Making a move can be a big ordeal, whether you are moving across town or across the country. There are times when you have the chance to fully plan and prepare to move yourself, and other times the need to move just suddenly comes up. In either case, moving costs money, and so does storing your stuff. Fortunately, there are many companies that are available to help, and by getting moving and storage quotes you can find the best option for the services you need.

In order to seek out the right moving and storage quotes, you first need to decide how much help you want with your move. There are self-serve options that involve finding boxes and other packing materials, packing everything, and then renting a moving truck that you load yourself, drive to your new place, and unload and unpack.

A full service mover will come over with boxes and other packing materials in tow. From there they will pack everything in your home professionally, and take your belongings to your new home where you can decide where it all is supposed to go.

Sometimes neither self-serve or full serve is the right option. If this is the case, you will want to get moving and storage quotes on alternatives that will make you feel more comfortable. For example, some people are not comfortable with others packing their things, or they may need to stretch their move over several days or more. In order to cater to this type of customer, there are many moving and storage companies that will drop off a storage unit at the customer's home, give them the time they need to pack and load the unit, and then bring that unit to the new location. Once it all gets unpacked, the company will come and get the unit. If you need your things stored longer, the unit can be brought to a secure facility until you are ready to complete your move.

If you do have time to really plan your move, taking advantage of storage facilities both before and after your move can be very helpful. There are a lot of things that can be packed and put into storage long before your actual move day. Off season clothing, sporting equipment, many of your books, extra dishes, towels, and even some furniture can start to be removed early and can simplify your life and your moving process in the long run. You may want to keep these things in a long term storage facility, and move only the things you need the most on your actual move day. If you do opt for a do it yourself move, having less stuff to move on your actual moving day will make the day far less stressful.

If you are moving into a smaller place, or just want to resolve to live less cluttered, you might want to keep your storage unit on a long term basis. Storage lockers can be visited often, and many have 24 hour access, allowing you to get to your stuff whenever you want. If the unit's primary purpose is to store seasonal items, it may be worth it to you to visit the storage unit a couple times a year in order to make it easier to find what you need every day.

When you ask more from your moving helpers, your moving and storage quotes are going to seem more expensive, but that's only if you are exclusively looking at the moving and storage quotes. If you are honest with yourself, you will discover there is much more to your moving choice than the obvious bottom line, Here's some questions to ask yourself.

• What is your time worth?
• What are your belongings worth?
• Are you sure you can pack and move everything safely?
• Will you need to use extra vacation time or cut work hours to move?
• Are you physically capable of packing and moving yourself without "paying" for it later?

Depending on your answers, a full service moving and storage service, such as Arrow Moving & Storage Co. Inc., may very well be worth every penny. Professional movers are licensed and insured, giving you even more assurance that your move will go smoothly.