Last updated: July 12, 2026
A partial move is the relocation of less than a full household, typically a shipment of about 2,000 pounds or less, priced based on the actual weight you ship. A full move is the relocation of an entire household, generally 3,000 to 10,000 pounds or more, priced for a dedicated truck and crew. The first question every moving company asks is how much you are moving, because the answer decides the service you need and whether you pay closer to $1,500 or $10,000. Ship Smart is a partial-move specialist, so this guide defines both move types, shows the real cost difference, explains the service options, and provides a simple framework for choosing the one that fits best.
A full move relocates an entire household, every room, every piece of furniture, every box. Total weight typically ranges from 3,000 to 10,000 pounds or more. It needs a dedicated truck, a full crew, and several days of packing, loading, and unloading. This is what traditional van lines are built for.
A partial move relocates less than a full household, one room, a few select pieces, or a studio apartment’s worth of belongings. Total weight is typically under 2,000 pounds. Instead of a dedicated truck, the shipment shares space on a freight truck with other shipments heading the same direction, a method called less-than-truckload (LTL) freight. This is what partial move specialists are built for.
The distinction matters because the pricing model is completely different. A full move charges for a whole truck, whether or not your goods fill it. A partial move charges for the weight you actually ship.
A partial do-it-yourself move, known in military relocation as a partial DITY or personally procured move, is a move in which you handle part of the relocation and a carrier handles the rest. A servicemember might ship the heavy or valuable items with a specialist and move the smaller items personally. The partial-move model fits this well because you pay only for the weight the carrier moves, rather than a full-truck minimum.
The same cross-country move costs very differently under each model. The table below compares a partial move on LTL freight against a full-service van line.
| What are you moving | Partial move (LTL) | Full move (van line) | You overpay by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedroom set + 5 boxes (~600 lbs) | $1,000–$1,500 | $3,500–$5,000 | $2,500–$3,500 |
| Living room + bedroom (~1,200 lbs) | $1,500–$2,500 | $4,000–$6,000 | $2,500–$3,500 |
| Studio apartment (~1,500 lbs) | $1,500–$3,000 | $5,000–$7,000 | $3,500–$4,000 |
| One-bedroom apartment (~2,000 lbs) | $2,000–$3,500 | $5,000–$8,000 | $3,000–$4,500 |
| Two-bedroom house (~4,000 lbs) | Not ideal | $6,000–$10,000 | Full move territory |
| Three-bedroom house (~7,000+ lbs) | Not applicable | $8,000–$15,000+ | Full move required |
Van line prices reflect weight-minimum charges, which means you pay for 2,000 to 3,500 pounds even when your load is lighter. The takeaway is clear: if your move is under 2,000 pounds, a partial move saves roughly 50 to 70 percent compared to a traditional mover. For how a partial-move quote is built, see the small-move pricing guide.
A full-service mover reserves a dedicated truck and crew and charges a minimum for that capacity. Most charge by the hour for local moves and by weight and distance for long-distance moves, with a minimum of two to four hours of labor or a fixed weight floor. That structure is efficient for a full household. It is expensive for a partial load, because you pay for truck space and crew time your goods never use.
A partial move specialist removes the minimum. The crew weighs your shipment, consolidates it with others on a shared truck, and charges for that weight alone, so a studio’s worth of goods costs a studio’s worth of money.
Several kinds of companies can move your belongings, and the labels overlap. These are the options, from largest load to smallest.
The difference between a partial-move specialist and a full-service van line, in short, is pricing and truck use: weight-based on a shared truck versus a minimum on a dedicated truck.
The right choice depends on the load size, the distance, and how firm your delivery date must be.
Ask each company the same questions so that two quotes that look different on paper compare fairly.
What is a partial move?
A partial move is the relocation of less than a full household, generally under 2,000 pounds, such as one room, a few pieces of furniture, or a studio apartment. It ships on shared LTL freight and is priced by weight rather than by a full-truck minimum.
How much does a partial move cost compared to a full move?
A partial move typically costs 50 to 70 percent less than a full-service move for the same small load. A bedroom set and a few boxes might run $1,000 to $1,500 for a partial move, versus $3,500 to $5,000 with a van line that charges a weight minimum.
What is a partial DITY move?
A partial DITY, or partially do-it-yourself, move is a military relocation where you move part of your belongings yourself and a carrier ships the rest. Because a partial move is priced by weight, you pay only for what the carrier moves.
Is a shipping company the same as a moving company?
Not always. A moving company relocates a household on a dedicated truck. A shipping company can be a partial move specialist, a freight broker, or a parcel carrier. Confirm which service you are calling before you compare quotes.
When should I use a full-service mover instead of a partial move?
Use a full-service mover for a full two-bedroom home or larger when the load justifies a dedicated truck, and you need a firm delivery date. For anything under about 2,000 pounds, a partial move is usually the better value.
Ship Smart provides partial-move services, packing and shipping a studio, a single room, or a few items across the United States, and charges based on the weight you move rather than a full-truck minimum. To price your load, use the small move cost calculator or see the full small moves service. For a complete walkthrough of planning a small move, read the small move guide.
