They say that "a friend is someone who will help you move." We have all had those college moving parties where we bought beer and pizza for anyone who would help load a truck. But after a time, and several years of accumulating furniture and other possessions, it may be time to hire movers, instead, especially if you are moving across a long distance.

Do you have more than 3 rooms of furniture? Are there dishes and valuables to be packed? What about moving your pets? Or your plants? Do you want to trust a mover with some of your best china? Or not? Will you pack yourself or pay the movers to do the packing? You can find licensed and bonded movers. You can also take out insurance for the move. That will help.

There are many ways to choose a mover. Like most decisions, it will boil down to 3 major factors: time, money & your gut feel. Start with a web search for movers in your area. There are national web pages where you simply fill out a form and receive several quotes on your move. Try monstermoving.com or moversweb.com. It also helps to get the recommendations of your friends who have used a mover recently. Maybe you want to check with names that you know, such as Allied Van Lines or another nationally known mover.

Once you have several quotes and recommendations, it's time to compare them for the time and money factors. Obviously, the movers need to be available at the time you have to move. For most of us, that's the end of the month, although it may vary. It definitely means planning in advance to make an appointment for the move. See what specials may be available at the time of your move.

You may choose to pay a little more in order to have extra services, such as packing and insurance. Finally, check your feelings about the movers you are talking with. Do they sound like they know their business? Are they exhibiting good customer service up front? These factors can outweigh price, too. If all goes well, you may be able to relax with a feeling that the movers were your friends, too.