Professional vs self-packing: choose the method that fits you!

When you decide to move or ship something, there are several factors to consider, one of them is packing all your belongings: is it better to hire professional packers or pack by yourself?

Continue reading to discover the differences between pro and self-packing and decide which option is better for you.

Jump to:

Self-packing: pros and cons
When is it better to pack by yourself?
Professional packing: pros and cons
Is it worth paying for packing?
Choose between pro and self-packing
How to cut moving costs

Self-packing: should I pack the items myself?

DYI packing means you will prepare all the boxes, items and furniture for the move. You will need to dismantle, protect, and pack every single item and get all the required materials. It is the cheapest solution, but self-packing has other pros and cons.

Advantages of self-packing

Reduce costs – Professional packing services usually ask for high fees per hour, while DIY packing will allow you to cut costs spent on the service and packing materials, especially if you decide to reuse old boxes or other materials.
You control how and where the items are packed – When packing the move on your own, you can decide what items to put in each box and when to pack each item for easier unpacking at the arrival.
Packing at your pace – You will be able to take your time with packing, doing it in advance and packing items depending on when you don´t need them anymore.

Disadvantages of self-packing

Time-consuming – packing all your items by yourself will take a long time. You will need to purchase all the packing materials and carefully protect each object.
Increased risk of damage – you may lack the expertise to choose the best packing materials or to pack belongings properly. Your items may not be protected sufficiently, which may cause a higher risk of damage during transit.
Bad packaging can influence liability – poorly packed items are more likely to get damaged during transport. The insurance may not be applicable if the courier can prove the items weren’t properly packed.

When it is better to pack yourself

Self-packing is the best option when you want to reduce costs and have full control over how your items are packed. It is suggested for parcel shipments and small removals or, in those cases, when you do not have fragile or delicate items.

You decided to choose self-packing for your move, but you are afraid your belongings may not have enough protection? Our experts prepared a series of guides to help you choose the right packing materials and pack like a pro!

Check our packing guides

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Professional packing services: are they worth it?

Some moving companies and couriers offer a professional packing service in addition to the transport to give a full service to their customers. Professional packing means all the items will be packed, protected, and prepared for the moving by experts using the packaging materials they brought.

Advantages of professional packing

It saves your time – You will not need to spend much time packing each item and piece of furniture, since the job will be done for you by professional packers.
Quality of service and materials – Professionals are aware of how transport is done and will pack items to help with handling and reduce the damage risk. Furthermore, they will use the best materials to protect each item.
Reduce the risk of damages – The expertise and the high quality of materials will reduce any risk of damage, accidental fall or loss of some small items during the transport.

Disadvantages of professional packing

Higher service costs – Hiring professional packers will lead to additional costs for your moving, between the work itself and the cost of packaging materials.
Less control over how things are organised – With professional packers, you will not be able to plan when and how things are packed. Items will be packed to optimise space and protection on the selected day.
Difficulty finding a trustworthy service – Even though most companies are trustworthy and hire professionals, it may be hard to judge the quality of the service beforehand. In some cases, packers may not pay enough attention when handling your belongings.

Hiring professional packers: is it worth paying for packing when moving?

Choosing the professional packing service is ideal if you have no time to prepare your move, or you have particularly delicate and important items to protect. Paying for packing when moving can also be a good solution to avoid stress or reduce the risk of damage.

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Professional vs self-packing: which one should I choose?

In conclusion, both options have advantages and disadvantages, and you can pick either self-packing or professional services depending on your specific needs. To help you with the choice, we collected the most common scenarios with the suggested packing option.

Avoid hard work and stress: PRO packing
Delicate and fragile items: PRO packing
Divide the items depending on rooms or your needs: DIY packing
Low moving budget: DIY packing
Not sure how to properly pack: PRO packing
Short time to pack: PRO packing
Small quantity of items to pack: DIY packing
You have all the packing materials: DIY packing

Save on your shipping or moving costs and book with us!

Are you looking for the cheapest high-quality solution for your relocation? Book a van dedicated to your move and save on packing and transport costs. With this service, you will have a van just for your belongings, starting from only 0,48 €/km. The service does not have specific packing requirements: you won’t need to use pallet or boxes, but it is still recommended to use some materials to protect the items. We work only with the best carriers on the market to ensure safe transport.

You will decide how to pack your items. Furthermore, you could also book an additional service to get help with loading and unloading the van.