Finding affordable furniture shipping services can feel overwhelming when balancing family schedules, budgets, and sentimental items that need careful handling. Whether you’re handling heirloom pieces or furnishing a child’s room, reliable shipping support matters.
This guide compares the most affordable furniture shipping services near you and outlines key features, cost considerations, and customer support for each option to help families make confident decisions.
How These Affordable Furniture Shipping Services Were Selected
This list prioritizes companies offering reliable service, family-friendly support, and cost-effective pricing. Each service was evaluated based on:
- Affordability: Transparent rates and flexible service options
- Suitability for families: Ability to handle small moves, partial household shipments, or heirlooms
- Care and safety: Quality packing, loading assistance, and furniture protection options
- Availability: Nationwide or regional coverage with accessible scheduling
These criteria ensure the featured services provide dependable value for families needing efficient, secure, and budget-conscious furniture transport.
The following most affordable shipping services near you are recognized for striking a balance between affordability, quality, and convenience. Exploring their features can help determine which option best fits your needs, timeline, and budget.
1. TSI Shipping
TSI Shipping is well-known for handling long-distance small moves and individual furniture shipments at cost-conscious rates. While it is a great fit for families who need to relocate only a few pieces of furniture, it also handles large and local moves. The company offers multiple service options, including White Glove Consolidated shipping, which pairs shipments with others traveling in the same direction to reduce costs, and Box-and-Ship, a simple solution for smaller boxed items.
TSI also provides support for heirlooms, fragile items, and furniture that requires extra care. Logistics specialists help plan shipping needs, coordinate timing, and address any questions that may arise. This guidance can be particularly beneficial during major life transitions, such as moving children to a new school or relocating a multi-generational family’s furniture. With flexible service structures, careful handling, and national reach, TSI is one of the most affordable furniture shipping services for families seeking dependable support and transparent pricing.
2. MiniMoves
MiniMoves specializes in small household moves, making it a practical option for families who need to send a few key pieces of furniture without paying full moving-truck rates. The company specializes in apartment-sized shipments, partial-home moves, and room-specific transitions. MiniMoves offers professional packing, furniture protection, and transport services, with crews trained to handle large, bulky, or oddly shaped pieces. This helps reduce the stress of coordinating helpers, borrowing vehicles, or managing heavy lifting.
MiniMoves also provides storage options for families who are renovating or reorganizing living spaces and need time before bringing furniture back into the home. Pricing varies depending on weight and distance, but the company is known for structured, transparent quoting. Families who need hands-on support and reliable handling, but do not require full home moving services, may find MiniMoves to be a useful and cost-efficient option.
3. ShipSmart
ShipSmart is designed for transporting fragile, valuable, or specialty furniture, such as antique wooden pieces, glass tables, artwork, or custom cabinetry. The company specializes in custom packing and crating, ensuring each piece is protected according to its material, shape, and size. ShipSmart works with national carrier networks, coordinating secure loading and delivery while minimizing the risk of damage during transit.
Optional insurance upgrades are available for added peace of mind, which is often crucial when shipping family heirlooms or unique furniture that cannot be easily replaced. ShipSmart tends to cost more than general small-move providers, but the extra investment is typically worthwhile when protection and careful handling are priorities. For families who want to ensure their most meaningful items arrive safely, ShipSmart offers dependable expertise and specialized care.
4. uShip
uShip is an online marketplace where families can compare multiple furniture shipping quotes in one place. It allows users to post item and destination details, then receive bids from different carriers. This structure makes it easier to find affordable furniture shipping services that match specific timing, budget, and handling needs.
A key advantage of uShip is transparency. Each carrier has public reviews, ratings, and service history, which helps families choose a provider with a proven track record of reliability. Because pricing is influenced by availability, demand, and route matching, costs may vary. However, families who are flexible with pickup windows often secure meaningful savings. uShip works well for those who prefer comparing options rather than committing to a single company upfront.
5. Two Men and a Truck
Two Men and a Truck offers local and regional moving support that is helpful for families relocating shorter distances. The company provides trained moving teams who handle packing, lifting, loading, and placement. This removes the physical strain and time commitment often associated with moving large pieces such as beds, dressers, dining tables, and sectional sofas. Experienced movers typically bring tools to disassemble large furniture pieces, then reassemble them on the other side.
Pricing varies by region and hourly labor time, which may be more cost-effective for local or same-city furniture relocation. For moves that require minimal travel but benefit from professional handling, Two Men and a Truck is a practical solution.
6. PODS
PODS offers portable storage containers, enabling families to pack their furniture gradually and at their own pace. This approach is especially helpful during renovations, home transitions, or timelines where items need to be moved slowly rather than all at once. A container is delivered to the home, and once packed, the container can be transported to a new residence or stored securely until the home is ready to receive furniture.
PODS is not typically the lowest-cost option for simple single-piece shipments. However, it becomes cost-effective for families moving multiple furniture items or managing larger-scale reorganizing. It offers flexibility, reduced stress, and the ability to avoid rushed packing, which is particularly beneficial for households with children, busy schedules, or sentimental items that require careful placement.
7. FedEx Freight
FedEx Freight is suitable for families shipping boxed or pre-packed furniture pieces, such as disassembled bed frames or dressers with securely wrapped drawers. This service enables furniture to travel via less-than-truckload shipping, which involves sharing space with other shipments to help reduce costs. This works well when furniture can be wrapped, padded, and boxed or placed on a small pallet.
FedEx offers reliable tracking, scheduled delivery windows, and depot drop-off options to help minimize fees. Families who are comfortable with preparing furniture themselves may find FedEx Freight to be a cost-efficient way to ship furniture long distances. FedEx locations are widely accessible in most regions. While this service is better suited for packaged items rather than antiques or fragile wooden finishes, its flexibility and broad availability make it a practical solution for budget-friendly standard furniture transport.
8. Roadie
Roadie connects families with vetted drivers already traveling planned routes, making it a smart choice for local or regional furniture delivery. This peer-to-peer model is designed for oversized goods and offers same-day or scheduled delivery options in many metropolitan and suburban areas. Tracking and driver profiles allow families to choose delivery options based on ratings and timing preferences.
Roadie is typically most affordable when the pickup and delivery points are close together, as it relies on route-matching rather than freight logistics. While the service does not offer specialized packing or long-distance cross-country moving, it can significantly reduce stress and costs for short-distance furniture transport.
9. Dolly
Dolly offers a labor-plus-delivery service model powered by vetted, background-checked helpers. Families can use Dolly to move furniture purchased from a store, pick up items from Facebook Marketplace or community swap groups, or carry pieces from one room to another during renovations or reconfigurations. This is especially useful for families updating children’s spaces, transitioning from nursery furniture to other rooms, or reorganizing shared areas.
Dolly provides the muscle and transportation, removing the need to rent trucks or ask friends for help. Pricing is based on time and mileage, making it cost-efficient for short trips and small loads. While Dolly does not provide long-distance shipping, it fills an important niche for same-city furniture transport and in-home moving support, reducing the physical strain and logistical hassle of handling heavy pieces.
10. Move.org
Move.org offers a centralized platform for comparing moving and shipping companies based on location, pricing structure, and required services. Families can filter by shipment size, distance, specialty handling, and support options, which is particularly helpful when coordinating moves with sentimental or high-value furniture.
This resource does not ship furniture directly but simplifies decision-making by gathering quotes and provider information in one place. It can help families determine whether a consolidated small-move service, a local labor team, or a white-glove specialty shipper is the best fit for their situation and budget. Move.org is most useful during the planning stage, helping households avoid overspending, reduce research time, and narrow down reputable providers.
Comparing Top Services at a Glance
Choosing a furniture shipping service becomes easier when key features are viewed side by side. The table below highlights the areas in which each company excels, the typical pricing structure, and the level of support provided. This helps families compare options quickly before diving into the full breakdown of services.
| Service | Best For | Pricing Style | Handling Level | Extra Support Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSI Shipping | Small household shipments, heirlooms, and multi-stop family distributions | Quote-based | White glove and custom packing | Logistics specialists, priority pickup options, and estate distribution coordination |
| MiniMoves | Apartment moves and partial household shipments | Structured load-based estimates | Professional small-move crews | Short- and long-term storage options |
| ShipSmart | Fragile, antique, or specialty furniture | Custom packing, crating, and transit quotes | Specialty packing and handling expertise | Insurance upgrades and crate customization |
| uShip | Comparing multiple shippers in one marketplace | Reverse-bid model from carriers | Varies by selected provider | Carrier history profiles, ratings, and reviews |
| Two Men and a Truck | Local and regional family moves | Hourly or local estimate-based | Professional movers and loaders | In-home placement and packing supplies |
| PODS | Multi-item moves, renovations, and flexible timelines | Container rental and transport fees | Self-pack model with optional labor | On-site and warehouse storage options |
| FedEx Freight | Boxed or palletized furniture that can be pre-wrapped | Freight-based weight and distance pricing | Standard freight handling | Nationwide location network and shipment tracking |
| Roadie | Local and same-state transport via driver route-matching | Mileage and delivery distance pricing | Varies by driver | Same-day delivery availability |
| Dolly | Same-city furniture moving, store pickups, or in-home rearranging | Time and distance-based pricing | Labor assistance and pickup vehicle | Background-checked helpers and scheduled delivery |
| Move.org | Comparing movers based on location and household needs | Free quote aggregation tool | Varies by selected provider | Planning support for budgeting and decision-making |
Tips to Reduce Furniture Shipping Costs
Keeping costs manageable is often a priority for families shipping furniture. A few strategic steps can help lower overall pricing:
- Ship multiple items together: Consolidating shipments often reduces the cost per piece.
- Be flexible with pickup dates: Flexible timing can unlock lower-rate routes. For instance, summer is the busiest and most expensive time for movers, so moving during the off-season can lead to significant savings.
- Measure and disassemble where possible: Smaller dimensions can reduce transport fees.
- Reuse blankets and padding: This saves material costs and protects surfaces.
- Donate or sell unneeded items before shipping: Decluttering helps prevent unnecessary weight and volume.
How to Prepare Furniture for Safe Shipping
Proper preparation helps ensure furniture arrives in good condition. Start by cleaning surfaces to prevent dirt from scratching finishes. Disassemble removable parts like legs, shelves, or headboards and secure hardware in labeled bags.
Wrap items with blankets, foam, or padding, focusing on corners and delicate edges. For glass or fragile components, use sturdy boxes and cushioning materials to ensure protection. Label each piece clearly to make unloading simpler and prevent misplacement during transit.
Choosing the Right Service for You
Choosing the right affordable furniture shipping service can make moving smoother, safer, and more budget-friendly for families. By comparing service options, preparing furniture carefully, and planning, furniture can travel securely to its new home. Requesting quotes and asking about flexible scheduling helps ensure the best value. With the right partner, even big moves can feel manageable.
