I always know it's moving season again when the parking spot in front of my house is barricaded by a giant moving truck taking up the entire street. When I was in college, moving from one apartment to the next involved little effort, if any. I'd shove a handful of clothes and random junk into the back seat of my car, tie my bed down to the roof, paid a bunch of frat guys a case of beer to unload everything, and voila! I was finished.

Go with a pro
Since graduating college, my living amenities have exponentially grown. With three couches, two book shelves, a dining room table, coffee table, nightstand, dresser, entertainment system, queen size bed, and an 80-pound black Labrador, space is a bit limited in my four-door sedan.

After nearly throwing out my back during one of my many moves, I have vowed to never do it on my own ever again. Moving, especially if you're relocating to a new state, can be stressful and time consuming. To help cut back on the stress and labor, I recommend hiring professional movers.

Price point
Determining a price for a local move is not complicated. If you're requesting packing for a local move, this service is usually charged as a price for the cartons. Packing labor charges are usually charged by the hour, per-person rate. Depending on the amount of packing needed, you may require a one or several packers, and the number of hours will depend on the number of cartons to be packed. Loading and unloading is normally an hourly, per-person rate.

The size of your current home will determine the number of people needed on a moving crew.

· 1 bedroom: two movers

· 2-3 bedrooms: up to three movers

· 4 bedrooms: up to four movers

· More than 4 bedrooms: four or more movers

Your mover will have rates for each crew size. Rates are usually on file at the moving company for your review. Again, depending on the size of your current home, costs can range from $500 to $2,000.

Moving within 50 miles or less is usually considered a local move, while relocating beyond that distance in the same state is an intrastate move. Intrastate moves are priced based on the mover's published intrastate tariff, which is kept on file with the state government. A local move is commonly charged at an hourly rate and includes additional charges for services.

Going with professional movers is worth the cost and will save you the headaches - and backaches - involved in relocating.

To learn more on how to hire professional movers - and everything else you ever wanted to know about moving - check out the helpful tips from Homescape's moving guide.

Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.