We (my boyfriend and I) moved house a couple of weeks ago – slightly odd for twenty-somethings but we actually downsized from a house to a flat. Okay, the flat has nicer views and off-street parking, but with no garden shed or understairs-cupboard it was a challenge to find a space for all our stuff!

Only having a weekend in which to move (and having moved several times before), we simply hired a van from a local hire place, packed everything ourselves and moved it all with the help of some friends. It wasn’t easy but that’s the way we’ve always done it. It cost £55 for the enormous van, £10 for petrol, and all the cardboard boxes were free.

So what’s the advantage of using a removal company? Well, if you’re on your own and have furniture to move (and no friends nearby) I guess that would be one good reason. Another might be if you have a big house and there’s too much stuff to move in your time off work. Maybe you have children and nowhere to put them when you’re moving, in which case you can still look after them while someone else does all the work.

But what about cost? A quick Google brings up a ballpark cost for using a removal company of £400-£800, to move the contents of a 3-bedroom home locally. Compared to my £65 at the weekend, that’s a little bit steep!

So what’s your favourite way to move home – DIY or removal company? Why, and how much did it cost? Answers in the comments please