There are several effective ways to save money when hiring a moving company, primarily by handling some tasks yourself and being strategic with scheduling. Consider these methods:

• Pack Your Own Belongings: You can significantly reduce costs by packing and protecting your items yourself. This includes wrapping delicate items, organizing them into boxes, and taping the boxes closed. You can use towels, clothes, and suitcases to pack belongings and protect breakables.

• Provide Your Own Materials: Source free packing materials from friends and family, or reuse boxes and bubble wrap from a previous move.

• Schedule Strategically: Book your move well in advance. Rates are often lower if you schedule your move on a weekday during the off-season, which typically runs from October through April.

• Compare Quotes: Get moving quotes from at least three professional movers in your area. This allows you to compare services and choose the best value.

• Ask for Discounts: Inquire if the moving company offers any special coupons or deals.

• Purchase Moving Insurance: Protect your investment by purchasing moving insurance, especially for expensive or antique belongings.

• Divide the Labor: While you can save money by packing, it's wise to leave the more dangerous and physically demanding work—like loading, unloading, and moving heavy furniture—to the professionals.

If you’re moving locally, pack up your condiments in a cooler and move them in your car or moving truck so you can put them in the fridge as soon as you arrive at your new place. For long-distance moves, use up or empty out all opened condiments or give them to your neighbors. Pack unopened condiments in a box or give them away if you don’t want to move them.

Focus on decluttering when downsizing to move cross-country. Selling, donating, or recycling unwanted items early in your moving process is key to your success. If you are on the fence about some items, consider storage options, or you can ship these items separately to lessen your load.

There are generally three ways to ship furniture to another state: hiring professional movers, using consolidated freight, or through parcel shipping. Professional movers will generally pack your boxes in a truck and transport them to a storage facility or directly to your home. 

A consolidated freight service will pack, load, and ship your items, but this is best to use for one or two pieces since your items will take longer to be delivered and will share truck space with other items. Parcel shipping such as UPS and FedEx is best for smaller items since there are size limits, and you’ll have to drop the boxes off at a local branch.