The time has come, you’ve decided to hire a self storage unit for your excess items. Whether you’re wanting to store furniture, paperwork, sentimental items or anything else, a storage unit is the perfect storage solution. 

Now that you have your storage space ready to go, how are you going to get your items there? If you don’t have your own trailer, you may want to hire one. Or, maybe you don’t feel comfortable driving with a trailer attached so you opt for a removalist. Which option’s better though, hiring a trailer/truck or getting a removalist? Let’s compare the two.

What is a removalist?

You may be new to the moving game; therefore you may be unaware of what exactly a removalist is and does. A removalist can help with a range of things when it comes to moving into a new home or self storage unit. Most removalist companies will offer services from full, partial, to rent a truck and do it yourself. A moving company will take full responsibility when transporting your possessions (most of the time). They can organise/pack your boxes, load them into the truck and then unload them on arrival. Some removalists will even unpack your boxes and organise furnishing if requested. 

What is truck/trailer hire?

As the title mentions, truck or trailer hire is as simple as that. There are many hire companies that offer a range of options such as; trailer hire, Ute hire, van hire and truck hire. When opting to hire a truck/van, the hire fee will often be charged by the hour, a daily rate or by distance travelled.

Cost

Depending on how you go about doing it, moving items from one location to another can be a costly task. You need to consider factors like; how far you need to travel, how much stuff you have and the size and weight of your items.

Hiring removalists to complete the entire task can be easier than trying to do it yourself. However, it can be costly. The cost of removalists varies significantly depending on many factors. Prices can start from as low as $80 an hour or be up to as much as $170/hr. 

In addition, renting a removal truck, trailer or van is a more affordable option. A rental truck/vehicle can be as little as $20-$30 for 8 hours, then an additional charge per mile, which is usually 60cents-$1.30. If you’re working on a budget this would be your ideal choice, especially if you have minimal stuff to move and not as far to go.

Most importantly, always keep in mind how far you need to go and the amount of stuff you need to move.

What’s more convenient?

Depending on how far you have to go, how much stuff you need to move, and of course what you can afford. If you’re moving lots of heavy items or are limited on how much time you have to get the job done, hiring a removalist would be more convenient. Whereas, if you have minimal stuff to move that isn’t as bulky, hiring a rental truck could be the better option for you. 

It also depends whether you’re the type of person that likes to get the job done them self. Or someone who prefers to kick back, and have it done for them. 

Time 

When moving into a self storage unit you also need to consider how much time you have to complete the task. Professional removalists can complete the task quickly and efficiently. Whereas doing it yourself may take double the time if not more. 

If you were to hire a truck/trailer and do it yourself, you would take time to: 

• pick up the hire trailer/van
• drive back to your home
• pack the van
• drive to the storage facility
• unload
• return the truck/trailer

In addition, a professional removalist would:

• arrive 
• pack the truck
• drive to the storage unit
• unload the truck

Which option is best suited for what you need?

Furthermore, choosing whether you want to use professional removalists or hire a rental truck/trailer can depend on many factors. These being; time, budget, location, convenience and amount of stuff you have. It also depends on whether you rather complete task yourself or sit back and have it done for you. Additionally, the most important factor to consider would be cost as both options can vary significantly. 

If you’re looking to rent a moving truck/van Store Ur Stuff have partnered up with SA business Cut Price Auto Rentals. Cut Price specialise in truck hire of all sizes and will make the process of moving into a self storage unit stress free and easy.

Looking for a self storage unit in Adelaide? 

Store Ur Stuff offer safe and secure self storage, both indoor and outdoor. Not to mention we are conveniently located on the corner of South Road and Cross Road – view our storage solutions online and enquire today! Or alternatively, call us on 08 8371 0000 for all your storage needs.