If you’re moving soon, you’ve probably realized just how much actually needs to be packed before moving day.
For some people, packing isn’t a big deal. They have the time, don’t mind doing it themselves, and would rather save the money. For others, packing an entire home can quickly become one of the most overwhelming and time-consuming parts of moving.
If you’re considering hiring a professional packing service, you may be wondering whether it’s actually worth it or if you’d be better off packing everything yourself.
What’s the difference between DIY packing and professional packing? What does a professional packing service actually include? How much time could it save you? And which option makes the most sense for your particular move?
In this guide, we’ll break down DIY packing vs. hiring a professional packing service, including what you can expect from each option, the pros and cons, and some of the situations where one may make more sense than the other.
Our goal is to help you understand your options so you can decide which approach works best for your timeline, budget, and move.
DIY Packing vs. Professional Packing Services: What’s the Difference?
| DIY Packing | Professional Packing Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Packing can take days or weeks depending on your home and schedule. | A team can get much more packing done in less time. |
| Packing Supplies | You have to figure out which boxes, wardrobe boxes, tape, packing paper, bubble wrap, and other supplies you need and how much to buy. | We use our professional packing experience to determine which supplies you need and how much you’ll need based on what we’re packing. |
| Organizing Before Packing | If your spaces aren’t organized, you have to sort and organize everything before or while you pack. | We organize and group your belongings as we pack so similar items stay together. |
| Efficient Packing Techniques & Experience | You have to figure out the best way to wrap and pack different types of items yourself. | We have experience carefully wrapping and packing all kinds of household items and know which packing techniques to use to help protect your belongings during the move. |
| Physical Work | You handle the bending, lifting, carrying, wrapping items, putting boxes together, packing, taping, and labeling. | We handle the physical work of packing for you from start to finish. You don’t have to lift a finger. |
| Decluttering | If you want to declutter before moving, you have to sort everything yourself and handle the donation drop-offs. | We can help you declutter before packing and assist with donation drop-offs to local donation centers in Baton Rouge. |
| Your Schedule | Packing often takes up evenings, weekends, or even days you could be working. | Your packing sessions are scheduled ahead of time, and our team handles the work. |
| Being Home | You have to be there because you’re doing the packing yourself. | You don’t have to be home while we pack once we know what needs to be packed. |
| Mental Work | You’re responsible for figuring out what goes together, what box to use, what needs extra protection, and what should be packed first. | We handle the sorting, grouping, wrapping, packing, and labeling process for you. |
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Professional Packing Service?
When deciding between packing yourself and hiring a professional packing service, one of the biggest factors to consider is, of course, the cost.
So, how much do professional packing services cost?
The truth is that packing service costs can vary quite a bit from one move to another because every client needs a different level of help.
Some people only need help packing one particularly time-consuming area, such as a kitchen, while others want help packing several rooms or even their entire home.
As a general guideline, our professional packing services start around $825. Most of our packing clients spend between $825 and $4,000–$5,000, depending on the scope of their move and how much assistance they need.
We know—that’s a pretty wide range! But there’s a reason for it.
The cost of professional packing can depend on several factors, including:
- How many rooms or areas you need packed
- The amount of belongings you have
- The types of items being packed
- How many fragile or specialty items need to be carefully wrapped
- How many professional packers are needed
- How quickly you need to be packed
- The amount and type of packing supplies required
For example, someone who only wants professional help packing their kitchen will likely spend significantly less than someone who wants their kitchen, closets, bedrooms, living spaces, decor, and other areas throughout the home professionally packed.
Your budget can also help determine how much professional packing assistance makes sense for you. You don’t necessarily have to choose between packing your entire home yourself or hiring professionals to pack absolutely everything.
You can hire professional help for the areas you find the most difficult or time-consuming and handle the easier areas yourself.
There’s no question that professional packing is an investment and, for many people, a luxury service. However, what you’re really paying for is time, convenience, physical help, and less stress leading up to your move.
Ultimately, whether that investment of hiring a packing service is worth it will depend on your budget, timeline, how much you need packed, and how much of the packing process you want to take off your own plate.
Is DIY Packing or Professional Packing Better for You?
If you’re still deciding whether to hire professional packing help or pack your home yourself, the right choice really depends on your move, your timeline, and how much help you actually need.
Packing yourself may make more sense if:
- You only have a small amount left to pack.
- You have plenty of time before your move and aren’t in a rush.
- You already have the boxes, packing paper, tape, and other supplies you need.
- You feel comfortable packing and wrapping fragile items yourself.
- You enjoy packing or simply prefer to handle your belongings on your own.
- You’re physically able to pack, lift boxes, bend, reach, and move around your home without assistance.
- You don’t have the extra money to invest in hiring a professional packing service
For a smaller or less complicated move, packing yourself can be a great way to save money, especially if you have the time and don’t find the process overwhelming.
Hiring professional packing help may make more sense if:
- You’re on a tight timeline and need to get packed quickly.
- You recently sold your home, and your moving date is approaching faster than expected.
- You’re a busy professional, parent, or family and simply don’t have enough time to pack an entire home yourself.
- You’re a senior or have physical limitations that make bending, lifting, reaching, or packing difficult.
- You have a large number of fragile, sentimental, or specialty items and want help making sure they’re properly wrapped and protected.
- Your home is currently disorganized, and you want items sorted and organized as they’re packed rather than simply putting everything into boxes.
- The thought of packing your entire home feels overwhelming, and you’d rather have someone take the project off your plate.
Professional packing is an investment, but you’re not only paying for someone to put your belongings into boxes, you’re paying for professional help that can save you time, reduce the physical work involved, and make moving easier.
There are several benefits to hiring a professional packing service, especially if you have a lot to pack or limited time to get it done.
This can be especially valuable when you’re also trying to prepare a home for sale. Getting belongings packed and out of the way can make it easier to declutter rooms, prepare the home for showings, and keep spaces looking cleaner and less crowded while your home is on the market.
Ultimately, think about what you have more of: time or budget. If you have plenty of time and feel comfortable packing yourself, DIY packing may make perfect sense.
If you’re short on time, physically unable to do it all, overwhelmed by the process, or simply want to make your move easier, hiring professional packing help may be well worth the investment.
Why Hire Professional Organizers Baton Rouge for Packing?
After working with 1,000+ clients and helping families prepare for moves, pack their belongings, downsize, declutter, and get organized, we’ve seen firsthand just how much work goes into packing a home.
One thing we hear again and again from our packing clients is that they’re glad they decided to get professional help. In fact, many clients tell us that watching our team pack makes them realize just how much bigger of a project packing their home actually was than they originally expected.
It’s easy to underestimate how long packing will take until you actually start pulling everything out of cabinets, closets, drawers, and storage spaces. A kitchen alone can contain hundreds of individual items that need to be sorted, wrapped, protected, boxed, and labeled, and that’s only one area of the home.
Our team can help pack everything from kitchens and fragile dishes to closets, bedrooms, home decor, offices, living spaces, and more.
We can also help you declutter and organize belongings before they’re packed so you aren’t bringing items you no longer want or need into your new home.
Whether you need help with one difficult area or want assistance packing throughout your home, our goal is to save you time and energy while making the weeks leading up to your moving day feel much more manageable.
Get a Packing Quote
If you’ve decided that you’d like to hire professional packing help for your move, our team at Professional Organizers Baton Rouge would love to help.
To get a quote for our packing services based on the areas of your home you’d like help packing, call us at (225) 963-6775 or fill out our online contact form.
We’re happy to answer any questions you have and learn more about your upcoming move.