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Packing up all your belongings to move is one of the biggest pains anytime, anywhere. No one enjoys the process of packing and labeling boxes, trying to protect glasses and dishware, emptying drawers and closets, all in the name of relocation. And add to that nightmare with the biggest decision of all: hiring movers or doing it on your own. It is no wonder at all that people get stressed out just thinking about moving. And that stress all starts when trying to come up with answers to your questions to ask before hiring a moving company.

First, how much stuff do you have to move? The more stuff you have, the more likely you should go with a moving company. Remember, when you move yourself, you have to rent a truck, pay for gas on a truck, pay for insurance on the vehicle, drive it, empty it, clean it, and return it. That is a lot of extra stuff to do, along with the actual move. Plus, you need to pay for supplies, such as boxes, dollies, packing tape and moving blankets. Plus, the more stuff you have, the bigger a truck you will need, and that just increases the costs right at the start.

Also, consider how far your move will be. Going only a couple blocks increases the likelihood that it will be simpler for you to do it yourself. However, going hundreds of miles, or across the country, and you are looking at what should be a much easier decision to side with hiring a professional relocation company. These guys are used to making the big move, they are happy to drive all those miles in a gigantic truck filled with the things that make up your home.

Either way, expect to pay a lot for gas. Of course, in charge of your own relocation means you pay all the fuel charges yourself. By going cross-country with a moving company, there is a good chance your goods will be packed into a big truck with things from another person, at least. That way, the fuel costs on the truck are split up a bit. It is still going to cost a lot, but this way, maybe not quite as much.

Also, keep in mind that if you move yourself a long distance, there is usually a pretty harsh extra charge for renting a truck in one place, and dropping it off in another location.

Yet another thing to ponder is your physical well being, and here is where you really need to be honest with yourself. Make certain that you are physically prepared for the beating your body will take. It is going to take a tremendous amount of energy and strength to carry boxes and furniture up and down stairs, down long hallways and sidewalks, to and from the moving truck. The most obvious choice is to draft family and friends. But that in itself gets expensive when you consider how much food and drink everyone will need to get the job done.

And these people you are enlisting to help out, also make sure they also can physically endure the hardships. As well, hopefully they are not going to drop a lamp down a flight of stairs, or drive a chair through the wall, in the process of moving things around. These are your valuables that you are putting in their hands, so make sure it is worth the savings to have these folks do it, rather than people who make a living out of doing it, every day.

Maybe the easiest way to decide is to think honestly about when the move is done. After the moving company leaves, all you have to do is unpack. If you and your friends and family do all the work, you still have to unpack. But you also will probably need some ice bags, heating pads and a good Jacuzzi just to recover from the physical toll the move will have on your body. Not to mention all the relationships probably damaged by the stress of the activity.