When you first struck out on your own, maybe you were able to find a fully furnished apartment or moved in with friends that had their own furniture. Perhaps your parents helped moved your things – a dresser, bed, a couple of lamps – into the house or apartment.
Then you got a little older, got a better job, and had a few other pieces of furniture delivered after a few years. More importantly, you’re ready for an upgrade in your living situation. To a better apartment, condo, or even your first home. The only problem is you live life car-free.
You’ve managed to take care of everything else in your life without a car. Taking the bus or walking to get groceries, biking to work, or even bumming rides with friends or taking a ride-share service for a night out on the town. Of course, you weren’t lugging a recliner around on those trips, either.
But moving is stressful, even with a car. There are a few ways to get all of your accumulated stuff from one living situation to another. There are several sites out there that show how you can move your possessions by bike (just google “move by bike”), but we’ll concentrate on options that will take less than a week for a cross-town move.
Ask Your Friends
Maybe the best money-saving option is buying some beer and a couple of pizzas for your truck-owning friends. You’ll have a way to move furniture, clothes, and other items as well as having a few extra hands. Just do the right thing and have everything ready to go when they show up. Nobody likes sitting around waiting for you to wrap your collection of pint glasses.
Of course, if your friends don’t have vehicles either, that won’t work. But that doesn’t mean you can’t hire a few new friends – check out social media or sites like Craigslist to find a couple of hired hands to help out. They probably won’t accept pizza as payment, though.
Renting a Truck
No matter where you live, chances are you’re close to at least one moving truck company nearby. U-Haul, Enterprise, Penske… the list goes on if you want to rent a moving truck. These are certainly a viable solution because these trucks come in a variety of sizes, some with ramps, and will have moving supplies you might need.
You’ll still need to find some help for the bigger items and get to the rental place to begin with. It’s a good idea to walk around the truck to check for damage – you don’t want to get dinged for dents that aren’t your fault.
Depending on the size of the truck, it can also be difficult to find a gas station to fill the gas tank before returning the rental. And you still need to get to the rental office and then back home again.
Hire a Moving Company
The easiest solution is to hire professional movers to take care of everything, from packing everything up – even your pint glass collection – and moving it all to your new place. The only thing you’ll need to worry about is which day to schedule the move. And you don’t even need to bother your friends!
Of course, this may be the most expensive option, too. However with Smooth Move People, a reputable Portland moving company, you know you’ll be getting the cheapest rates in Oregon. We’d even go lower if the state would let us. And you’ll know all of your belongings will arrive at the new location safe and sound.
When the move is over, that’s it. No worries about returning trucks or filling gas tanks. If you’re planning a move and don’t own a car, give Smooth Move People a call. No matter if it’s across town or across state lines, our movers are courteous, careful, and quick to get you moved out.
