Moving Cost Guides and Planning Tools

Plan the move from inventory and complete quotes through delivery and unpacking. Browse articles, calculators, reference tables, printable checklists and timelines by the task you need to complete. Cost examples use stated inputs; physical capacity still requires an actual layout and weight check.

How the library is organized

The six groups below follow the order in which most moves are planned. Moving Costs answers what the move will cost and how to compare quotes. Truck & Van Size covers the vehicle if you move yourself or hire labor only. Packing & Boxes turns rooms into box counts, materials and an inventory. Storage covers the gap between homes. Checklists hold the timelines and the household side of the move. Long-Distance adds what changes when the shipment and the household travel separately or cross state lines.

Where to start

If you need a number first, start with moving cost by home size. It puts a studio, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom move side by side with the same inputs — crew, hours, an example cost at a stated rate, boxes, truck, estimated weight and storage — and each size has its own cost guide. If you are moving yourself, start with the truck size chart and the card for the size it points to: 10, 15, 20 or 26 ft, or a cargo van. If you are moving out of state, start with the cheapest-way comparison and the weight calculator, because interstate quotes are usually based on weight and distance rather than hours.

First steps for any move

First, count what you are moving: the boxes calculator and the furniture volume calculator give you an inventory that every company can quote against. Second, estimate the cost and the truck from that inventory rather than from the number of rooms alone. Third, request written quotes that state the same scope, then compare them line by line. Fourth, put the dates on a timeline — the 8-week checklist works for most moves, the 30-day and 7-day timelines for shorter notice. Finally, keep every record — quotes, inventory, receipts — in one folder you can reach on moving day.

Every cost example on this site uses stated inputs, not national averages, and every calculator shows its formula. Provider specifications and federal rules are linked to the source we checked and dated.