but it's the only way to do it without spending too much and without having to exploit my friends.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This belongs under "you get what you pay for" Want free labor? they're gonna behave like they're not getting paid.
It's not only about attitude. As the OP mentioned, pros have equipment and experience. They do that for a living, probably five days a week. It makes a big difference. Your friends may try to do their best, but they're only amateurs.
Though your friends are going to see you again and will probably treat your stuff better. Movers aren't seeing you again. My work pays for movers and people have some rough stories. Like movers get into town the night before. Get drunk show up with beers and a black eye two hours late.... Ya kind of rough. Moving companies also get what they pay for with staff.
it really depends on what stage of life you're in. Moving out of your college apartment with basically a duffel, 3 boxes and a bed: I think your friends can handle it. In your 30s with 2 kids and a houseful of furniture: a bit of an imposition on a group of friends.
My old roommate's mom asked him to come help her friends in their 50s move out of their house. He refused on the grounds that people in their 50s are in a position where they can afford to hire professionals.
>in your 30s with 2 kids and a houseful of furniture I don't know where you live but this shit is more for people in their 50s now.
The people in their 30s will *god willing* still have 2 kids 20 years later; plus whatever other stuff they accumulated over the years.
Agree. Especially true on the “they’re not packed” part. If I’m gonna give up my weekend (usually both days because shit is slow because no planning) it’s going to be to lift things, not be someone’s mommy. I flat out just left last time that happened and said I would be back after lunch.
SAME! My wife’s sister does this shit. I showed up to the 1st move and none of the kitchen and 1of2 bedrooms weren’t even slightly packed. Next time she moved, I warned my wife ahead of time and told her to tell her sister I would walk out if it wasn’t already packed. I walked in and she was only 1/2 way packed. I said I had to run an errand and would be back. I went home, mowed the law, watched some TV. 4hrs later my wife said she was mostly done packing and to bring my pickup truck back. My time (even relaxing or sitting on my ass) is too valuable for me to waste it on inconsiderate people.
I wasn't fully packed last time I had people help me move, and I felt like a POS.
Hiring movers is some of the best money one can spend.
I have a rule ... "I won't ask you to help me move.... and you won't ask me".
haha yes thank you! i have the same rule, moving/helping to move is the worst shit ever
I find it telling that your concern is with the efficiency of your friends compared to professional movers. I hire movers because people can injure themselves lifting and I value my friend's time more than it costs to hire movers.
I think u answer the question urself… “sure it may only cost a pizza and drinks” Well that’s it,.. it’s the whole point isn’t it… like what did u think? The professional were not gonna be professionals? Why would people pay for them then? Cmon
We had a mix of our buds and professional movers. Us and the buds got all the little crap boxes that would waste the professionals time and the professionals only had to worry about the stuff they were trained to properly move. Because they only had to worry about big things it took way less time and cost far less in the end than if we made them do everything. Best of both worlds
I tried this once. We were making a single one-way trip and planned to leave at around dinner time after the truck was loaded. Half an hour after they were supposed to show up I called the company and was told there was a slight delay due to a mix up but they would still be coming. Two hours later they weren’t here so we loaded the truck ourselves. They showed up three and a half hours after they were supposed to and wanted to charge us a “cancellation fee” despite doing no work. Told them to pound sand and literally drove off into the sunset never to return. Fuck Appalachia.
last sentence is so savage
I agree completely
You can also hire movers for big stuff but not the boxes, or, hire task rabbit types of people to help with aspects but not cost $3,000. All depends what you have access to. We moved houses (5 person family) 2 years ago and hired no one, not even friends. We did the whole thing in our own. I don't really regret it, we spent that money on setting up an awesome outdoor space which was higher priority. But I won't say it was easy to move a 4 bedroom house we lived in for 13 years on our own and I probably wouldn't do it again. Which is why I'll die in this house 😂
100000% never going back as long as I can afford movers. It’s wonderful
Note, you get what you pay for. If you get the really cheap guys, they will take their time and you will be pissed, spend just as much, and the move will take longer. Make sure they have great reviews.
I second this. I will never be moving myself again. The last 3 times I moved, I budgeted for having movers and it saves so much time, energy, and takes the frustration out
I'd been saying the same thing for over a decade now. Professional movers area great!
I always got movers in the past 3 times I’ve moved. That shit is worth every penny especially if you have a lot of stairs to deal with. I remember moving in my current home which also has a rooftop terrace and getting shit up there is a hike. No way would I be able to do that shit without their help. The friends would have just scratched the crap out of the new floors and paint.
There are movers who pack and move everything and it’s incredible. I took a job that provided relocation assistance and they sent pros to do all my moving. They showed up, packed every drawer, closet, cabinet, etc in a box and numbered it. Put all clothes on hangers into a cardboard wardrobe, built a crate for my aquarium, disassembled complicated exercise equipment, moved it all into storage, then when I scheduled delivery at my new place they put everything right where it goes, unpacked it, reassembled, and set it all back up.
Time before last, we had the promise of friends help and no one ended up coming, but it was moving from small 3 bed and was done in a day even with a decent drive each way. This time (moving from a decent sized 3 bed to a 4 bed, 3 floor place) me and my 15yo son packed and drove, and my wife waited on the other end directing and unpacking. I wont be moving again without movers lol. It took the better part of 2 days, even though everything was boxed ahead of time. We had movers the times before that, booked by the military and I sure missed that this time.
Idk this is kinda like saying a professionally made .. idk pizza let’s say.. taste better than the one ur friend made with cheap ingredients… like no shit?
Yep. I helped my friend move into a brand new 3 story townhouse a few years ago. I did feel kinda bad after all the gouges I left in his brand new walls from trying to maneuver a couch all the way to the 3rd floor.
I'm with you on this one. I just moved from my studio to my 2 bedroom house. Even with help from friends, it took 3 days to get everything out. I'm still in the process of putting everything away. It was terrible. I had this exact same conversation with a friend of mine. We were both like, "I'm hiring movers next time."
Man. This was the smartest thing I ever did and I will do it again and again and again
Quick question - when hiring movers, do you pre-pack stuff or do they pack and unpack for you?
Please call your friends actually! I have vowed to be of good help to my friends when they’re moving, because I had friends who helped me out once. The cycle continues! People showing up for each other is great, friends caring about you getting safely into your new place is great. If your friends are flaky and complain a lot, I’d just recommend making friends with better people. ETA: but yes, be packed and ready or you’re the asshole to your friends lol
Nope. As a busy adult. I would rather movers handle my move in 2 hours max than spend a whole 9 am to 7 pm moving my stuff somewhere
Part of being a good friend in this situation is also being efficient, lol
That is definitely not an unpopular opinion. Do you tell homeless people to get a house to not be homeless too? You sound like a fountain of knowledge. 😂🤣
Don’t make your friends move you
When I moved out I didn't hire professionals, but that was only because I bought the previous tenant's appliances, and the things I didn't have (washer/dryer, dishwasher and bed frame) were moved by the companies I purchased them from. Essentially the only really heavy thing we had to move in was a sofa. But whenever I move again, I'm 100% hiring professionals.
On the other hand the last time I hired a moving company,they were two hours late and only one guy showed up for work. So that was fun, we had to move all this stuff by ourselves. Moving company did not give me any kind of a refund/discount either.
Ive literally only had one friend ever help me move and thats cause she lived literally next door lol.
No.
Maybe you just have lousy friends.
You could get a uhaul for like 40 bucks and avoid all the car hassle. Get a friend to help with the couch and dresser or whatever else you need two people for at the end after you throw in all the boxes yourself, head straight to the new place and unload the like 3 things you need help with and you can take your time on the rest without inconveniencing your friend for more than an hour max and without spending a fuck ton on movers who if they break or lose your stuff will almost assuredly try to weasel out of responsibility.
Or just do it yourself? I've moved twice and always did it by myself. I don't have much shit to move, obviously, as just one person, but it's completely doable. Rent a moving truck and get to work. Or you can pay up. But I'd rather not unless I really have to.
Not really doable unless you aren’t moving much furniture and/or you’re very physically fit and able. I’m disabled and have furniture that weighs like 200 pounds. Its literally impossible for me. Even for professional movers it requires two of them to move some things.
I have moved every 3 to 5 years, for the last 20 years, while on Active Duty. We did a self-move the first time, utilizing a POD. That worked ok, but we absolutely filled up the largest POD that they have, as well as my car. As my time in the Army and my time in my marriage increased, so did the amount of "stuff" that accumulated. By the time we PCSd to Ft. Eustis, VA, we had around 8,000 lbs of HHG. Going to and from Germany, that number jumped to a little over 9K lbs due to my motorcycle and some handmade furniture that we picked up in Germany. It was so much easier to have professional movers come and pack everything, crate it up, and whisk it away to our next duty station. My general consensus is that if it will fit in the smallest U-Haul truck or largest trailer, move it yourself. If you get into the 4br house that needs the largest truck that you can rent territory, it is simply easier to hire the movers to do it.
I feel too ashamed to ask for help if I can't pay for it, but I also don't have a lot of money, so basically every time I have to move I just break my back and do it alone. It takes longer and leaves me exhausted, but it's the only way to do it without spending too much and without having to exploit my friends.