Choosing the Best Moving Service for Seniors : What to Look For

Moving later in life, whether due to downsizing or wanting to be closer to the family, can be incredibly stressful. Relocating at any stage of life takes time, money, and effort, but for senior citizens, there are unique considerations to remember.

That’s why choosing a service for bosses requires a different approach than the one used by traditional removalists. Movers for seniors often offer discounts and are willing to provide a more guided process for the elderly.

However, you should consider necessary services such as packing help and insurance coverage in your research. If you’re unsure where to start planning a move, let us help you with the first step–choosing a shifting service.

Why Choose a Moving Service for Seniors?

Before going into more detail on what to look for when researching moving companies, let’s examine why you should seek a company that offers these specialized services.

While nearly every standard hauling agency will agree to work with citizens, not all will know how to approach the situation appropriately.

So, what are the main advantages of working with haulers that offer carrier help for citizens compared to other relocators?

Reputable haulers can pack the boxes, move them into the truck, and drive to a destination. Still, the best movers for seniors account for the emotional and physical toll this process can take on their elderly customers.

Many are shifting to assisted living facilities and leaving homes they’ve known all their life. Understanding the uniqueness of that situation allows relocating coordinators to offer assistance with more flexibility and more adjustments to the customer’s pace and needs.

Furthermore, companies offering services for moving residents have enough experience to anticipate specific problems and provide efficient solutions. Finally, and most importantly, they can offer advice and guidance along the way, making a move less stressful for their clients.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Services

When finding the best carriers for seniors, simply Googling “relocating firms near me” isn’t the right solution.

While you might be lucky and your neighborhood has an excellent moving service, it’s probably unlikely. To successfully find the service that checks all the boxes, you first need to know precisely what to look for.

The Scope of Service

First, you must check the type of benefits they provide. The priority on this list is whether the company offers packing services or is a labor-only repositioning enterprise.

Nowadays, nearly all movers offer packing, so that’s likely not something to worry about. Still, it’s imperative to check first before providing any deposit.

However, you should be able to opt out of packing benefits if you’ve planned to have your family and friends help you with that process.

Ideally, haulers for seniors should offer complete downsizing packages and even assist with removing some items from home, whether via estate sales or online auctions.

Lastly, it would be best to consider relocators that clean the clutter after picking up the boxes and loading them into the truck. A relocator is unlikely to offer complete cleaning services, but many will pick up the mess and throw away the garbage.

Distance

Whether you’re moving down the street or on the other side of the country, professional movers should be able to accommodate it.

Remember that even if a carrier exists in your state, it doesn’t mean they can transport your belongings to the selected destination. Therefore, it is essential to check whether the hauling firm operates at your relocation location.

While researching, you’ll probably notice that some companies will perform interstate moves while others have no problem organizing international relocations.

Quotes and Pricing

At the end of the day, the cost of the move is one of the most significant deciding factors for many senior citizens. Since you probably already have a budget, asking for a quote is always smart.

Some moving companies insist on giving the quote over the phone after asking informative questions. Others will instead send transferring coordinators to talk to you in person and give you an estimate on the move's cost.

There’s no right or wrong answer here; it’s more about what works best for you. However, remember that the quote should be free of charge and non-binding.

Plenty of factors will impact the final price, including the fluctuating cost of fuel and move distance. Also, a moving service may charge by the hour or a flat fee, which is something to note. The hourly rate ranges between $30 and $130, and a flat fee might be $3,000-$4,000 for downsizing a three-bedroom home.

Finally, always ask about senior discounts, regardless of whether the movers specialize. Many of them might offer some price flexibility, especially if it’s a sizeable project.

Deposits and Cancellations

It’s perfectly reasonable for removalists to ask for a deposit to reserve their services. However, the deposit shouldn’t be astronomical; it should be a fraction of the total price, and it should be fully refundable if the client cancels the service on time.

Some shifters have more lax cancellation policies and offer refunds even if you cancel a day before the move. That might be an essential consideration for those who aren’t sure about the precise moving date but need to schedule something just in case.

Auto Transport

Not all senior citizens drive, but many do. Naturally, they’ll want to move their vehicles to their new homes.

Auto transport is charged extra because your vehicle will need a different trailer to move it between states. Not all movers offer auto transport assistance, and if you’re not keen on driving to your destination, it’s an important question to ask during your research.

Storage

What happens if the home you’re moving to is still not vacant, but your move is already scheduled? In that case, you can contact the shifters that offer temporary storage services.

That’s not always so easy to find, though. When thinking about storage, you must consider the amount of time you’ll need it, the value of your items, and your budget.

If possible, avoid storing your items for extended periods, but sometimes, it’s unescapable. Note that the storage fee will also impact the overall cost of dragging for seniors.

License and Insurance

Moving services may seem to have everything you’ve asked for and extra, but if they’re not insured and licensed, they should be an automatic no.

Every hauler, including those offering shifting help for senior citizens, should have appropriate licenses that meet the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety (FMCSA) standards.

Ideally, your relocating company's website will display all these licenses; if not, you can ask them about them.

In addition to all the required licensing, movers should offer comprehensive insurance coverage if your items are lost or damaged in transport. Sometimes, even with the utmost care, items break, so it’s vital to be adequately compensated.

Federal law requires that legislators offer valuations if they’re crossing state borders. Still, you should check their coverage and whether it works for you.

Online Reviews and Complaints

This might be a little tricky to navigate, but reviewing reviews and complaints can be beneficial when choosing a service for seniors.

Naturally, you’ll run into unreasonable comments and customers with outrageous requests, but overall, it can be a treasure trove of information.

You might be able to spot a particular vulnerability of a specific moving company, such as not maintaining its fleet properly and always having trucks that break down.

Another pattern you might notice is carriers that lowball their quotes only to refuse to give the customers their items until they pay the inflated price.

Reviewing and complaining can give you fundamental insight into how the movers operate and how they treat elderly customers.

Customer Service

Some might argue that high-quality and efficient customer service is not the most critical factor in evaluating hauling agencies.

On the contrary, a relocator that offers packing help and other services should have a seamless support line that can quickly answer any senior customers' questions and offer reassurance about their items' safety.

An enterprise that offers moving services for seniors can benefit from a more personable approach and enough empathy for what it means to relocate later in life.

Organizations That Offer Help

Whether a senior citizen is planning a move alone or an elderly couple is downsizing, they don’t have to go through this process alone.

Some don’t have family and friends nearby to help them manage, but they benefit from connecting with organizations that can offer assistance instead.

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

The AARP offers phenomenal resources in many regards, including the process. As a member of the American Association of Retired Persons, you are often eligible for discounts when hiring trucks and can even get free consultations during downsizing.

The National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM)

You can also contact the National Association of Senior Move Managers, a non-profit that offers assistance by assigning a qualified move manager to their members.

These individuals can help plan the downsizing process and even help them modify their current homes to avoid having to move in the first place.

Eldercare Locator

This public service, part of the U.S. Administration on Aging, is available to U.S. citizens. While it’s not explicitly designed to help senior citizens, it offers valuable information on finding affordable housing programs and other usefulness.

Common Pitfalls When Choosing the Best Moving Service

Many transporters offer competitive prices and a broad scope of services, but not all will be the right choice for nationals.

The entire process can be overwhelming if you’ve never had to hire movers before. You might have difficulty discussing realistic price ranges with a mover who keeps making vague estimates and refuses to give you a number. That’s rarely a good sign.

If a moving company can’t give a free quote and explain what is included in the price, they’re likely to drop a bombshell later and seriously deplete your budget.

Another common mistake is insisting on hiring a mover near you. Indeed, it can be comforting to talk to a mover who knows your area well, but their company might lack the infrastructure to transport your items to another state or move your car.

Lastly, choosing the cheapest option tends to backfire. Carrying on a tight budget is stressful, that’s for sure, but going with the cheapest estimate could lead to other problems.

What if the mover is affordable because they are not properly licensed and insured? Perhaps they can offer low prices because they don’t maintain their vehicles properly. These are valid considerations and something to remember when hiring a service.

Arriving Safely and at Your Pace

No amount of preparation makes it pleasant, but it can significantly reduce stress.

Moving can be challenging for senior citizens, so choosing the best service can be transformative. The price, distance, storage, auto transport, and customer service are immensely important factors.

You can also seek advice from helpful organizations. Finally, do not rush the process and always ask for senior discounts.

Start planning your move by contacting Three Movers and asking for a free quote.