When your move from your old home to your new home doesn't involve much travel, it can be really tempting to do everything yourself. This would save some cash, but you may end up paying for it in frustration. Having said that, when there's only a reasonably short distance to move, you can both simplify the process and save some cash by doing some of the work yourself and by leaving the complicated stuff to the professionals. 

A Short Commute

When the distance between your old home and your new home is only a short commute, arrange to collect the keys as soon as you can. There may not be a lot of flexibility with this (it depends on when you sign the lease or the sale of the property is closed), but it would be extremely convenient if there was a brief overlap—when you possessed both sets of keys.

Access to Both Homes

When you have access to both homes, you can pack up possessions that don't have much priority in your daily life—things from the back of your closets, smaller pieces of furniture, silverware, and flatware—and transport these items to your new home in your own vehicle. You're basically preempting moving day, so by the date you actually have to move, a significant amount of work has already been completed, leaving only the larger items and possessions in daily use.

Renting a Truck

You may think you can save a considerable amount of cash by renting a truck and enlisting the help of family and friends. It's rarely as simple as this. And yet relocation is expensive, so instead of paying a fee to a moving company, you might think it's far more cost effective to rent a truck for a few hours and pay off your helpers with a backyard BBQ. Yet moving larger items (even over a short distance) is always more time-consuming and labor-intensive than you assume. As such, this is something best farmed out to a professional moving company—which, if done properly, can be extremely cost-effective.

By the Hour

Instead of hiring a moving company for a one-off set fee for the service, contact a moving company that hires a truck and crew by the hour. Given the short distance involved and the fact that you've already moved a considerable number of your possessions, the remaining labor will be minimal—short work for an experienced crew.

You don't need to pay a hefty hire fee when you're only moving a short distance, and all you have to do is make a few inquiries to find a moving company that bills by the hour.

Contact a company like John Mitchell Moving/Two Guys and a Truck to learn more.