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Move yourself or hire a moving company?
It's the first big choice of any move. Doing it yourself is cheaper, but costs time and muscle. A moving company takes the work off your hands and is insured, but costs more. This guide lays out the pros and cons, shows the smart middle ground, and helps you choose what fits your situation best.
Moving tipsMaking space
Moving
June 23, 2026
Luuk Kamman
6 min
Move yourself or hire a moving company?
It's the first big choice of any move. Doing it yourself is cheaper, but costs time and muscle. A moving company takes the work off your hands and is insured, but costs more. This guide lays out the pros and cons, shows the smart middle ground, and helps you choose what fits your situation best.
Moving tips
Making space
Moving
June 23, 2026Luuk Kamman
DIY OR A MOVING COMPANY?
Short answer: moving yourself is cheapest if you have a small volume, time and strong helpers. A moving company is often worth it for a large home, little time or an awkward property. And most people choose a middle ground: pack yourself, outsource the heavy work. Below are the honest pros and cons of each.
💪 Yourself: cheaper and flexible, but time and muscle
🚚 Company: fast, experienced and insured, but pricier
🧰 Hybrid: pack yourself, pros for the heavy lifting
📦 Taking less = cheaper, whichever you choose
MOVING YOURSELF — PROS
By far the cheapest route: you mainly pay for van and materials.
- You set the day, pace and approach
- Packing yourself → you know exactly where things are
- Ideal for small volume + enough strong helpers
- Flexible planning — midweek, evening, weekend
MOVING YOURSELF — CONS
Lots of time + physical effort — and you depend on your helpers.
- Arrange van + materials + planning yourself
- Hidden costs: fuel, food/drinks for helpers, favour to return later
- No insurance — damage is on you
- Risk of back pain or injury — don't underestimate heavy furniture
MOVING COMPANY — PROS
Often done in one day + experienced crews prevent mistakes.
- Belongings insured during the move
- Right materials + furniture lift if needed included
- You carry nothing — no physical strain
- (Dis)assembly + room placement often bookable
MOVING COMPANY — CONS
Clearly more expensive + less planning freedom. See what a move costs for price ranges, and cheaper moving for saving tips that also work with a company:
- Watch for surcharges: stairs, lifts, narrow passages, extra stops
- Check: is (dis)assembly really in the quote?
- Always a detailed written quote — request 3 and compare
Tip: research by the Dutch Consumentenbond shows differences up to 56% between quotes for the same job — comparing almost always pays off.
THE SMART MIDDLE GROUND
You don't have to choose between all-yourself or all-outsourced. Most people do best with a mix: pack and disassemble yourself in the weeks before (see our packing guide), and leave the loading, driving and carrying to pros. Or outsource only the large, heavy furniture and do the rest yourself. That saves a lot without breaking your back or losing a weekend.
By Bram Jansen — Lead Storage Advisor at Inbox Storage. Updated: June 2026.
Need space during your move? Calculate your price at Inbox Storage.
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WHEN TO CHOOSE WHAT?
The best choice depends on how much you own, the distance, how much time, how accessible the property, and your physical condition. Below is a practical guide per situation.
📦 Small volume + strong helpers → DIY works fine
🏠 Large home or little time → a company is worth it
🪜 High floor or narrow stairwell → consider pros or a furniture lift
🗓️ Midweek and mid-month → always cheaper
A SMALL MOVE
Studio, small apartment, student room — DIY works fine.
- Rent a van, ask a few strong friends — done in a day
- Company for the one heavy piece? Always an option as a separate job
- Costs: around €300-€500 for van, fuel, materials
A LARGE MOVE
Family home with lots of heavy furniture — a company saves you days of work.
- Often done in one day — less impact on your week
- Belongings insured in transit — no risk of own-account damage
- Peace of mind usually outweighs the price difference
- Costs: €1,000-€2,500 depending on volume and distance
AN AWKWARD PROPERTY
High floor, narrow stairwell or tricky parking — pros with a furniture lift quickly pay for themselves.
- What costs you a day of hauling, they do in a few hours — without damage
- Furniture lift: usually bookable separately (€250-€400)
- Always report special features in advance — or surcharges afterwards
UNSURE ABOUT SPACE OR TIMING
Time between old and new home, or doesn't everything fit at once? Then you don't have to move it all in one go. See our guide on moving between two homes for the approach, and decluttering before the move to move less volume — that lowers the cost, whether you go DIY or hire a company.
HOW INBOX FITS YOUR CHOICE
DIY or with a company: if you need temporary space, we pick up your packed belongings at your door and keep them climate-controlled in our secure hub in Gouda — from one month, throughout the Netherlands and Belgium. More on moving with storage in our separate guide, or check what storage costs per month for the price.
DIY, outsource or a mix — choose what fits your situation, and keep it affordable.
Calculate your storage price in 60 seconds at Inbox Storage.
Storage that makes your move easier
DIY or with a company — we pick up your belongings at your door and store them until your new home is ready.
- Throughout NL and Belgium
- Picked up & returned to your door
- From 1 month onwards
- Transparent monthly price