Although you might not have an option to relocate or not to relocate, you do have an option on how to relocate. Generally, moving comes with a lot of stress and financial strain, irrespective of whether you are moving a few blocks down the street or across the state.
You will need to make a lot of decisions when relocating. Here are some of the questions that you will need to answer:
- Should you rent a portable container for or hire professional movers?
- What’s the right season to relocate—summer, fall, or winter?
- Should you buy new furniture or move with your old furniture?
This post shall assist you to answer the last question.
Generally, there are numerous factors that you should consider when determining whether to buy new furniture or move with your old furniture. The following are some of the things that you need to consider.
The practical value of your old furniture
If your furniture is comfortable and stylish, and it perfectly suits your aesthetic preferences and needs, there’s a chance that you will need to move it. However, if your furniture is old and worn out, you should consider buying new furniture for your new house.
However, you will need to answer the following important questions before making your final decision:
- Is your furniture durable and quality?
- Is it comfortable and functional?
- What is the overall condition of the furniture? Good or bad? It’s not logical to relocate with your furniture and then replace it for a few months or one year down the line. If you have old furniture in your home, it’s not worth the stress, money, and effort to move it, regardless of how useful or practical the piece might be.
- Will the furniture fit the layout of your new home? You need to determine the size of the doors, as well as the available space in the new building. Then, you should cross-check this with the size of your current future, to ensure that it will fit through the doors, and fit well in the area where it should be located. If the furniture cannot fit through the doors or in the house, consider selling it—no matter its value.
The monetary value of the furniture
While it can be costly to move your furniture, purchasing new furniture can be more costly, particularly when you want to buy high-end pieces. Thus, you should keep in mind the financial work of the old pieces when considering the following options:
- Is your furniture expensive?
- Is it a delicate piece of art?
- Is the furniture a vintage item, collector’s item, or an antique?
- Is the furniture made of quality material, and made with extreme care and skill?
- Is it a designer item or a product of a famous manufacturer?
In case you have a challenge in answering the above questions, let a professional evaluate your furniture, as this will give you a good idea of its worth.
The personal value of your furniture
At times, furniture pieces do have personal or sentimental value. Maybe you have an armchair that’s been passed down through different generations of your family. Or, a bookcase you once used in college, which triggers fond memories of your past. There’s nothing wrong with being soft-hearted with your personal belongings. Moreover, emotional value is much higher compared to the cost of moving that piece.
However, certain pieces in your home are not family inheritances. So, you should check every piece that you have in your home, and assess whether or not it has any value to you. When you assess your furniture with practicality in your mind, you will realize that just one or two pieces have sentimental value.
At times, you might have a major challenge, where you cannot move a sentimental piece because of costs or if they cannot fit in your new house. If that’s the case, you should consider contacting a friend or family and request them to adopt that piece. With this, you’ll always have peace of mind by knowing where that piece is.
Additional considerations
Yes, it might be very costly to purchase new furniture for your entire home when you compare it to moving your old furniture. So, what other considerations should you make when deciding to buy new furniture or move with your furniture?
Are you moving local or across the state?
Professional movers, Torex Moving say that moving with your furniture would be cheaper than buying new furniture when moving for a short distance. However, if your move is to a different state, this is when you should start thinking about other alternatives.
Will you need storage?
While renting a storage unit to keep your furniture might not be expensive, you need to consider the costs of moving your furniture to and from the storage container. You can avoid these costs by opting not to move your furniture and buying new when you move. However, you will need to understand everything regarding renting storage units before making your decision.
The complexity of the job
The more challenging to relocate a piece is, the more expensive the process will be. Here are some of the things that you should also consider:
- Delicate pieces that require specialized handling can cost you more to move.
- Certain large and heavy pieces might require to be disassembled for the move to be successful, and this can also cost you more.
- If the furniture piece cannot fit through the door, it might need to be taken in or out for the home via the window. This might need specialized hoisting and rigging equipment, which are very costly.
The thing is, the more complex, or longer it takes to move your piece, you will need more specialized services, and this will make it costly to move the piece.
Making an old vs new furniture estimate
Now, once you determine that your furniture doesn’t have sentimental value, you will need to make estimates to determine which will be cheaper between buying new furniture and moving your old furniture. Here’s how to do it:
- Create a list of new furniture that you’ll need when you move. If possible get the actual prices of these pieces. Then, you will need to add extra costs, like delivery to get the final cost.
- Evaluate your new home to determine how much of your old furniture will fit in. Certain pieces will, and others won’t. This will assist you to determine the furniture that you need to buy and the furniture you need to relocate.
- Then, you will need to get price estimates from various movers. Ask for an estimate that includes moving your old furniture, and one that doesn’t. Then, you’ll need to compare the cost of moving your furniture and the cost of buying new furniture.
Final thoughts
While it might be challenging to determine whether to move with your furniture or to buy new, doing the necessary due diligence can make it easier for you to make that decision. All in all, you will need to choose an option that saves you money and which is also convenient for you. For instance, you might opt to move a few pieces and then buy new ones. Lastly, don’t forget to consult professional movers during the entire process, as they can help you to make the right decision.
