Moving Across the Country

[skybythelight]

This may be common knowledge, but it's news to me: a website that pulls rental listings from Craigslist, ApartmentFinder, Postlets, Rent.com, PadLister, etc., and maps them:

 

https://www.padmapper.com/

This is great, thanks!

I'm also looking at a major move, from Rhode Island to either Colorado or Washington. It'll be my boyfriend and I and our chihuahua. Yikes.

Does anyone have any experience with renting a trailer from UHaul or another moving service? We're thinking that we aren't taking enough furniture to warrant renting a truck and are hoping that the few things we do want to take along will fit in a small trailer that my boyfriend's car can tow.

[asleepawake]

I've found hotpads.com to be a really great site for finding rentals - it has a really fantastic mapping system.

[Porridge]

Does any one have any experience looking for and signing up for appartments while you're still abroad?

 

ETA: I'm also bringing my pets as well.

Edited March 27, 2013 by Porridge

[jrockford27]

I've been exploring this, and Budget is definitely cheaper than UHAUL or Penske.  I'm sure that it comes at some loss in quality or customer service, but those things might be secondary to those of us trying to move on a shoestring budget.

[AurantiacaStella]

Be warned, though, you will spend so much money on gas and tolls with a truck that you drive yourself. I way underestimated the cost of my move last time when I used a Budget truck.

[thatjewishgirl]

We're using a realtor - apparently they do rentals. We have 3 dogs. Glad we're only moving ten hours away! Though forced to go through Dallas traffic, what a nightmare.

[skybythelight]

We'll probably go through a realtor as well... I'd feel more comfortable that way than going through Craigslist without being able to see the place first.

[Cactus Ed]

We'll probably go through a realtor as well... I'd feel more comfortable that way than going through Craigslist without being able to see the place first.

 

Great idea... I'd never thought of a realtor for a rental.

Edited March 28, 2013 by Cactus Ed

[skybythelight]

Ha! I only ask because my wife has consented to supporting me, the mooching academic, through my PhD program. My paltry stipend will not compare to her earnings, so she'll probably exercise some kind of absolute power over my every purchase/financial choice ...

 

But that's OK, because I'll be doing what I want to do

I think this probably was supposed to be in the other thread, but I'm glad you guys have it worked out too! I feel really lucky that I have a partner willing to support this crazy dream I have, financially and otherwise.

[thatjewishgirl]

Yeah, go for a realtor! When we visited Baton Rouge, we spoke to a few people who had done it. They also moved from out of town: set up times to see a few places and signed a lease that day, the realtor takes care of everything. If anyone else is moving to Baton Rouge, I've got some numbers.

[ProfLorax]

Let's talk specifics: what is everyone's favorite route? I have only driven as far as Utah and Arizona, so I am fairly unfamiliar with the interstate system. We are thinking of going US50 because it goes from CA to Maryland and it sounds pretty, although 80 offers a faster and more direct route. 

[skybythelight]

I think we're going 80 for most of our drive. We have a bunch of things we want to see: the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone. I mapped out a route with most of our tentative stops last night, but I'm having a hard time deciding how long I want to spend in each city/destination. We don't have a set amount of time for the drive, but obviously the longer we take the more nights we have to sleep somewhere. We're considering camping a few nights to save some cash.

[rising_star]

FYI- Do not use Uhaul for truck rentals long distance. Google it if you want. But everyone I know that has used Uhaul for anything other than an in-town move has some sort of disaster story. One of my closest friends still gets angry thinking about the time she was stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere Texas when the Uhaul broke down and the company didn't want to send anyone to pick them up or tow the truck.

[ProfLorax]

In preparation for the big move, I cut my book collection in half. I want to feel triumphant, but then I bought like ten books this past week. Sigh.

[BrookeSnow]

Is anyone going to ship stuff and fly? I only have me, no car and a minimal amount of stuff ( the apartment I found is furnished). Has shipping stuff worked for anyone?

[kayrabbit]

In preparation for the big move, I cut my book collection in half. I want to feel triumphant, but then I bought like ten books this past week. Sigh.

I'm planning to get rid of a lot of stuff before the move, but books are one thing I'm hoping not to reduce. I actually had to buy 10 books for one literary criticism and theory course a couple weeks ago as well, so they're only increasing! I guess we'll see how it all works out once we start boxing things up.

[Two Espressos]

So, what's the consensus on the best way to move stuff across the country?  Uhaul?  Upack?  I don't have tons of money to throw around.  I'm moving from PA to NC, by the way.

[dazedandbemused]

I've heard good things about shipping by Amtrak. I'm really hoping not to spend a ton of money on the move either, so I'm going to call next week to find out the specifics. I'll post here if I find out anything good.

[AurantiacaStella]

I think it might actually be cheaper to get rid of all your big furniture -- unless you have something especially valuable -- and ship your books and other essentials, and then buy new stuff when you arrive. Or get a furnished apt.

Two Espressos, I am moving several hundred miles further than you will be and UPack is costing me a little over 2K. UHaul and Budget would probably cost the same after tolls and gas. The thing about driving a truck yourself is that there are a lot if hidden costs. If my parents had not helped me two years ago I do not know what I would have done because I really underestimated the cost of driving a truck across the country. At least with the cube/pod systems, you have a set amount that you know you will pay.

[yellow.wallpaper]

What about those who are moving from another country to the United States?

 

I literally have no idea what to do. :/

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

What about those who are moving from another country to the United States?

 

I literally have no idea what to do. :/

I guess moving from another country is easier than moving from within the US. I experienced living in the US for one year and it makes your life much easier when you know that you can only pack 2 suitcases of your favorite clothes, important little things that you use all the time and can't live without, in addition to some of your books. You'll have to rent a furnished apt or start with the basics until you're settled. So, you don't have to drive across the country with all your stuff and worry about time and money, you just leave it to the airline company. My two cents

[sebastiansteddy]

Oh wow. I sort of just realized that if I end up at a CA school I will be moving from coast to coast... That aspect of this didn't really hit me until now.

[kurayamino]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm resurrecting this thread because.. well I was up until 2am worrying about moving coast to coast. There's some helpful information in here that others might find useful. Also, it would be good to start discussing strategies if we come up with alternatives to what has been suggested.

[RoundandRoundAgain]

When I moved from California to Boston in 2013, I ditched all my furniture and most of my books so I had several boxes of clothes and my most valuable books plus a few electronics. We rented a 7 person passenger van and drove 3 of us plus all my stuff and 2 cats across country for under $1500. I bought a bed and other furniture when I arrived. Ultimately, it wasn't less expensive than PODs or a uHaul, but I was worried about transporting my cats since I didn't want to fly them out which meant we would be driving out either way. The passenger van also ensured that someone could sit next to the cats and play with them and keep an eye on them.  

 

For cat-friendly hotels, La Quintas are the best. We found that the cats lasted about 9 or 10 hours with frequent breaks and once they started whining, we looked for the closest La Quinta and stayed there for the night. It was delightful to be super flexible in terms of where we stayed and if you're traveling with pets, I think it's better to be not overly plan your trip. You may also want to look into vets at the other end of the trip just in case - one of my babies got sick from the trip so we had to take her to vet. 

[hypervodka]

I haven't thought carefully about the logistics... but I was planning on either subletting or AirBnbing (as long as there's Wifi) for about a month during the summer while looking for a place. I'm going to be one of those two suitcase and a carry-on people, and buy some furniture when I find a place.