Is It Cheaper to Move Small Items Yourself? Count the Extra Trips

“I’ll take the bags and boxes in my car. The movers can handle the furniture.”

It sounds like a sensible way to save money. Sometimes it is. But before you spend several evenings driving between homes, compare the cost of the whole move.

At Prompt Moving, we see people move small items themselves over several days, then hire a crew for the big pieces. The part that’s easy to overlook is how much those smaller trips add up to. A planned truckload may cost less once you account for fuel, parking and the mover’s minimum booking.

The useful question is: How much would adding the boxes actually change my moving quote?

Count the entire car trip

A “quick trip” includes more than driving to your new address. You have to carry everything to the car, fit it around the seats, find parking, unload and get back for the next batch.

For a Toronto condo move, that can also mean walking through a garage or waiting for an elevator at both ends. Across the GTA, the return drive matters just as much as the outward journey.

Make two separate lists:

• Money you’ll spend: fuel, parking, tolls if you choose a toll route, and any vehicle rental or paid help.
• Time you’ll use: packing the car, driving, unloading, returning and any extra trips to collect what didn’t fit.

Your time matters, but it isn’t automatically a cash expense. Keep it separate so you can see whether a plan saves money, time or both.

Understand the minimum booking

Taking boxes yourself only reduces the moving invoice if it reduces what you’re charged.

Suppose your furniture-only move falls within a three-hour minimum. Finishing sooner may still leave you paying for three hours. If the crew can also move your packed boxes within that same booked time and truck capacity, taking them yourself may not reduce the bill.

That needs to be assessed before moving day. A minimum booking doesn’t guarantee your whole home will fit or that extra items can be added without affecting the price. More belongings may require additional hours, a larger crew, a different truck or another load.

A simple comparison in dollars and hours

Here’s a hypothetical example, not a quote or a prediction for your home.

Assume two movers at CAD $55 each per hour, a CAD $150 truck charge and a three-hour minimum. The combined labour rate is $110 per hour. Assume the same truck charge for both options and that the full inventory fits in one load.

All amounts below are before applicable taxes. Packing supplies, tolls and other unconfirmed charges are excluded; neither option assumes they’re included. Compare your actual written quotes on the same tax basis.

Option 1: Move the boxes yourself, then hire movers for furniture

• Three billed crew hours: $330
• Truck charge: $150
• Six car trips at an assumed $6 fuel plus $4 parking per trip: $60
• Total illustrated cash cost: $540

If each car trip takes an hour from loading to return, that’s six hours of your own hauling.

Option 2: Have the crew move the furniture and packed boxes

If this takes four billed hours, labour is $440. With the $150 truck charge, the illustrated cash cost is $590.

In that case, using the crew costs $50 more in cash. If you spend three hours with the furniture-only crew or four hours with the full-move crew, your own moving and hauling time is nine hours versus four. Whether avoiding those five hours is worth $50 is your decision.

Now change one assumption: if the full move fits within the same three-hour minimum, the illustrated total is $480, saving $60 in cash and avoiding the separate hauling trips.

The deciding factor is the extra billed work, not simply the number of boxes you carry yourself.

Put your effort into preparation

If you want to do some of the work yourself, preparation can make the crew’s time more productive.

Pack small items into sturdy, closed boxes. A collection of open bags and loose kitchen items takes more handling than properly packed, stackable boxes. Keep heavy contents in smaller boxes and don’t exceed a box’s strength or a manageable lifting weight.

Label the destination room. “Kitchen” or “upstairs bedroom” gives the crew a clear destination. Keep hallways and doorways clear, and group packed boxes where they won’t block access to furniture.

Agree on furniture disassembly. Ask what should come apart before arrival and who will do it. Bag and label the hardware, and avoid dismantling anything you can’t handle safely.

Sort out access at both addresses. Confirm elevator and loading-area bookings with building management, parking arrangements and any time limits. Tell the mover about stairs and long walks between the truck and the door.

Finish packing before the crew arrives, unless packing is part of your booking. If you need help with certain rooms or delicate items, discuss packing services when requesting the quote.

When moving small items yourself makes sense

A few boxes may fit easily into a journey you’re already making to collect keys or clean the new home. You might also be moving nearby, have convenient parking at both ends and enjoy unpacking gradually.

Self-hauling can be worthwhile if removing those items genuinely reduces billed hours or avoids a larger truck or second load. Ask for a comparison based on your inventory rather than assuming either approach is always cheaper.

Questions worth asking before you book

Can I hire movers for furniture only?

Yes, you can request a furniture-only quote. List every piece, include disassembly needs and explain access at both homes. Ask for a second estimate that includes your packed boxes so you can compare the total cost of each plan.

Do I need an exact box count to get started?

An honest estimate is useful. Include closets, kitchen cupboards, storage lockers and any other spaces you haven’t packed yet. Photos can help explain the volume. Update the mover if the inventory changes so they can reassess the crew, timing and truck capacity.

What should I keep with me?

Keep important documents, medicines, jewellery, valuables, first-night essentials and small fragile keepsakes with you. Arrange safe transport for pets separately from the moving truck. Discuss other fragile or unusual items with your mover before packing them.

Compare two complete moving plans

Before committing your evenings to car trips, get a quote for your home or condo move with the boxes included. Share your furniture list, estimated box count, route and building access.

Ask Prompt Moving to help plan your move. We can discuss the furniture-only and combined options, then confirm the scope and pricing for your Toronto or GTA move.