Long distance moving, and funding it.

[perpetuavix]

My long distance move story: I knew my spouse and I were moving across country (NY to WA) and looked at many of the options people have already suggested here. When I looked at my gmail, there was a banner ad for cheap moving services. I clicked the link, which was not for a specific company but sent my info to many, many moving companies. I got a bunch of phone calls and emails over the next day. Some of them were not very useful, but we easily got at least 8 quotes from different companies. We called the cheapest company ($1400 to move 300 cf across the country). We ended up going with them. Ultimately, we moved more stuff (probably about 450 cf, which included a bed, futon, dresser, 2 bookshelves, table, 4 chairs, chest, desk, vacuum, and about 50 boxes) for just over $2000. I had a moving stipend from my department to help pay for it. But the majority of the quotes we got were for less than any other option. There are A LOT of budget moving companies out there that are trying to undercut each other. Some of them are really terrible (check BBB) and all of them will try and find ways to make you pay more through various fees. The one we used gave us a big runaround on moving day because the inventory we had submitted online to guarantee our quote was binding (ie I was supposed to magically be able to correctly estimate the number of boxes I needed to move before I moved them, and since we had more boxes than I originally thought, they told us they would only take the number I had said. That was not fun, but we worked it out). When we moved into our place on this end of the country, the guy who moved our stuff into the building tried to charge us for four flights of stairs, because even though we live on the third floor (ie up to flights) each flight is divided into two, so there's four landings. He did not prevail in getting me to pay that. But as long as you ask repeatedly about the fees and make sure you understand what you're agreeing to, it ended up being both cheaper and less work on our part to use a real moving company. 

 

These websites seem similar to what I used to get multiple quotes:

http://www.moving.com/movers/moving-company-quotes.asp

https://www.unpakt.com/

[brown_eyed_girl]

I'll be moving to NY from CA in the fall, so I'm currently considering all these issues. I kinda wish that I could just sell everything and start over, but while I don't have a lot of furniture, I have accumulated nice pieces over the years. I couldn't afford to replace everything all at once with items of comparable quality. Plus, since I won't have a car in New York I'm assuming it will be harder to purchase a lot of bigger pieces there (compared to CA, where if something doesn't fit in your car you usually can find a friend with a truck to help you haul a great craigslist find). I'd love thoughts from anyone who has done a cross-country move like this. Since some items are antiques/somewhat fragile, my current feeling is that I'd like to rent a truck and do it myself (with family/friend assistance, most likely). If anyone has done this and has suggestions, keep em coming!  

[sackofcrap]

I will be moving for graduate school one way or the other. Currently, I live in a dorm, so I don't own very much to begin with. I am tentatively planning to just pack all of my stuff in a few suitcases and fly with it. Everything that I have that is too big to fit (such as pillows or my cheap microwave) can pretty easily be replaced once I get there.

[Icecream]

Thanks for the info, Shadowclaw and everyone.  I have 3 small kids so while I might choose to get rid of a fair amount of furniture, there's a certain minimum I'm thinking I need (table to eat at, a bed per kid, a few dressers, etc.) I'm thinking maybe a U-Haul enclosed trailer behind my minivan, though I have to check the weight capacity of my van.  And wondering if that makes it hard to drive!! Any experience with minivans and trailers?

[Shamrock_Frog]

Thanks for the info, Shadowclaw and everyone.  I have 3 small kids so while I might choose to get rid of a fair amount of furniture, there's a certain minimum I'm thinking I need (table to eat at, a bed per kid, a few dressers, etc.) I'm thinking maybe a U-Haul enclosed trailer behind my minivan, though I have to check the weight capacity of my van.  And wondering if that makes it hard to drive!! Any experience with minivans and trailers?

 

I know my parents made a cross country move and used a moving truck and towed their car behind them. It took days to get from Texas to Indiana. This was before kids. And in the 70s. They had to go like 50 mph the entire way. If you map the route now it's supposedly only about 17-18 hours to drive. But they also had a dog and a couple of cats with them.

 

Sorry this isn't much of a help.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Shamrock_Frog

[shadowclaw]

I know my parents made a cross country move and used a moving truck and towed their car behind them. It took days to get from Texas to Indiana. This was before kids. And in the 70s. They had to go like 50 mph the entire way. If you map the route now it's supposedly only about 17-18 hours to drive. But they also had a dog and a couple of cats with them.

 

Sorry this isn't much of a help.

Driving with cats will be interesting. It kind of limits the number of hours we can spend on the road. Most of the advice on traveling with cats says to leave them in their carriers all day and let them out in the hotel room, since they will be too freaked out to use the box or eat while in the car. So that means we can't really try plowing through and go 16 hours straight before stopping.

[Chiqui74]

I'm moving pretty far and have a house so we have a lot of crap to get rid off and to move.  We plan to have some yard sales so that not all is lost.  We also have to sell our house so that's another hurdle I hate right now, but it should cover the expense of moving the things we want to keep.  Thankfully, we also have some savings .

Edited March 12, 2015 by Chiqui74

[Sarochan]

Driving with cats will be interesting. It kind of limits the number of hours we can spend on the road. Most of the advice on traveling with cats says to leave them in their carriers all day and let them out in the hotel room, since they will be too freaked out to use the box or eat while in the car. So that means we can't really try plowing through and go 16 hours straight before stopping.

When my family moved from OR to WA with 3 cats (only 7 ~ 8ish hours, so this may not be helpful/applicable), our vet gave us a prescription for cat Valium. That definitely helped with their anxiety levels during the drive, which (I hope!) made the moving process easier for them. I don't know if this is useful information for your situation, though....

[ashiepoo72]

I'm just starting to research moving costs now, but I've used thumbtack.com to get quotes before and had good experiences. You submit your request for whatever you want (I initially used it for my would-be wedding, but you can enter pretty much any request), and competitors vie for your business so it drives the quotes down. I just submitted one for a long-distance mover so I don't know if it'll be successful, but it's a nice website because it'll search your particular area for vendors--even if it doesn't work out for me, it could for you.

[DTY]

I've had the most luck using traditional moving services - I moved across the country twice, both times with one bedroom apartment's worth of stuff. Each time I spent about $1000 - I got estimates online and paid for square footage in a moving truck. The downside is you might have to wait for a week or two to get your stuff, the upside is that it's cheaper than the DIY options I investigated and I just invested in insurance in case of careless movers.

[Crucial BBQ]

I will be moving from Texas to Indiana this summer for grad school. Did any of you make such a long move? How did you pay for it? I'm starting to get nervous about the logistics of it. I have a lot of "old" furniture so I plan on donating and not taking it with me. I have an old car but I might sell it and just drive up in a rental. (I have an old jeep but people offer to buy it all the time, so I shouldn't have much of a problem selling it).

 

What did you guys use to move? Ship anything or drive it up?

 

Just curious.

I've made a few long-haul moves in my life.  I just got a U-Haul, Penski, etc. How did I pay for it?  Out of my own pocket.  I've always worked, though, since high school and even full time while attending college full time.  I've always paid my own way since I left home.  Getting a loan seems strange to me.  Why not just use a credit card?  If you can get a loan, you can get a card.  Probably better rates, too.  

 

You know, I just kind of assumed I'd rent a a Uhaul and drive all of my stuff to wherever I may be moving. My husband and I don't actually have a ton of stuff, and the biggest thing is my queen size matress.

Though I haven't been accepted yet, my two most likely acceptances would be in Oregon and Florida. I live in Pennsylvania. I just looked up the price of Uhauls, and even the smallest truck would be over $3000 to take it to Oregon. Florida is much more affordable, with the 10' truck at $890 and the 15' at about $1000.

I'm pretty sure it would be more economical to bring all of our stuff to Florida, but I don't think the same is true for Oregon. The only issue is that I'm not sure we could really mail his insulator collection, and there's no way he'll leave it behind.

Eh, speaking solely from experience I will bet that you have way more stuff than you think.   Way more.  Looking around it might not seem like much but when it comes time to pack you will wonder "where did all of this stuff come from!".  

[Crucial BBQ]

I agree wholeheartedly if you have old/used furniture that have low resale value. I see that people here who suggest using U-Haul here are spending more than $1K to move everything that they need. I spent $850 ($500 1-way ticket + $350 shipping) to move coast-to-coast, from an international (but small) airport to a regional hub. If I were flying out from and to an international airport, it would be even cheaper. In terms of furniture, I initially got used furniture for free, which saves a lot of money. In the end, I spent no more than $500 for new furniture so I guess the total was about $1350 but I saved a lot of time.

I suppose it depends on how much stuff you have and its value to you.  I own some items that I would just not trust to be delivered.  With a U-Haul at least I know where they are and that they are safe.  Plus there is no waiting around for the items to be delivered, they arrive when I arrive.  For me the extra money is worth the piece of mind and convenience. 

 

As far as new furniture, I would check out yard sales, estate sales, Ikea, Craigslist, free cycle, and even thrift stores.  

[Shamrock_Frog]

I'm just starting to research moving costs now, but I've used thumbtack.com to get quotes before and had good experiences. You submit your request for whatever you want (I initially used it for my would-be wedding, but you can enter pretty much any request), and competitors vie for your business so it drives the quotes down. I just submitted one for a long-distance mover so I don't know if it'll be successful, but it's a nice website because it'll search your particular area for vendors--even if it doesn't work out for me, it could for you.

Thanks I'll check it out!

[ToomuchLes]

Extremely late...

 

I managed to reserve a 5x8 Uhaul trailer from CA to IN for $549. I need to install a hitch on my Jeep (you'd expect a standard Jeep to have one .. >.>), and I found a place that'll do it for $130 (still doing research on this). Uhaul also provides insurance between $80-130, but I havent decided on which one I'll use. Estimating the ceiling cost of food, we'll say $200; motel (possibly 3-4 nights) for $300; and gas (again, this is an estimated cap) for $400; my moving costs to IN will be somewhere in the ballpark of $1,500 - 2,000. 

 

I looked a shipping containers, and the possibility of selling my car here and buying one there or shipping my car, and these options cost over 3K. The drive is 2068 miles, and about 29 hours (gawd...) but at least I get to see the country.

[WhatAmIDoingNow]

I will be moving from Texas to Indiana this summer for grad school. Did any of you make such a long move? How did you pay for it? I'm starting to get nervous about the logistics of it. I have a lot of "old" furniture so I plan on donating and not taking it with me. I have an old car but I might sell it and just drive up in a rental. (I have an old jeep but people offer to buy it all the time, so I shouldn't have much of a problem selling it).

 

What did you guys use to move? Ship anything or drive it up?

 

Just curious.

 

It really depends on what you want to keep.  I know people who just flew to their destination with bags of important items and bought everything they needed at Ikea, paying the flat delivery rate ($89). 

 

My spouse and I have a lot of things we have accumulated and want to keep, along with a dog and two vehicles.  We will need at least one vehicle so we plan to have me load up my car, he load up his truck and rent a trailer.  We keep what fits and drive across country. We will sell one of our vehicles once we get there if we discover we do not need one. Having them gives us flexibility on where we live as we get established. 

Edited April 1, 2015 by WhatAmIDoingNow

[AuldReekie]

I guess there are some advantages to being limited to 2 bags on a transatlantic flight!

[Icecream]

Looks like I'm moving to IN from CA this summer as well.  Driving a minivan with my kids and a friend to help out.  Think I'm selling a bunch of stuff, and then hopefully getting a U-Haul trailer to put the rest in.  Hopefully this will work well... Have to research if the hauling will put a strain on my car.  Anyone know anything about this?

[shadowclaw]

I don't know a ton about cars, but I do know that exceeding your vehicle's two capacity is a bad idea. It causes your engine to overheat (which will eventually cause damage), it can cause excessive wear or flat out ruin your tires, and your brakes could easily fail on you. So when picking out a trailer, you need to make sure you don't exceed the towing capacity. Also keep in mind that towing capacity includes the weight of the trailer, the stuff in the trailer, plus everything inside the actual car (including passengers).

I think for many cars (especially the small fuel efficient ones), a trailer wouldn't be worth it because you can't get a very big trailer. For example, my car's towing capacity is 1000 pounds, and the small 4x8 uHaul cargo trailers weigh 850 pounds empty. Add two passengers to the car and we're already over towing capacity. In contrast, a Subaru Outback has a towing capacity of 3000 pounds, which would allow you to stuff the car with cargo and tow a reasonable amount behind it.

Edit - I see now that you have a minivan and not a car. Minivans seem to be around the 3000 range. You might still be limited in how much big stuff you can bring (because you'll need a bigger, heavier trailer to accommodate large dimensions), but you can transport a lot of smaller stuff.

Edited April 6, 2015 by shadowclaw

[WhatAmIDoingNow]

Looks like I'm moving to IN from CA this summer as well.  Driving a minivan with my kids and a friend to help out.  Think I'm selling a bunch of stuff, and then hopefully getting a U-Haul trailer to put the rest in.  Hopefully this will work well... Have to research if the hauling will put a strain on my car.  Anyone know anything about this?

 

You can google the towing capacity of your make, model, and year.  Uhaul has the empty weight of their trailers on their website.  The largest trailer is 1920lbs.  

 

I would also check out the elevation changes and any mountain passes you may have to cross. High elevation can take a toll on your care, if it isn't set up for high elevation performance and you have added weight. 

[Icecream]

Thanks, I have a 2009 Honda Odyssey which I *think* has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs.  Think I'll call the dealership maybe, and ask their opinion?  I will have 5 passengers total, plus the trailer, so sounds like I shouldn't plan on towing too much (esp since I have a lot of books.)  Maybe I'll ship some of the books... Also sounds like I need to get some kind of hitch attached... Somehow that sounds complicated!

[rising_star]

Getting a hitch installed actually isn't complicated. Your mechanic should be able to do it or, if not, there are some U-Haul centers that will install it for a charge.

 

For books, shipping via media mail isn't a bad idea. I moved my books cross-country that way and it was pretty affordable. Just don't use giant boxes so you don't hurt yourself or a postal worker.

[ToomuchLes]

Don't pay U-haul to do it!! They're very expensive and charge you extra to install lights for your trailer. Find a local shop, or check with your dealership (they also might be expensive, but check anyways)

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

I'm glad this thread got revived. I'm most likely moving several states away (or possibly from one coast to another) and I am concerned about the transition. I'm hoping to find a furnished place so I don't have to bring/buy any furniture, but I have a ton of electronics (I stream and have a lot of equipment for it) and I'm not sure how long it might take to move my books (or if I should leave most of them behind for now). I expect, either way, it will take me several bags (more than I'm allowed on an airplane) to make the move.

[Concordia]

You can usually put an extra bag in the hold, but it will be expensive since you're competing with Fedex for that space.  It may end up being cheaper to rent a car or minivan for a few days to do the move.  

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Thanks @Concordia! That's definitely something to consider.  Wherever I'm moving, I'll need clothes for winter so those will also take a lot of room.