3 Services Like Taskrabbit to Help You Move in Chicago

You can see tight parking and icy stairwells everywhere, so an easy move feels stressful in Chicago. When you’re hauling couches, everything feels ten times heavier under a sky that never seems to warm up. You have to fight chilly lake-effect winds and tackle buildings without elevators. Ever find yourself circling the block longer than it takes to load your last box?

It can turn a hard day into a real headache. You can get upfront quotes, truck access, and flexible scheduling from on-demand helpers like Dolly, Laborhutt, and GoShare, and that lets you plan your costs with confidence. They make the moving day bearable – each one comes with insurance coverage, clear rates that keep you on budget, and a truck sized for studio to three-bedroom loads.

These services aim to smooth your move across the Windy City. But you’ll still want to compare how one works against another. Double-check pricing, truck size, and scheduling features before you pick a helper for your place. Why wait when you can book online in minutes?

Ready to find the best match?

What’s Wrong With TaskRabbit?

Nothing is wrong with TaskRabbit – it works just fine for quick jobs. But it can leave you hanging when you need to move an entire apartment. My neighbor ran into that last June when he couldn’t find anyone during the summer rush. The stress can add up fast. You’d think summer has unlimited help. Yet slots filled up in days.

Moving costs in Chicago swing up and down with demand. You can see helpers charging $25 one week and $45 an hour the next. Rates spike enough to eat into your budget. The cheapest movers fill up weeks ahead and leave you scrambling for last-minute help. Check the local listings, too, so you have more options.

TaskRabbit helpers don’t have trucks or vans. That forces you to rent separate transportation. You could hire someone great at lifting, only to spend extra time and money tracking down a rental. If you’re on a tight schedule, that extra step can wreck your timeline. We’ve all been there before.

TaskRabbit’s coverage can also leave some gaps. They give you basic protection. But it won’t cover breakage on valuable pieces. Some services provide full insurance for high-value items. Don’t wait until moving day to read the policy.

A good moving service shows the costs upfront, so you won’t hit surprise fees. It lines up the transport and brings background-checked helpers right when you need them. That way, you only need to make one call instead of juggling multiple services – it’s a weight off your shoulders. It saves you time and keeps everything easy. Chicago throws a few curveballs – the city has unpredictable weather. You’ll also find narrow elevators in older buildings, strict street parking laws, and helpers who know these quirks and can work around them. Don’t let the city’s quirks trip you up – plan for each obstacle ahead of time. The right team sure can turn a stressful move into a smooth day.

1. Dolly

You can get local truck owners in Chicago to help with your move whenever you need it, day or night. Dolly (which is owned by TaskRabbit, believe it or not) lets you pick a time and date, then quickly matches you with nearby Helpers who have a pickup or box truck. These independent drivers live in your neighborhood, so they know the alleys, one-way streets, and loading zones that can slow outsiders down. Scheduling stays easy, whether your move is down the block or clear across town.

Getting started only takes a few minutes from start to finish. Download the Dolly app or visit the website, set up your account in seconds, and enter what you need to be moved and when. You’ll see the total price first, mileage included, before you confirm anything. The final total shows up instantly. No surprise fees, ever.

No one enjoys lugging furniture around, and you can quit bribing friends with deep-dish pizza or cold beer to haul that sectional sofa. Dolly covers any local job, from apartment moves to large store deliveries. Helpers can swing by to pick up the dresser you found on Craigslist or drop your old couch at a donation center, so the whole process feels like having strong friends on speed dial right when you need them. They show up with moving blankets, straps, and dollies, ready to protect your stuff and your walls.

One hard-working couple moved a couch from Logan Square to Uptown in under an hour, a pace that defied city traffic and helped the app earn a 4.8-star rating. Users rave about how easy it is to book and how honest the costs stay. Every helper passes a background check, and your items are protected against damage at no extra charge. You can track your helper in real time, see their location on a map, and message them if plans change, so there are no more awkward “where are you?” texts – you stay up to date every step of the way.

Book early if your date isn’t flexible because end-of-month rushes fill up fast. Remember to factor in any fees for extra stairs or tight parking while checking the promotions page for discount codes from Dolly’s furniture store partners at checkout.

2. Laborhutt

You can get some neighbors with pickup trucks, vans, or box trucks bidding on your move when you use Laborhutt. Just post what you need to move and watch local helpers compete for your job.

You just wait for the bids to roll in. But the process pays off. The Chicago suburbs are full of truck owners happy to earn extra cash, so you find lower rates. When you move, costs add up fast. A reverse auction kicks in when you describe your Ravenswood apartment cleanout or Lincoln Park furniture delivery in detail. Helpers send bids based on their availability and your preferences, and then you pick the best match.

You’ll get some insurance coverage with every booking, so your move stays protected. That bit of protection puts your mind at ease on a moving day. You can also filter the helpers by their rating to find someone reliable for your job. The whole process feels smooth from start to finish.

Prices rise during snowstorms or busy weekends – that’s supply and demand at work in the Windy City. But your patience pays off with Laborhutt.

My friend had a helper with a padded truck for almost half of what the traditional movers quoted when she needed to move an antique dresser from an Andersonville estate sale. You’ll get a personal experience because your helper might live just blocks away. They know the Chicago traffic patterns inside out – even which streets to avoid during the Cubs games. Those connections make the difference.

You’ll see your first bids within 15 to 30 minutes, so Laborhutt works great for last-minute moving emergencies. Give it a try.

3. GoShare

You can choose the right vehicle whether you’re moving across Chicago or just a few blocks away. GoShare has SUVs for smaller loads, cargo vans for mid-size hauls, and box trucks when you need more room. That range works great for business deliveries and home moves alike. Why settle for a ride that’s too big? You’ll dodge traffic delays in Pilsen’s narrow alleys or the Loop’s crowded streets by picking the right size truck. You still have bigger options if you’re heading to the suburbs. Ready to choose the perfect ride?

You can track your move in real-time and stay calm while your things move across town. When Maria needed to move her boutique inventory from Pilsen to Fulton Market last month, she booked a cargo van through GoShare, followed the driver’s progress live, and wrapped up in under three hours. She saved time and avoided problems. Why worry when you can watch?

You get extra security with tiered insurance options to protect your things. Better safe than sorry. That helps when Chicago traffic puts your expensive furniture or business gear in danger. It’s one less thing to worry about. You’ll pay more for box trucks and face minimum booking times during busy periods. That makes sense, given the space. But you’ll want to factor it into your budget.

You could run into surge pricing during the festival season. Plan ahead if you need a move during Lollapalooza or the Taste of Chicago so you don’t end up paying those premium rates. Festival weekends always squeeze capacity.

You can set up your standard inventory transfers in the app without hiring extra drivers. Chicago businesses use GoShare for that. That convenience keeps their operations humming. Just schedule the recurring runs or one-time drops, and you’re all set.

Quick Comparison Of The Features

Dolly feels like calling a buddy, a real friend who owns a pickup truck. When you move, it rarely goes as planned. With Dolly, you can request a truck and a helper, and they’ll show up ready to haul your furniture or boxes straight to your new place. Prices start around $60 for small moves, and about half the time, you can book same-day help in Chicago. Bought a couch off Facebook Marketplace and need it picked up? Give Dolly a try today and cross that task off the list.

You call the shots on Laborhutt by posting exactly what you need to move. Helpers in Chicago send you their bids, and you choose the rate that works for you. You can even post photos so bidders see what they’ll be lifting, squeezing, or hauling down the stairs. That friendly competition trims your cost. You may spend a little more time waiting for bids. But that extra planning saves you solid money at the end of the day.

GoShare handles the bigger moves with trucks and vans ready to roll all over the metro area. You can pick the precise size vehicle you need. Moving out of a studio apartment? Choose the smallest truck and keep things simple. Tackling a three-bedroom house packed to the rafters? Reserve the full-size rig and know you’ll have room to spare. You can also track the driver on the map from the second they accept, watching that little icon inch toward your door. That extra bit of security helps on a long, exhausting day.

Each service fits a different need, and quality movers are worth every dollar. Dolly shines when you only need to haul one or two items. Planning a whole-home move? Laborhutt lets you stack the bids side by side and pick your crew with confidence. Want an easy rental with a solid truck and a capable driver? GoShare sits in the middle and has you covered from the first box to the last.

You’ll find faster help downtown than in the outer neighborhoods because distance, traffic, and where the helpers live all matter. They like to stay near the city center, so you may wait longer if you’re farther out. The clock ticks slower on moving days, so try booking earlier when you’re on the edges of town and spare yourself an afternoon of thumb-twiddling.

Why wait when you can lock in someone nearby?

Need Junk Relief?

When you take a few extra minutes to check out your moving options, it gives you a smoother experience. You’ll feel less stress when you pick a service that matches your budget and timeline. Who wants to spend a moving day grappling with boxes and heavy furniture anyway? It’s a real relief when you skip tracking every moving-day detail. Choose a proven platform instead of doing it all yourself, and you’ll buy yourself good security while skipping that heart-pounding moving-day rush, and your back will thank you.

When you compare Dolly, Laborhutt, and GoShare, you can quickly see how each one works with common moving tasks in this city. You might need a quick pickup for a single couch, help loading a rental truck, or a full-service move. These can turn your anxiety into confidence. They can also speed up your timeline. You could even tuck away a few extra dollars for a celebratory deep-dish slice. Check out their features, prices, and booking steps to plan your move around your life, and if this guide helped you find the right fit, bookmark it and share your moving stories in the comments so others can learn from your smooth days and unexpected detours.

At Junk Relief, we proudly bring nearly 20 years of junk removal work right to Chicago. You’ll get clear pricing upfront when we manage everything from household clutter to industrial waste – real relief. We use green disposal practices by choosing to recycle or donate items whenever possible. You can book online or give us a call and have our friendly junk experts do the heavy lifting with fast, same-day service.