Moving to Grad School??

[kayyyyy_]

I may be moving out of state for grad school. This wouldn't just be a 10 hour drive but a jumping across  some states for a move. Has any one done it or have researched it? What's the cheapest way to do it? I was researching PODS but it looks like I would be spending around 2,000. Is that average?

[plume]

I am struggling with the same thing. I was thinking of renting a U-Haul trailer, which would only cost $300. I am not super attached to any of my furniture since they are all thrift store finds, so I am only concerned about moving my mattress and smaller belongings. I think moving with U-Haul, even with hiring people to drive and unload, is less than $2,000.

Edited March 7, 2017 by plume

[plume]

I have done one other big move like this before and have sold my big items before renting trailers or trucks. It depends if you are looking to keep all of your things, of course. Moving is expensive  

[jmk]

For me I'm curious about moving my car. I'm hoping to be able to drive it to my destination, but if I go back East, would want to ship it. 

I plan on getting new furniture wherever I move from Craiglist/Ikea/Goodwill. Moving from my suburb to the city for undergrad (an hour drive) was a pain in itself hahaha. 

[kayyyyy_]

I was thinking of a u-haul trailer too but I have a small sedan so I didn't know if that would work. Also, the idea of it being out at night during the travel scares me (like while we sleep in a hotel). 

[koalalover1]

Have you thought about looking for furnished apartments/places to live?! I ended up moving to my program from another state, and got a furnished place to live in with three other people in the program. This place even had a full sized bed (I have a queen at home, though) so I did not even need to bring the bed. All i brought was my clothes and other necessities, but no heavy furniture because it was already at the new place! My parents drove with me and I loaded up two cars! Did not even rent a U Haul. That's always an option to look into, depending if your program has the housing you are looking for that is furnished! 

Edited March 8, 2017 by koalalover1

[kayyyyy_]

15 minutes ago, koalalover1 said:

Have you thought about looking for furnished apartments/places to live?! I ended up moving to my program from another state, and got a furnished place to live in with three other people in the program. This place even had a full sized bed (I have a queen at home, though) so I did not even need to bring the bed. All i brought was my clothes and other necessities, but no heavy furniture because it was already at the new place! My parents drove with me and I loaded up two cars! Did not even rent a U Haul. That's always an option to look into, depending if your program has the housing you are looking for that is furnished! 

 I haven't seen that option yet, but I would definitely be all for this!

[koalalover1]

10 minutes ago, kayyyyy_ said:

 I haven't seen that option yet, but I would definitely be all for this!

It was for my program! It should say on the apartment website whether or not it's furnished. There were actually multiple apartments that could either be furnished or unfurnished where I go. I feel like it's a pretty common thing, but maybe that's just me? 

If you're unsure, you could definitely call the places you're interested in an ask? Or send emails if you can't find time to call/find that easier. Otherwise I found it really helpful once we had a Facebook page for our class, people that did their undergrad gave helpful info on apartments that were unfurnished versus furnished! Saved a lot of money and time moving heavy furniture, plus I get to live with people from my cohort so I met people right off the bat and pay less in rent a month that I budgeted for!

[twinguy7]

If your needing to ship stuff in boxes, greyhound is the cheapest.  They ship the boxes on the bottom of their buses.  I shipped 30 boxes for like $300.

[tvl]

This is all such great information! I also will be moving a few states over. The idea of taking all my furniture across a few states and bringing it back in 2 years sounds daunting! I am hoping I can somehow get in contact with students who are graduating and want to sell their furniture?? Or possibly just get it off craigslist if all else fails. So many things to think about!!!!

[kayyyyy_]

19 minutes ago, tvl said:

This is all such great information! I also will be moving a few states over. The idea of taking all my furniture across a few states and bringing it back in 2 years sounds daunting! I am hoping I can somehow get in contact with students who are graduating and want to sell their furniture?? Or possibly just get it off craigslist if all else fails. So many things to think about!!!!

That's kinda where I am at too like should I bring my mattress or just buy one out there and weigh out the cost. 

[plume]

23 minutes ago, kayyyyy_ said:

That's kinda where I am at too like should I bring my mattress or just buy one out there and weigh out the cost. 

Mattresses are the hard part. Buying a mattress on Craigslist can be sketchy and you might have to sleep on the floor for a few days until you find one, unless you buy one new.

I will probably bring my mattress, but no other furniture.

[plume]

Where are you all thinking of moving to and where are you moving from? I am thinking I might move from Colorado to Boston. I agree, there are too many things to think about!

[.letmeinplz//]

3 minutes ago, plume said:

Mattresses are the hard part. Buying a mattress on Craigslist can be sketchy and you might have to sleep on the floor for a few days until you find one, unless you buy one new.

I will probably bring my mattress, but no other furniture.

If you are fine with memory foam mattresses, Amazon can ship you one in a relatively small box (vacuum sealed). It is actually pretty fun to watch it transform into a mattress, like some kind of memory foam butterfly.

[plume]

1 minute ago, .letmeinplz// said:

If you are fine with memory foam mattresses, Amazon can ship you one in a relatively small box (vacuum sealed). It is actually pretty fun to watch it transform into a mattress, like some kind of memory foam butterfly.

Oh yeah, someone told me about that! I totally forgot! Sounds convenient.

[kayyyyy_]

14 minutes ago, plume said:

Where are you all thinking of moving to and where are you moving from? I am thinking I might move from Colorado to Boston. I agree, there are too many things to think about!

I haven't decided yet but if I move I could be in the midwest or the east coast and I am from California. 

[Chai Tea Latte]

17 minutes ago, .letmeinplz// said:

If you are fine with memory foam mattresses, Amazon can ship you one in a relatively small box (vacuum sealed). It is actually pretty fun to watch it transform into a mattress, like some kind of memory foam butterfly.

I have one of those! I got mine from Walmart.com for $180 and it's a Queen. It's very comfortable and I will definitely be getting another if I can't find room for the one I currently have in my car.

[tvl]

19 minutes ago, .letmeinplz// said:

If you are fine with memory foam mattresses, Amazon can ship you one in a relatively small box (vacuum sealed). It is actually pretty fun to watch it transform into a mattress, like some kind of memory foam butterfly.

Oh that sounds super cool!!! I am going to look into it. Thank you!!

[tvl]

23 minutes ago, plume said:

Where are you all thinking of moving to and where are you moving from? I am thinking I might move from Colorado to Boston. I agree, there are too many things to think about!

I am from California and most likely moving to Texas (possibly New Mexico but I haven't heard anything from them). This is such an exciting but stressful journey we are all in! 

[thespeechblog.com]

22 hours ago, kayyyyy_ said:

I may be moving out of state for grad school. This wouldn't just be a 10 hour drive but a jumping across  some states for a move. Has any one done it or have researched it? What's the cheapest way to do it? I was researching PODS but it looks like I would be spending around 2,000. Is that average?

I moved internationally for grad school. I left most things behind or sold them. Went first to my parents. I rented a small uhaul (few hundred dollars?) which I filled with thrift store finds and a mattress I "borrowed" from my parents house. They towed it 12 hours for me to where I'm in school.

I'm still acquiring furniture (went 7 months without a kitchen table or anything in my living room). I go to thrift stores, craigslist, yard sales, and I even found a great table to use as a desk next to the dumpster in my apartment complex. You can find tons of good kitchen stuff at thrift stores, also occasionally there are good lamps and chairs. Sometimes things need some TLC, which is a lot of work but also kind of fun. I'm sanding down and repainting that table I mentioned, and I'm recovering some old chairs I also found in the garbage area. They "have good bones" by designer friend says, they just need some TLC. 

[li'lsebastian]

I will be moving from Michigan to either Virginia, New Jersey, North Carolina, or Iowa (though it's looking like Virginia!). I'm hoping to move into a furnished apartment, thankfully UVA has those. 

[SLPsingballs]

On 3/8/2017 at 6:06 PM, li'lsebastian said:

I will be moving from Michigan to either Virginia, New Jersey, North Carolina, or Iowa (though it's looking like Virginia!). I'm hoping to move into a furnished apartment, thankfully UVA has those. 

I see you've been accepted at Radford!  I have too, and was wondering if you have happened to visit the campus or the area?  If I don't get accepted elsewhere (and possibly even if I do get accepted elsewhere), I might be moving from California to Virginia.  I'd love to hear anything about the area/campus/anything.  

[SLPsingballs]

I might be relocating my entire family (husband, 2 kids, a pug, & 3 kitties) from California to Virginia, and I'm terrified (but excited).  I can't even begin to fathom how we'd move a whole house so far.  I keep telling myself the cost of living is SOOOOOOoooooo much cheaper later on, and it's really pretty.  

If anyone plans on renting a U-Haul truck, it is cheaper to rent a Budget truck.  We did that when we moved in-state (NorCal to SoCal).    

[kayyyyy_]

8 hours ago, SLPsingballs said:

I might be relocating my entire family (husband, 2 kids, a pug, & 3 kitties) from California to Virginia, and I'm terrified (but excited).  I can't even begin to fathom how we'd move a whole house so far.  I keep telling myself the cost of living is SOOOOOOoooooo much cheaper later on, and it's really pretty.  

If anyone plans on renting a U-Haul truck, it is cheaper to rent a Budget truck.  We did that when we moved in-state (NorCal to SoCal).    

What school in virginia? Congrats!

[SLPsingballs]

2 hours ago, kayyyyy_ said:

What school in virginia? Congrats!

Radford University!  Thanks!