A guide for beginners: Tips for starting your own moving business

Moving company

Starting your own moving business will have a lot in common with the processes of starting any type of business. You must learn how you can start a moving company from scratch and plan ahead for your new business venture.


Providing moving services can prove to be a lucrative side hustle, or if you’re serious about your moving business, it can lead you to financial independence. We will discuss some very important points that will help you get a good idea about how you can start your own moving business.

Starting your own moving business

Starting a business can be a risky task, but a lot of people want to become their own bosses and that can only be achieved by being an entrepreneur. If you have an entrepreneurial mindset, you will realise that starting a moving business is still easier than starting most other types of businesses. Needless to say, you will be taking on some extra responsibilities, but you will also gain the countless advantages of running your own business. A lot of people think that to start a moving business they need a huge warehouse and big commercial trucks. It is important that you forget all about this. There is no need to go big when you’re just starting your business. If you already have a moving truck or a van, you can start by providing moving services in your neighbourhood on the weekends. You can then, with time, expand your business and the range of services that you offer to attract new customers.

There are almost always, especially in big cities, individuals and families looking to relocate. Moreover, many companies are also looking to hire moving companies to help them transport goods and relocate their offices. You will need to come up with your own business plan, take into account factors, such as the location, target market, the services that you want to provide and what will you do to make your business stand out because there is a lot of competition in the moving industry. We would suggest that you start small so that there is no risk of losing big. You can rent a van or a truck if you don’t want to buy one. Hire one helper and keep the cost of running your business at a minimum level when you enter the moving industry. Once you start saving, you can invest back in your business and work on expansion and growth of your moving company.

Plan ahead for your new moving company

For running your moving business smoothly, you will need to take into account some important factors. You will have to decide on extra services that you can provide to your customers, such as storage services. Figure out whether you want to continue operating locally or do you want to perform interstate moves in the future. You will also have to look for a business location for your new company. Think about obtaining all the required licenses and permits. For instance, you will need US DOT Authority as it is required by law in the trucking industry. Moreover, if you are in it for the long run, you will need a biennial update every two years unless you want to lose the authority to operate. You will be dealing with your customers belongings, and with proper insurance you will not have to worry about loss or damage to the belongings during transportation.

Successfully starting your business from scratch

Remember that you will have no experience in the moving industry, so it is a good idea to gain knowledge and training for the obstacles that you will be facing once your business hits the road. Research the moving market carefully and read more articles like this one to learn more about the moving industry and the common issues that moving companies face. A lot of people skip this part and are ultimately forced to quit their business before they had planned to.

Train your staff to appear and act professional. Make your business stand out through providing quality services, your business will attract more customers and continue to expand. Make sure that your business can carefully handle your customers' belongings. Packing, unpacking, loading and unloading may seem like simple tasks but if you can’t safely, quickly, and efficiently complete the moving job, your customers may leave bad reviews and ratings and prevent your business from growing.

As mentioned above, you should plan ahead and always keep in mind the ultimate goals that you have set for your business. Reinvesting in your moving business will always be a good idea. Remember to have proper tools and equipment. If you are renting a van or a truck when you’re starting out, you should start saving from your monthly income to buy a new truck as quickly as possible. This will help create a good impression on your customers, as most people are not ready to entrust companies that rent trucks with their belongings.