Is It Worth Paying for Professional Packers When Moving?

If you happen to enjoy making more than five decisions a minute, then you’ll feel right at home when it’s time to move out of your home.

Organizing a successful house move comes down to making the right decisions when they matter most. And one of the biggest decisions you’ll face early on is:

Should you pack your home yourself or hire professional packers to do it for you?

Whilst packing your items yourself may seem like a great way to save money, the reality is a little more complicated.

From often overlooked insurance implications to the sheer time and stress involved, the “cheap” option isn’t always the best one.

Let’s unpack (pun intended) what you really need to know.

Key Takeaways

• Most insurers won’t cover items you packed yourself if damaged in transit.
• Self-packing is time-consuming, stressful, and disruptive.
• Professional packers can pack your entire home in one to two days.
• When you consider time, convenience, and protection, packers often offer excellent value for money.

Should You Pay for Packing When Moving?

The idea of doing your own packing can be tempting, after all, how hard can it be to fill boxes?

But before you dive in, it’s worth considering all the advantages of professional packing services versus self-packing.

Because the truth is, professional packers don’t just save you time, they often save you money, stress, and headaches too.

You may also like to read: Things Movers Can’t Pack and Move. Even if you hire full-service movers, there are certain things that movers cannot pack and move for health and safety reasons. Find out all you need to know about non-allowable items in this guide.

Advantages of Paying for Professional Packing Services

1. Professional Packing Techniques

We’re not talking about just anyone showing up with tape and boxes. Professional packers are trained experts who know exactly how to protect your belongings, from delicate glassware to heavy furniture, using proven packing techniques and high-quality materials.

They also know how to optimize box space, which means fewer boxes, quicker loading and unloading times, and maybe even a smaller moving truck.

And here’s something many people don’t realize, which is crucially important:

Most moving insurance policies will NOT cover damage to items you packed yourself.

If you pack your own boxes and something breaks during transit, many movers and insurance companies will deny your claim outright.

When professionals do the packing, however, your belongings are covered under their liability protection, giving you real peace of mind.

So while it might seem like another moving expense you could do without, paying for packing can actually protect you financially if anything goes wrong.

You may also like to read: Home Moving Insurance. Even though your movers will offer you insurance cover, not all policies are equal. Being underinsured is the number one home-moving mistake. Make sure you read this guide to home moving insurance so that you don’t make that mistake.

2. It Saves You Time

Packing is, hands down, the most time-consuming part of any move.

Most of us barely have time to breathe in our hectic lives, so how do we expect to find time to properly pack our belongings?

What most people think will take a weekend often turns into weeks of living surrounded by half-packed boxes, packing materials, and chaos.

It’s inconvenient, stressful, and makes your home feel like a warehouse long before moving day arrives.

On the other hand, professional packers can usually pack an entire home in just one to two days.
So, what might take you several exhausting weekends, they can handle in 48 hours or less.

That’s more time for you to concentrate on your everyday life or those thousand and one other home-moving tasks.

3. Convenience You Can’t Put a Price On

Hiring packers means you don’t need to worry about going to the store for boxes, tape, and packing paper.

They bring all the materials, pack everything efficiently, and label each box clearly for easy unpacking later.

They’ll also handle:

• Fragile items (glassware, artwork, electronics)
• Bulky furniture (including disassembly and reassembly)
• Specialty items like pianos or antiques

It’s hard to overstate how much easier your move will be having trained professionals take care of it all, safely, quickly, and with minimal disruption to your life.

When you factor in the time, energy, and mental load you save, professional packers offer exceptional value for money.

You may also like to read: Hiring Movers for the First Time. If this is your first time thinking about hiring full-service movers, then you will find the tips in this guide invaluable.

Disadvantages of Paying for Packing Services

To make an informed decision, it’s fair to consider the downsides too.

1. Additional Cost

Professional packing is an extra service that comes at a cost.
On average, expect to pay around:

• $300–$450 for a 1-bedroom apartment
• $450–$600 for a 2-bedroom home
• $600–$750 for a 3-bedroom home

These figures typically cover labor only, though packing materials are often included. Long-distance moves are usually quoted as a flat rate.

However, when you weigh that against weeks of your time, potential insurance problems, and reduced risk of damage, most people moving home find the cost well worth it.

You may also like to read: How Much Do Packers Cost? In this guide, we take a more in-depth look at what professional packers will, on average, cost you.

2. Less Personal Control

If you have sentimental or irreplaceable items, letting strangers handle them can feel uncomfortable.

That said, reputable moving companies train their staff to treat every item with care and precision, and you can always discuss any concerns before they begin.

3. Trust and Liability Concerns

It can feel strange to let people you don’t know pack up your life. That’s why it’s essential to hire licensed, insured, and well-reviewed movers.

Also remember:

• If you pack yourself, the movers’ liability is limited.
• If the professionals pack, your items are covered under their insurance.

So while there’s some trust involved, the trade-off is better protection and accountability.

You may also like to read: Self-Packing vs Hiring Packers. In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of the different ways of packing for a home move in more depth.

What to Consider Before Deciding

When deciding whether to hire professional packers or go the DIY route, consider the following:

• Budget: Can you comfortably afford packing services?
• Time: Do you have a few weekends to spare?
• Volume: The more items you have, the longer packing things yourself will take.
• Fragility: Do you have valuable or breakable items? Pros know how to protect them properly (and they will be insured properly)
• Insurance: Do you want full protection? Remember, self-packed boxes often aren’t covered (yes, we keep repeating this, but it is vitally important)
• Stress Level: Do you really want to juggle work, family, and packing chaos for weeks?

You may also like to read: How to Declutter for a Home Move. Most things in life come down to money. The one guaranteed way to reduce your packing and moving costs is to declutter your home. In this guide, we show you how.

So, Is Paying for Packing Worth It?

For most people, yes, it absolutely is.

When you factor in:

• The time you’ll save,
• The inconvenience you’ll avoid,
• The peace of mind from insurance coverage, and
• The efficiency and care of trained professionals,

Hiring packers offers exceptional value for money.

Professional packers can typically pack your entire home in just one or two days, meaning that you won’t be living amongst boxes and chaos for weeks on end. You can carry on living your life with easy access to all your things right up till moving day.

So before you decide to go it alone, ask yourself:

Would you rather spend your evenings surrounded by cardboard or start your new chapter with less stress and more time to concentrate on enjoying the start of your new life?

Usually, the best money you will spend on your relocation is letting the professionals handle the packing.

Good luck with your move, and for guides and tips on how to make every aspect of your home move easier, cheaper, and safer, be sure to visit our home moving blog.