When moving, weight and space are money. The more items you need transported, the more you can expect to pay to your moving company. For this reason, in addition to the hassle of boxing up and packing everything, some people question whether or not they should move their stuff. You can always buy new furniture and clothes, so many wonder if it isn’t to their benefit to simply move and replace their belongings once arriving at their new home. As with many aspects of moving, this is a personal decision and varies on a case by case basis.
There are a few things that may govern your decision on whether to move or buy new items. Where you are moving can be a huge factor. The distance and size of your new home will matter. If you are moving across town, it might be worth it to just keep your existing furniture. If you like what you have and you don’t want to go through the hassle of picking out and paying for new items, moving your stuff is a good option. Also, local moves are considerably less expensive than interstate or long distance moves, so it could be cheaper to just move your items. If you are moving across the country, you may want to consider if the cost of moving your items is worth it. Depending on how big your new home is, it might not be worth it to move all your stuff. If you are downsizing, it is best to get rid of some, if not all the furniture and other junk you have accumulated over the years. You don’t want to get to your new place and find you can’t enjoy it because it is cluttered.
The sentimental value of your items will also help you decide whether to move them or not. You might have an old couch that has been around forever and probably should have been thrown out years ago. A move might be a good excuse to say goodbye to items like this and to invest in new items when you arrive in your new location. However, you could have other pieces that are very important to you. If you have a chest or bureau that is a family heirloom, it is probably important for you to hold onto it. While it might be expensive, you are probably willing to pay that cost to keep such items with you. A good way to cut down on expenses is to determine what absolutely must go. If you can part with even a few pieces of furniture or cut down on the number of boxes, you will save yourself a lot of money.
Perhaps the most important consideration is cost. Getting a few moving estimates can help you determine approximately how much it would cost for you to relocate your items. Similarly, some online perusing of furniture stores can give you an idea of approximately how much replacing furniture would be. While moving is expensive, so is furniture, especially nice furniture. If you are able to sell some or most of your furniture and other belongings, it may be to your benefit to make some extra cash and buy new stuff. It may be important to consider the state of items as well. If something is on its last leg, it might be time to let go. If you can sell it great, but if its not worth anything, you should just get rid of it.
So, should you bring items or just start fresh in your new home? Ultimately you have to make that decision. Depending on the distance of your move, your attachment to the items, and the cost of moving them, one option may be better than the other. For some people, the idea of getting rid of everything and starting fresh is all part of the adventure. For others, it is too much of a hassle to refurnish and restock a home. As you prepare to move it is best to run a cost-benefit analysis of moving each item, both monetarily as well as sentimentally to determine whether to move it or lose it.
