Moving Beyond DIY: What Social Conversations Reveal About Professional Moving Services
In the Spring of 2025, The Social Question teamed up with Kim Townend Studio and Mayflower to explore what drives people to choose professional movers versus DIY approaches. This was the first phase to a multi-phase study and our social media findings were used as the foundation for the remaining data story. We leveraged our unique Content Connections™ methodology alongside social listening and uncovered fascinating patterns in how people talk about professional moving services online (and the challenges with DIY). You can read more about Mayflower’s campaign press release over on their website.
Our Approach: Tapping Into Authentic Conversations
Our research combined two complementary data sources:
Content Connections™: We collaborated with three Instagram creators (Deema Lopez, Lauren Mulloy, and SK Smigiel) who were at different stages of their moving journeys - one had recently moved, one was actively moving, and one had been preparing for a cross-country relocation. Their authentic conversations with followers generated over 7,000 combined responses to our questions from diverse communities.
Social Listening: We analyzed conversations across multiple Reddit threads and sub-threads where moving discussions naturally occur, including r/lifeprotips, r/moving, r/askwomenover30, and r/frugal.
This dual approach allowed us to capture both direct responses to specific questions and unprompted, organic conversations about moving experiences.
Key Themes: When Do People Choose Professional Movers?
While we can't share specific client data, our research revealed some consistent patterns in when and why people opt for professional moving services:
The Age Factor: "30 Is the New 65"
One of the most consistent themes we observed was the relationship between age and moving preferences. There appears to be a significant shift around age 30, when many people report feeling that asking friends to help with moves becomes socially inappropriate. This "adulting milestone" was referenced repeatedly across platforms, often with humor but clear social importance.
Interestingly, many people in their 30s speak about themselves as if they're elderly when it comes to moving – mentioning back pain, recovery time, and physical limitations that would have been inconsequential in their 20s. This "30 is the new 65" sentiment appears frequently in moving discussions, with many users commenting that they're now "too old" to be lifting furniture and risking injury.
Time vs. Money Equation
The value of time emerged as a primary consideration. Many conversations centered around the trade-off between saving money and saving time, with a substantial portion of people indicating that the time-saving aspect of professional services justifies the cost.
The "PIVOT!" Problem
Professional skill in navigating furniture through tight spaces was consistently mentioned as a key benefit. Cultural references to the famous "PIVOT!" scene from Friends frequently appeared in these discussions, highlighting the universal challenge of moving bulky furniture through doorways, up stairs, and around corners. People specifically value movers' expertise with these spatial puzzles that often lead to frustration, damage, and relationship tension during DIY moves.
Relationship Preservation
An unexpected theme that emerged was how moving impacts relationships. Many users shared stories about how DIY moves strained friendships and partnerships, with several even referring to professional movers as "marriage savers." 🤣
Physical Wellness Concerns
Physical considerations were prominently mentioned, particularly regarding injury prevention. Many people cited past injuries or general physical limitations as their reason for switching from DIY to professional services.
The Surprise Factor
What surprised us most was how emotional and psychological factors ranked in people's decision-making. Even in communities focused on frugality, stress reduction was frequently cited as worth the additional cost of professional services.
Following our social media research, Mayflower commissioned a national quantitative study of 1,000 adults to validate and expand upon these findings. The results confirmed many of the themes we identified, particularly around the age 30 transition and the prioritization of health and safety over cost savings.
Community Spotlights: Different Audiences, Different Moving Realities
Each creator's community brought unique perspectives to the conversation, highlighting why diversifying our partnerships provides richer insights:
Lauren's Military Community shared specialized knowledge around PCS (Permanent Change of Station) moves. Their discussions revealed the complexities of military relocations—balancing DITY (Do-It-Yourself) incentives against the convenience of government-contracted movers. For these families, moves aren't optional but rather a recurring reality of service life, creating distinct priorities and pain points.
SK's Younger Audience stood out as the only group preferring DIY moves over professional services. This perfectly aligned with our broader findings that age 30 functions as a transition point in moving preferences. Their community demonstrated how life stage directly impacts service decisions, with younger followers still embracing the "pizza and beer" moving model.
Deema's Experienced Movers represented an older demographic (40s-50s+) who offered seasoned perspectives. Their consistent advice emphasized relationship preservation—"hire professionals to avoid burning bridges." Their responses highlighted emotional intelligence developed through experience: they recognized that strained relationships from DIY moves carry hidden costs far exceeding professional moving fees. This group particularly valued how professional services allowed them to focus on meaningful aspects of their transitions rather than logistics.
These varied perspectives across different demographic segments provided a more complete picture of the moving decision journey across life stages and circumstances.
Research Implications
This project demonstrates how social conversation analysis can uncover nuanced consumer insights that might not emerge through traditional survey research alone. By observing authentic discussions rather than just asking direct questions, we captured the complex interplay of practical, social, and emotional factors that influence moving service choices.
Our social listening findings provided Mayflower with the foundation to develop their quantitative research phase and shaped their 2025 "Finding Home" campaign messaging. The themes we identified - particularly around the age 30 transition, relationship preservation, and the "PIVOT!" problem - became central pillars in understanding when and why people make the switch from DIY to professional moving services.
To learn more about Mayflower's full "Finding Home" study results and campaign, visit their website linked here.
We also want to give a shout out to Blix! A new AI text-analysis coding service for open end data, designed with researchers in mind. Their platform made developing a code list, modifying, and extracting the data much more efficient than a manual coding process. With over 7,000 data points to connect the dots, we appreciated the pay-as-you-go machine learning assistance.
