1 In 4 Americans Admit Theyll Try Anything To Avoid Helping Friends Move

Moving remains one of life’s most dreaded tasks — and according to a new survey, many Americans will go to great lengths to avoid lending a hand.

A recent survey of 2,000 U.S. adults found that 22% have actively found ways to wriggle out of helping others move, and 35% have been on the receiving end of similar avoidance when asking for help themselves. The research, commissioned by Safeway Moving and conducted by Talker Research, also revealed that 38% secretly hate being asked to assist with a move.

While moving often calls for bribery — offering food and drinks (38%), cash payments (33%), or promises to return the favor (17%) — many people still find the experience overwhelming. Sixty percent described moving as stressful, 53% called it exhausting, and 33% said its nerve-wracking. More than half (57%) even confessed they’ve reconsidered moving altogether due to the sheer exhaustion involved.

Although nearly everyone surveyed (97%) has moved at least once in their lives, the help they rely on can vary widely. Friends are the first ones most people turn to (39%), followed by siblings (27%), significant others (26%), and extended family members (24%). However, friends were ranked both as the most helpful (21%) and least helpful (30%) group, showing that not all volunteer movers are created equal.

Professional movers are another option — though not always a favorable one. Sixteen percent of respondents said they’ve hired professional movers, but many were left dissatisfied: 49% reported broken items, 35% experienced misplaced or stolen belongings, and another 35% said they were overcharged. As a result, 69% said they would hesitate to hire professional movers again.

“It’s easy to understand why people rope their friends and family into moving, rather than looking to using professionals,” said Boris Svirsky, founder and CEO of Safeway Moving. “Moving can be a headache — people want to make it as seamless as possible, which can be hard to do when they’ve already had negative experiences with professional movers.”

Concerns about budget (54%), a belief they dont need professional help (29%), and a lack of trust (17%) were among the top reasons people preferred enlisting friends and family over hiring a moving company. Only 15% of respondents said they fully trust professional movers with their belongings, compared to 19% who said they trust their friends most.

Top fears when hiring movers included broken items (45%), overcharges (44%), and theft (36%). Seven percent said their skepticism stemmed from being scammed by movers in the past.

“The reality is: moving doesn’t need to be a high-stress situation that’s muddied by friends who don’t want to be there or professionals who have their eyes on your wallet more than the wellbeing of your belongings,” Svirsky said. “When you’re able to put your trust into people who are there to actually help you and are professional both in demeanor and in practice, you’re putting your best foot forward on your next move.”