Can I estimate additional moving expenses like packing and storage ahead of time?

[HardissonHard]

Hey, I’m trying to wrap my head around how to budget better for my upcoming move. The thing is, I’ve already been surprised once before—last time I moved, I totally forgot to factor in things like packing help and temporary storage. It ended up costing way more than I thought, and honestly, it kind of threw off the rest of my month financially. This time I’m trying to be more prepared. So I’m wondering—is there any real way to get a clear idea of all those “extra” costs in advance? I’m not just talking about the truck rental or the movers themselves, but all the little things like boxes, packing services, or even short-term storage if the new place isn’t ready right away. Anyone had luck estimating this stuff early?

[GooseWashington]

Yeah, I’ve been in that same boat before—thinking I had everything covered, then suddenly remembering I needed storage for a week or that packing materials weren’t included. What helped me a lot the second time around was using this estimeate for free tool I found online. It’s a pretty solid moving cost calculator, and it actually lets you add in services like packing, storage, and even specialty item handling. I used it about a month before my move, and it gave me a much more realistic total than just getting a base quote from a company. Definitely made budgeting easier, especially since I was juggling other expenses around the move too.

[BillShiphr]

Just dropping by to say I love reading these moving threads. Always end up learning something new—even if I’m not planning to move right now, it’s interesting to see how much goes into planning it all out. I didn’t realize there were so many extra services to think about beyond just hauling stuff.