How to Move Home Cheaply

By cheaply you mean how to move home for free, right?

You barely afford to pay the bills every month, how will you move house with no money?

How much are they asking for your rent now? Oh, about twice a day

How to move with no money is probably one of the most researched home moving questions on the Internet, so in this article, we will give you tips for moving with no money.

Of course, the sensible option is to make some money (see the money-making tips below), and seek the services of a removal company.

There are many ways to reduce the overall cost of home removals and there are many money-saving tips when moving home you can take advantage of.

But we do not live in an ideal world and that may not be an option in your circumstances so let’s see how you can move home for free or for next to nothing.

You may also like to read: How to Get Help With Moving Costs. There are many organisations that offer financial help to people who have no money. Of course, not everybody will be eligible for everything but there are suggestions in this guide of organisations that you maybe have not considered or did not even know they could offer you financial assistance.

Do You Really Have to Move Right Now?

So the first question you should ask yourself is “Do I really have to move right now?”

Delaying your move will give you the opportunity to save some money and organise a stress-free and easy home move later.

There are plenty of cheap home moving options but remember though, that cheap can equal problems, or hidden costs further down the line.

As the Thai proverb says, “A poor man visits the market twice”.

You can still move home on a budget using a removal company, you just need to plan carefully.

By using the services of a removal company you will be able to plan your move more thoroughly and at a more relaxed pace.

It will also be a less stressful and less physically demanding, (for you!) moving experience.

Consider the use of a removal company carefully, there are many moving day mistakes which you can avoid by employing them.

Delaying your home move could give you the breathing space you need.

You may also like to read: Ways to Save Money After Moving Home. If you can delay your home move then it will give you time to financially plan for after you have moved. This guide has plenty of useful tricks and tips to help you save money in your new home.

How Can You Move With No Money?

No choice but to move now? Then that question, How can I move with no money? raises its head again.

So, having considered your options, and the circumstances you find yourself in, you conclude you are in a position where you have no choice but to move now.

The end of a relationship, moving out of college, moving out of university digs, moving because of workplace relocation, or moving due to a job loss.

There could be a hundred reasons, but that does not change the fact that you MUST move home, and with no spare cash to do it.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to move home for no cost.

In this article, we will explore if there are any ways to move home without money. This is going to require a lot of ‘out of the box’, (pun intended), thinking. So here goes…………

The three main problems we have to solve, for free, are packing, transport, and moving help.

Declutter Your Home

Ask yourself: Do I need to take everything I own?

Obviously, less stuff equals fewer packing materials that you are going to need and less vehicle space to transport your things.

So, consider, when was the last time I used this? When was the last time I wore this jumper? If you have not worn it or used it in the last six months, ask yourself, Do I need this in my life?

Separate all the stuff you no longer need.

This pile is going to be our emergency fund for things that only money can buy.

You may also like to read: Where to Get Free Stuff When Moving Home. It may be that you are keeping some money in reserve for essential items for your new home. But there is a ton of free stuff available if you know where to look which may free up that money for something else.

Hold a Garage Sale

Time for a garage sale. You could do a car boot sale but that is likely to cost money to set up a stall at.

So front yard or out of the garage it is, even if you don’t have one, maybe a friend does.

If possible, choose a day when the weather forecast is at least reasonable, rain will equal fewer people coming to buy your unwanted items.

Put flyers up in the local neighbourhood, and spread the word on Facebook or Twitter. You need as many people as possible to give you their cash.

Park your, or a friend’s, vehicle outside your yard sale. Put balloons or banners on it advertising your yard sale.

Draw attention from passers-by. You need as many buyers as you can attract.

Keep prices realistic.

Most people download music so your CD collection is not going to be worth a fortune, but every penny will help.

Try to sell anything and everything. It is amazing what people will part with their cash for.

Even if you think it is junk, don’t throw it out, try to sell it. You can always throw it away later.

Mark prices slightly higher than you are willing to part with that item for, people are going to haggle.

But again, be realistic, too high a price and people will walk away. Offer discounts for quantity purchases.

Your aim is to sell everything by the end of the day.

If you do not want to or are not able to move furniture that you want to sell, take photos. Make posters that you can put in your window or on the garden wall.

If there is anything left over, maybe a house clearance company or local dealer will buy the remaining items from you.

Remember that you can even sell unsold clothing, by the kilo, to a clothes recycling company.

Failing that, do a good thing, and donate to charity (some good Karma will come in handy, so do a good deed).

If you have the time you also have the option of free-ad papers. But a yard sale will be more fun and you only have to dedicate one day, rather than many adverts and many callers.

Perhaps you could also consider a free ad to sell everything as a job lot to a car booter.

So now we have some spare cash and we have reduced the number of items we need to pack.

Ignore that pile of cash. It does not exist.

You have determined to do this for as near-to-free as possible, and you may need that cash in an emergency (remember, the desire to eat pizza or chocolate is not an emergency!).

You may also like to read: How to Do a Car Boot Sale. There are some really useful tips in this guide that will help you hold a successful garage sale.

Get Free Packing Materials

Having substantially reduced the number of items that you need to pack and move, it is time to get your packing materials.

Getting free moving boxes is not a problem.

Has a friend recently moved and does not know what to do with all the boxes? Can your local factories or shops give you some for free?

Keep a lookout for people moving into your area – they may be only too pleased to give you their boxes once they have been unpacked.

Even skips could be a treasure trove but ask before removing anything.

Make sure the boxes are not too big – you are going to have to move them yourself, so no point in having only two boxes that are huge if you cannot physically move them, or get them into your mate’s vehicle.

Get the most robust boxes you can, with the closing flaps as strong as possible.

If possible, use the least number of boxes that you can and use them only for fragile items. You will have to buy packing tape for any boxes you use and that is not cheap.

Most other things can be transported in bags.

To save on the cost of packing materials use things that you have in the home.

You do not need boxes to pack clothes into if you have suitcases or rucksacks.

Roll your clothes rather than fold them. They will take up less space and will crease less whilst in transit. You can also crush backpacks into spaces in the van that boxes will not fit into.

You can also use rolled clothes, or bedding, to pack around fragile items. Use rolled clothing to fill every millimeter of every box.

For hanging clothes just cover them with large rubbish sacks, you will always reuse rubbish sacks so this is a no-cost option.

Pack things inside each other, Russian doll style, to reduce the number of boxes you need.

You may also like to read: Alternative Packing Materials for Moving Home. In this guide, you will find lots of useful ideas on how to pack your things without using expensive packing materials.

So now we are packed, for free, with a stash of cash in reserve.

How to Transport Your Things For Free

Does a friend have a car or van who can help?

Maybe you could exchange the use of the vehicle, and hopefully a pair of willing hands, in exchange for that old UB40 album collection that they love, but you no longer listen to.

Try and barter for the use of a van, maybe offer to help do the owner’s gardening, ironing, cleaning, or decorating.

Will the local man and a van offer to transport your goods in exchange for a day’s labour from you?  

You won’t know till you ask – who dares wins.

You may also like to read: How to Pack a Car for Moving Home. If you are using a car to transport your things to your new home you will find this guide invaluable. It has packing tips, lifting techniques, loading tips, and advice on how to ensure your car is ready to transport your things.

So now we have packed for free as well but you still have to physically move.

Get Moving Help From Family and Friends

The last part of our mission is to find free moving help.

Enlist the help of family and friends. You will need to assign each person a task so that you make the most efficient use of their time.

And bear in mind their capabilities, not everyone can move boxes or furniture but there are still plenty of home moving tasks they can help you with.

You may also like to read: 22 Really Useful Ways to Help a Friend Move Home. This guide has 22 ways that friends can help you move without having to lift a single box.

So now we have decluttered your life, packed all your belongings, have transport, have moving help, and for next to nothing.

Mission accomplished.

And that stash of cash can now be used for your housewarming party to thank all those people who made your free home move possible.