by Andrea Barker

Created on: July 14, 2010   Last Updated: July 15, 2010

If you've had to move yourself before (or if one of your friends suckered you into helping you move) you know all too well just how hard and exhausting it can be - even if you're just moving up the street! And the more things you have to move, the longer and slower (not to mention sweatier) you can expect your moving day to be. And we're just talking about the manual labor here.

Moving costs rack up whether you choose to use a professional company or succumb to moving yourself. As a resident of Florida, I'm practically required to relocate every time my lease expires. Seriously - did you know that over 1,000 people move to Florida every day?

A couple years ago, my roommate and I relocated from Davie (in Broward County) to a beautiful high-rise apartment in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Well, we were fresh out of college and all too willing to pinch a few pennies, so we decided to do it ourselves.

We didn't even make it down the stairwell of our second-story apartment in Davie. She and I tried to lug the glass top of our dining room table (no wrapping, mind you), and three steps down, my finger slipped, shattering our table into oblivion.

After that horrific mess, I decided that if I should ever move again, I'll just turn to a professional moving company to do all the heavy lifting for me. And to invest in moving insurance!

Choosing Florida Movers

That being said, you should know that there are hundreds of moving companies based in Florida - half of which are in the tri-county area! Back in the day, I just picked my Florida mover at random out of the yellow pages, knowing nothing of their reputation or customer service whatsoever.

BIG mistake.

Lucky for you, we now live in the grand Internet era, where your answer to anything and everything is just a click away. When looking for a local mover, I recommend typing “movers” or something similar into Google Maps. Then read the consumer reviews on the companies that come up, and don't forget to click on the company websites! I also recommend visiting an unbiased forum, such as Yelp or City Data to learn more about other customers have to say.

Florida Movers Reviews

The most important factor in choosing a reputable moving company is licensing and accountability. If you've already spoken to a few moving companies but can't decide on which to choose, look the company up on the Better Business Bureau, TransportReviews.com, or a moving review site, such as Relocation.com.

Note: Do not ever, ever, EVER choose a

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