Back in the day you and your buddies would think nothing of moving your lava lamp and all your worldly goods on a weekend. At that time you mirrored the Bob Seger song playing in the background. You “felt like a million, felt like number one, in the height of summer you never felt so strong, like a rock.”
Moving was done in an afternoon, in between a few pints and a lot of laughs. Well, time keeps trucking on and although in your mind you are still living in the glory days, the old rock may be getting a little weathered.
Having been in the moving business for more than 30 years, I am still amazed at the number of folks my age or older who want to move their own stuff. When I hear that they are thinking of moving themselves I always feel it’s time for an intervention. The reality is, back then, you hadn’t yet amassed the stuff you have now and your back, knees and shoulders are not in the same condition they were 20 or 30 plus years ago.
Today, when you can finally afford a mover, it is just not worth doing it on your own.
Reality check #1: Your stuff is heavy
Go over and grab the end of the sofa and give it a controlled slow lift, using your legs, keeping your back straight and, oh yeah, I almost forgot, be sure to drop it before you hear a pop. Now take a look around your home. The average weight of household goods in a three-bedroom home weighs in the area of 8,000 to 10,000 lbs. Yes, four or five tons. Your stuff weighs about the same as an African bull elephant. If you’re reading this Jane, tell Tarzan there is more to this than he may remember.
Reality check #2: You wouldn’t do this at the gym
Still want to eat that elephant? Let’s break it down into bite-size pieces. That weekend move you are thinking about doing equates into 100 squats using 100 lbs. to load the truck then you have to offload, so take that to 200 reps. Think about it – 200 dead lift reps using 100 lbs. (Give that a go at the gym next Saturday just to get limbered up a little, pre-move.)
Reality check #3: It’s not just lifting
Add a little cardio. Add in a 20-yard carry taking the goods out to the truck (if you can get the truck to the door). Now double that to offload (let’s round it down) to around 5,000 plus yard carry, so call it two miles or 3.22 km. It’s not over yet. Add an incline – yes, there is a walk board at the end or beginning of every trip. To put it in perspective, strap on a 50 lb. weight and take a two mile walk going uphill and downhill every 15 yards. How are the old knees these days?
Reality check #4: Who’s going to drive the truck?
Can you drive the truck? If not, is a day with your brother-in-law or old buddy telling you how to lift things really worth it? (The guy driving the truck instantly graduates to resident expert.) You will also owe everyone who helps or who just shows up and drinks your beer and eats your pizza. Besides, what impression do you make with your new neighbours when you roll up to your new digs looking like the Beverly Hillbillies?
There is a time in your life when moving yourself was just fine and then there is now. When selling your home and right sizing I would suggest you do a reality check, get some moving estimates in advance and budget that service into the selling or buying cost.
Keep on trucking but get someone else to do the heavy lifting. It is well worth it.
Larry Kruger has been in the household goods moving business for more than 30 years. He is currently with McWilliams Mayflower in corporate business development, specializing in corporate relocation. The firm recently launched www.themovingmall.com, allowing real estate professions to offer full relocation management to their clients at no cost or referral fee.
