How to treat friends who help you move

When it comes to DIY moving, it’s next to impossible to do everything yourself. Asking friends for help or calling in old favors is only common sense in this situation. However, it’s easy to forget what a big favor you’re asking from someone. Some have even likened it to picking up a friend from an airport. Even easier still is to forget to adequately reward your precious helpers. And this is definitely not something you want to do. You should keep in mind just how important it is to properly treat your friends who help you move.

Successfully enlist their help first before you figure out how to treat friends who help you move

You might be the most outgoing person in your social circle, or you might be a shrinking violet – for some of us, having to ask friends for help leaves a bad taste in our mouth. This feeling of unease doesn’t stem from anything nefarious, not really. Rather, it’s the whole “owing someone” thing. How do you go about repaying this favor? When you actually do get a chance to repay your friends who help you move, should you go above and beyond? Should you hire professional help from a great Mississippi moving company instead of inconveniencing your friends? The short answer to all three is – yes. But there are several things to keep in mind during the planning stages and actual moving.

For the sake of convenience, let’s call it a “Good-friend” checklist:

• Invite them to help over the weekend – your friends have lives too, don’t take a few days off work, and then assume they’ll be free to help you do physical labor;  schedule your relocation over the weekend!
• Don’t ask for help on short notice – three days in advance is usually a good rule of thumb so they can plan their day ahead; more is better, but three days is both polite and common sense
• Be clear and precise on what you need – don’t lie to your friends by telling them you need to move “a couple of things”, be honest about what you need to move and give a time estimate
• Don’t be overbearing and bossy – this is probably the best policy to adopt to treat your friends who help you move right; no one wants to help you in good faith and get showered with commands like you’re a drill sergeant in the military
• Make sure to return the favor – whenever you get a chance, help them out next time they need you

Now, you might be going through this list and think “this is all just common courtesy”. But it’s easy to start feeling like you’re a foreman in some factory and not someone who enlisted the aid of a few friends to help out. Not abiding by these few general rules is a good way to lose friends quickly. So, word to the wise!

Inviting your friends to your housewarming party is a great way to thank them for helping you relocate

If you’re relocating somewhere locally and not, for instance, moving to Oxford MS (unless you’re from Oxford, duh!), then you will likely be more inclined to recruit your friends to help. Once you’re all settled at your new place, it’s tradition to organize a housewarming party. This helps you get to know your new neighbors more easily. But there’s no reason to leave your buddies out! Invite them, and stress the fact that they don’t need to bring anything. You’ll be supplying the wine, the cheese, the barbecue, the music, and the good vibes. What better way to treat your friends who help you move?

Pay for their gas as a courtesy for helping you move

Yet another on the list of common courtesy good gestures. This is a sound policy in general, but especially if you got your friends to help you with a long-distance move. Springing for the gas will definitely ease the feelings of being inconvenienced your friends might harbor. It’s a basic way of thanking friends who help you move. And hey, if you’re a really good friend, you might also consider including an oil change and a complimentary car check-up too. There are gift certificates for everything these days.

Handpicked gift baskets say “thanks” and show you know your friends

If you’re not too keen on the thought of giving generic gifts such as gas as a way of rewarding your friends who helped you relocate, another good option is to assemble some personalized gifts in the form of a gift basket. This way you can thank your friends in a style that’s personal for each of them. Does one of your friends enjoy sports activities? Consider assembling a package with running shoes, sporty clothes, and a new football or basketball. Is your friend into watching movies? Then you might put together a collection of DVDs handpicked by you. This not only makes for a classy gift, but it also shows off how well you know your friends.

Massage gift certificate as a way to show appreciation for your friends

Another similar way to thank friends for helping you move is by gifting them vouchers for massages or spa treatments. It may not be as personalized as a gift basket, but it’s a great way to show how much you care about the well-being of your friends. After all, they will probably be in dire need for some relaxation after lugging all that heavy furniture around. And nothing quite spells relaxation as scented oil massages and long hot tub baths at a spa! Plus, it doubles as a great excuse to spoil yourself a little and join your friends. It might do wonders for reducing your stress and anxiety after the move!

Treat friends who help you move to a fancy dinner

Maybe essential oil rubs and spa days aren’t your thing. As hard as that is to believe, but it’s fine. Maybe you’re a bit old fashioned and you like keeping old traditions among your friends. It’s likely a safe bet that your circle of friends has a favorite restaurant that you like going to whenever you get a chance. Well, in that case, what better way to thank friends who helped you move, than taking them out to your favorite spot? And even if you’re not much for traditions, still, very few will be able to resist an invite to a gala dinner at a fancy restaurant. Especially if it’s your treat!

The best way to thank friends who help you move is to return the favor!

Giving gifts to thank friends for doing you a favor is all well and good. But by far the best way to be a good friend is to return the favor next time one of your friends needs something. There’s a lot of little things that most people don’t really want to ask of you even if they need it. Offer to house-sit for them. Or look after their pet for a few days if they go on vacation. You could even babysit every once in a while. You might be surprised how easily they agree to help you next time around.