Moving to or within Santa Monica can be an expensive enterprise, as are most other things people do in this coastal city. In fact, even relocating out of Santa Monica can be quite costly, given how expensive the local moving services are.
So, whether you are moving in or out, whether you are doing so over a long distance away or just to Inglewood, and whether you are solo or with a large family and a 3-bedroom house’s worth of belongings, here is the ultimate relocation guide for Santa Monica residents.
1. Hire the right people for the job
If you are moving solo and with just a couple of bags of stuff, the “right people for the job” are no one in particular, as you don’t really need to hire anyone.
However, if you are moving with your family, including a kid or two and/or some pets, and if you need to move a whole lot of luggage and furniture, hiring some professional help is usually a good idea.
Yes, moving companies can be expensive in Santa Monica. Yes, doing all the packing, loading in a rented truck, driving, unloading, and unpacking yourself can save you a bit of cash.
However, the time saved by hiring a professional moving company usually more than makes up for the time off work you are going to need, for the effort you would need to put in, and for the potential property and health risks you might need to deal with.
Plus, the price for a moving service can vary greatly depending on who you hire and when, and can end up being rather affordable, even in a place like Santa Monica.
The average price for a 2-bedroom relocation in Santa Monica is usually between $450 and $900, depending on who you hire, how far you need to move, and other specifics.
To find the right fit, it’s typically advisable to rely on personal referrals over online reviews. Even if you can’t get referrals from friends or colleagues, it is better to focus on professional industry reviews online over anonymous “user reviews.”
Then, make sure that you make a detailed background check to whoever you are considering for the job. This includes whether they are fully licensed and insured, whether their drivers are licensed and insured too, what their history is, what their customer service is like, what services are included in the price, and so on.
After that, even if you have already found a good quote from a moving company, it is still a good idea to look around for a couple more quotes. Say you have gotten a good quote from Three Movers Santa Monica, for example. Asking around for more quotes will still give you a better idea as to what you can expect from the moving company, even if you end up hiring Three Movers after all.
2. Plan everything in as few trips as possible
Relocating typically includes a lot of additional tasks and jobs people don’t consider right away as part of the move. Stuff like doing repairs and cleaning your new place, administrative tasks at your new municipality, setting up your new utilities, buying new furniture, enrolling your kids in a new school, or starting a job at a new place, and so on.
All these take not only extra time and effort, but often require extra trips back and forth between your old and new places. Planning such tasks together with one another and with the move itself can save you a lot of time and mileage.
3. Move at the right time
Most people move during the weekends and in the summer. This is understandable, but it also makes moving a seasonal business.
This means that prices tend to be higher in the summer (and for the weekends), as well as that booking a moving company gets trickier during those busier periods.
So, if you can time your move for an off-season weekday, such as in the late autumn or winter, you can have a much easier time booking the ideal moving company for whenever you need it. You will also likely get a much better price, and that’s without considering the various discounts moving companies often offer in the off-season.
4. Plan ahead of time
All of the above makes it clear that relocating involves a fair bit more planning than just “pack up and leave.”
So, as with any other major life event, the sooner you start planning, the better. For example, you can make a floor plan for your new place before you move to figure out what extra things you need to buy and what you can get rid of. You can time your move better, you can get a babysitter or a pet sitter for your kids and pets.
Things like that can make the whole experience much smoother, easier, and more affordable.
5. Declutter first, move second
Speaking of floor plans, many people make the mistake of first moving everything with them and then deciding what to keep at their new place and what to get rid of.
This makes sense from a certain point of view, as you don’t want to sell or throw away something you would end up needing at your new place. But that’s why proper planning is important.
Ideally, you would declutter all the unnecessary stuff before you move and save yourself lots of effort and money on needlessly trucking around stuff you don’t need.
