Author Topic: Moving cost effectively  (Read 16655 times)

LAL

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Moving cost effectively
« on: March 22, 2015, 06:11:01 AM »
Do you guys have advice, tips, suggestions on how to move cost efficiently on your own dime?  We are moving cross country East to West Coast.  2 adults, 2 kids, and a dog with 2 cars and we aren't coming back. 

Obviously we are purging a lot of stuff since we are trying to currently sell our house and deciding what goes with us because some will go into storage, some will stay with the house, and some will stay with house but be thrown away when we are ready to leave.

So do we move using movers?  Rent an truck and drive ourselves?  Do we use PODS?

Some pertinent details we won't have a job where we are moving too.  We'll be renting an apartment.  Probably a 2 bd and leaving a 3 bd townhouse. 

Do we sell things like our beds and furniture? Do we move our couch and dinner table?  What and how do we decide or what are people's experiences going through stuff like that.

Paul der Krake

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2015, 07:21:18 AM »
I helped a friend move from coast to coast last summer. His family consisted of him, his wife, two cars, one cat, and two young kids. Just like you.

Here's what they did, with the cost breakdown:

- enlist the help of two friends (including yours truly) who wanted to see the great American continent (free!)
- rent the largest moving truck from Penske (way better than U-Haul), along with a car trailer ($2400)
- purchase CB radios to communicate between the vehicles ($200)
- pack up house and put everything in the truck, send kids and wife to stay with family for a few days
- put car #1 on trailer, and have someone drive car #2 alongside the truck
- start driving, leaving kids and wife behind, rotating between drivers every couple hours. CB radios make your life a breeze when it comes to organizing stops, or even just idle chatter.
- keep convoy speed around 55mph to save on fuel (around $2000 in total fuel costs, this was when diesel was over $4/g)
- sleep in a combination of shitty motels and nice chain hotels with points (maybe $30 a night?)

... a couple days later...

- put wife and kids on plane to arrive when the convoy is due to reach the destination ($1000)
- thank aforementioned two friends and put them on a plane back home ($700)

All in all, they spent 4k less than it would have cost to go with the cheapest movers' quote.

In case you're wondering how big of a truck $2500 will get you, see the picture attached. It's kind of horrifying that a regular license lets anyone drive one of these things. Remember to use engine braking on steep inclines.


Spudd

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2015, 07:30:27 AM »
Instead of CB radios you can buy those 2-way radios, much cheaper and as long as you stay within a reasonable distance they'll still work.

I've never moved such a long distance so I don't have much to offer in that department. You'll definitely want to sell/give away anything you won't need in your new place, this will save you effort and money. As to whether to bring couches/etc, I'd say if they are still in good condition and you'll be happy using them for 5 more years, bring them. If they're starting to be on their last legs, leave them. We're moving in less than 2 weeks (ack!) and I am very on the fence about whether to bring our couch or not. I'm thinking we will leave it till the end, and if it fits in the truck, bring it. Otherwise it's toast.

thedayisbrave

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2015, 08:21:51 AM »
I would definitely rent a truck and move yourself (along with willing friends) over hiring movers.  The latter make it so much easier but the cost savings is worth it.  I spent $250 to move within my state while I was getting quotes from movers for $950-$1500. 

I also got rid of stuff, which helped make the moving easier.  Anything that would be cheaper to buy new rather than move could potentially be sold or gotten rid of.

frugaliknowit

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2015, 08:55:21 AM »
Not to be a "party pooper", I would be more concerned about moving your family somewhere with no job.  Don't do it.

Noodle

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2015, 09:02:45 AM »
Interestingly, some years ago when I priced move-yourself vs. a mover, with my volume of belongings it was cheaper to use the professional movers (it was a year when fuel was very high, and even the movers' fuel surcharge cost less than buying it for the truck would have.) I let the moving companies know that I needed to save money (it was a layoff situation) and they were very helpful at suggesting things like moving before Memorial Day and being flexible with the pick-up date so that a mover on another run could get my things. So I think it is worth it to get some quotes.

An acquaintance of mine rented the truck and drove himself, but hired local movers at both ends to get things in and out of the apartments. If you are short of friends and family who like to lift furniture, that could be a solution. I would also put the word out that you are looking for boxes--check craigslist, freecycle or if you have a neighborhood network or Facebook page. You might also try going to the local recycling center and keeping an eye out for people who are bringing in boxes. On my last move when I was recycling the cardboard, I ran into another woman who was moving and delighted to take some of the boxes home.

Le Poisson

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2015, 09:04:47 AM »
Another vote for renting a truck. We have better luck with Penske than U-Haul (U-Haul has left us hanging, given us poorly maintained vehicles, etc.) Penske's trucks come with hydraulic liftgates that make moving heavy items on and off the truck a breeze. I ended up moving the piano on my own to get it into the new house - I am a scrawny office geek who doesn't work out. If you have a piano or other heavy stuff to move watch some piano moving videos on youtube. Its not that hard once physics are applied.

We have leaned on family a number of times for moving help, and I won't do it anymore. Too stressful when there are too many chiefs and not enough workers. For the last move, we called a local minister (we are not religious) and asked him if he had any parishoners that could use $100 - and described the sorts of things we would be moving (including a piano). On the outbound end we got a guy who was built like a tank, had recently lost his job, and was happy to work for the money. On the inbound end, we got a college kid who was ill-suited to the task, but at least could move boxes.

Going through a church at least you have people who are reputable enough that the priest would recommend them. dunno if you would get the same through CL. Whoever you hire will know everything that is in your house.

Our one time hiring movers, we had one of the helpers sharing stories about his prison time, and were extorted for extra money before they would open the truck. We won't hire again. Its not that hard to shunt boxes onto a truck.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2015, 09:09:25 AM by Prospector »

Paul der Krake

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2015, 09:39:50 AM »
Also, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of efficient and pre-emptive packing. The best way to piss off your pool of laborers is to have things floating around and not already packed into boxes of roughly equal shape and weight. No loose lampshades or other oddly shaped things that then get awkwardly placed on top of stuff in the truck. Your truck should be an impeccable game of Tetris.

Furniture that needs disassembling must be disassembled and wrapped beforehand. No asking where someone put the screwdriver because the table won't pass through the door. Seriously, if it takes more than two hours to load the truck for a small family with 2 or 3 able-bodied adults, you've either not packed well enough, or you have way too much stuff. This is especially important if either end of the trip is an urban environment where you can't just leave your truck in the middle of the street for hours.

terran

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2015, 09:49:03 AM »
It's also possible to hire movers on one end and/or the other to help even though you drove. We did this when we moved here for my wife's job because we didn't know anyone on this end yet and there's no way we could have gotten the bigger things up to the 3rd floor apartment ourselves. I think it was a $200-300 for a couple (big) guys for a couple hours which did the trick. They definitely hustle a lot faster when you're hustling right along with them.

LAL

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2015, 01:55:30 PM »
Thank you so much for many tips on how to do this cost efficiently. I haven't quoted movers or anything else yet.  Just getting house sell ready and organizing and purging a lot of stuff.  We are dumping everything we deem not necessary like lots of clothes and kids toys.

Paul thanks for so many specifics I am going to bookmark and keep reading and hope people keep suggesting things.  We don't have friends interested in helping us drive so we have a lot to consider. 

Noodle we definitely have to hire moves I was checking craiglist to hire people at $20/hr to move our stuff. 

Prospector going to start calling churches.  Great suggestion thank you.  And Terran we are absolutely going to do this.  We can't lean on others.

Frugal we're moving and we're fine financially.  This is MMM.  We've got over 2 years cash with current expenses ($70k/year) and probably enough to FIRE honestly with our savings and our burn rate.  But my DH isn't interested in FIRE any time soon i already asked him if he watned to.  BUT he is tired of his job and this is a big FU.  He likes to spend money (compared to true MMM) and we currently save more than we spend.  So we are moving.  So no moving without jobs is a very calculated risk and I guess we'd have to FIRE if we couldn't find jobs.


Sibley

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2015, 11:18:54 AM »
I also moved cross country, twice. Right out of college, I used a PODs knockoff. Good life experience because everything that could have gone wrong with that move, did. Worked out ok in the end. 6 years later, moved back, used a moving company. It was one that would put your stuff in, then fill up the truck with whatever commercial shipping would fit. That was much cheaper.

The key is the purging. I got rid of probably 80% of my stuff when I moved back, so only had a little more than when I moved out in the first place. If someone involved gets emotionally attached to objects, it is not going to be easy.

snuggler

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2015, 11:20:04 AM »
A couple of additional ideas:

1. When we moved cross-country, we shipped some boxes via Amtrak. It was way cheaper than other shipping options, and saved us a bundle on moving costs. Note that they are rough with the boxes, so you shouldn't ship anything fragile (dishes, vases, etc.). However, it is a great option to help lighten the load.

2. For anything common (e.g., dining table, dishes, etc.) sell it on Craigslist, then buy that same stuff on Craigslist or at thrift shops in your new location. This way you don't have to pay to move it, and you are likely to come out even if you are purchasing similar stuff. Also, if you have a few days where you are not working, and can be quick about contacting people and picking up stuff, you can get some great deals, which can make you come out way ahead. For example, we sold our couch for hundreds of dollars, and then got an almost brand new one off of Craigslist for free at our new destination. It was sweet.

3. If you have books, you can also ship them via USPS Media Mail to save money.

4. For help, I'd suggest using eMove's "Moving Help" instead of Craigslist. They have very reasonable prices, and charge you ~$7 in an admin. fee when you hire movers, but give it back to you when you review your Movers, which means that there are a ton of reviews on the helpers. Because of the review system, the movers tend to be more responsible and reliable than people you find off of Craigslist. TaskRabbit is also more helpful than Craigslist for a similar reason: they are also very review-dependent.

annegables

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2015, 08:26:46 PM »
I have more experience than I care to admit with this...

I third doing Penske for one-way moves.  Just remember if you get a car trailer that it is very hard to back up with it on.  Map out all Truck stops before moving to ensure getting a truck gas station.  Usually the 24ft and 26ft Penskes cost the same. 

Get that big role of saran wrap from Home Depot to wrap up big stuff.  Drape your blankets over furniture like dressers and couches, then saran wrap them really well. 

To minimize on boxes, use clothing to protect your dishes instead of bubble wrap or paper.

Get rid of lots of stuff.  I dont know if I would get rid of the table because the legs should unscrew, making it pretty flat.

Le Poisson

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2015, 05:04:42 AM »
Every time we move I suggest taking all our stuff to an auction house. SWMBO never takes me up on it, but since most of our furniture is from CL or other free sources (We literally have 1 chair we've paid for, and everything else in our house is 2nd hand) I see it as the best way to offload our crap without having to move it.

Plus we'd get to rescrounge everything on the other end of the move, which is fun.

Villanelle

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2015, 06:28:11 AM »
If you want to do it cost effectively, do it all yourself (or with friends paid in pizza, beer, gratitude, and the stuff in your fridge you aren't going to move).  If you feel guilty, offer them $50 to go along with the pizza. 

You can often get free or cheap boxes on Craigslist or freecycle.  Start looking and collecting now. 

If you really feel you must hire someone to help, you can still pack it all yourselves.  Call the local high school and see if the football team wants to send half a dozen kids to haul boxes for you as a fundraiser.  (Consider liability, however.)  Likewise any starving college students you may know.  The church suggestion is good as well.  But really, you and your family and maybe a few friends can do it.  Paying for the truck for an extra day (assuming you can park it somewhere safe overnight) so that you can take your time loading it should still be cheaper than hiring real help. 

I wouldn't sell beds, simply because most places won't accept or sell used mattresses, so they aren't the easiest thing to pick up cheap and used.  For furniture, keep what you love, and sell what you are indifferent about, as long as you are willing to buy used and cheap again on the other end. 

I'd hitch one car to a trailer on your rented truck, and put mom and one or both kids in the other car, and follow each other.  If you don't think cell phones will be enough communication, before you buy any radios, look into some sort of "CB" style app. 

I'm a red panda

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #15 on: March 24, 2015, 06:38:46 AM »
We used ABF U-Pack (like PODS, but we felt a much better price).  I had no interest in driving a truck cross country.  I also didn't want to use movers- as when we used movers on our air force move we had a pretty bad experience (husband ended up moving most of the stuff, because of the two guys one was like 90 with emphysema and we were pretty sure he was going to die lifting heavy things.)

Because we were limited by space and not weight, we decided to not purge until after we moved.  This way there was a lot less stress going into the move. Then when we got to the new house, everything got moved into one room, and if it didn't have a permanent home within 1 month, we donated or threw it out.

aneel

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #16 on: March 24, 2015, 10:38:57 AM »
3 years ago my husband and I moved from west to east coast.  Here's what we did and why it worked for us:
First off, we had no children or pets at the time.
Secondly, we had not invested in fancy pants furniture of any kind, so we sold everything large except the mattress because buying a bed is a pain.  This meant we unloaded the couch and large dresser.
In addition to selling our large pieces of furniture, we also sold our vehicles, these were older mmm type vehicles (old truck, old volvo and an old motorcycle) since we moved to a metro area where having a car immediately wasn't necessary.  We actually went about a year before getting a replacement vehicle.
We continued purging and purging until everything fit into a U-Box (the Uhaul version of pods) and shipped it for less than $3000 and were then able to store it at a uhaul location for 2-3 months while we got situated at $60/month.  We then flew one way (~$300 for both of us) to our final destination
We did detailed cost comparisons and this was by far the most cost efficient method for us.  Even getting 2 U-boxes is probably better than truck rental when you factor in gas, lodging and time.

A note about the pet factor.  I had previously moved cross country (by stuffing all my college belongings in a car) when I owned 2 cats.  I shipped them through an air line carrier (they go in the cargo area) for ~ $500.  This isn't the most warm fuzzy way, but for me it was the most tangible way.
Just some thoughts on the subject

JLee

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #17 on: March 24, 2015, 10:51:29 AM »
Yet another vote for Penske. Clean trucks, reasonable prices, and I've never been afraid of one falling apart on me. :P  U-Haul trucks don't have a great reputation.

rmendpara

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #18 on: March 24, 2015, 01:22:32 PM »
I think a big part of it depends on if you fit all personal items (clothes, memorable stuff, etc) in your two cars and just buy all new furniture and living stuff.

A full house of furniture would probably run 3-4k (3 beds, living room basics, kitchen basics, plus misc. stuff), perhaps less if you have time to shop and all that... less any money you get for selling your stuff.

Renting a truck you'll have to contact a mover and get some quotes, and also factor in shipping one car if you plan to move yourself.

Another option is a POD where you fill it up yourself, they ship it to the new address, and you unload it yourself. Again, you'll have to get a quote on the shipping costs for that, but just a few options.

Buying all new stuff could work, but depends a lot on the resale value of current stuff and how nice of stuff you would buy to replace it.

Good luck on the move

MissPeach

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #19 on: March 24, 2015, 06:04:18 PM »
I have moved across country twice. I used a pods knock off and then drove the car with my animals and things I would need right away. The pods knock off was only around $1,500 - so much easier to have them drive the huge truck than a u-haul type truck. Got friends to help pack on one side. Hired the security guy and his friend from my building on the other side (we wanted to make extra money on the side). Cost about $200 for both of them. Around here, 2 men who help move your stuff costs only $100 for 2 hours if you don't move on a weekend.

The thing I wish I would have done differently is I threw out or gave away a lot of household items like cleaning supplies. Those things added up fast when I replaced them on the other end.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #20 on: March 24, 2015, 06:57:20 PM »
ABF U-Pack is very cost-effective as an alternative to driving the truck, but if you go that route, allow extra time/help for packing the trailer. It is taller than a regular moving truck and they charge by the linear foot, so it's like Tetris. And make sure to have plenty of furniture pads and ropes and all that stuff, because again, you'll be piling your stuff very high.

We moved East Coast to Denver by ourselves. Husband drove a 16-foot Penske truck with our possessions (including a surprising amount of furniture for the size) and the cat. I drove our two toddlers (then ages 2 and 3) in the car, listening to Call the Midwife in one headphone with the children's singalong CD on repeat. We had only one car. You might be better off selling at least one and replacing it when you arrive. A major advantage of driving the truck yourself is that your stuff is never out of your control, and it gets there when you do.

I will say this: We saved a lot of money. And we all survived. I would make the same choice again, but I really, really hope I will never again have to drive through the flyover states alone in a car with toddlers :-).

At our destination, we hired two guys for two hours using movinghelp.com to help unload, which I think came in around $80. We were more comfortable paying more for pros who were licensed and insured.

LAL

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #21 on: March 25, 2015, 08:36:17 PM »
Quick pricing of the u box (pod by uhaul is $2923) for shipping the 2 pods.  Driving a truck minimum for us is $3k not including gas for the penske truck rental which I assume is another $1k at least?  So we could ship in 2 pods and store until we get settled.  I'm leaning towards pods.  But there is a lot of research to be done.

Any names of knock off pod companies?

MrsPete

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #22 on: March 26, 2015, 05:49:11 AM »
If you really feel you must hire someone to help, you can still pack it all yourselves.  Call the local high school and see if the football team wants to send half a dozen kids to haul boxes for you as a fundraiser.  (Consider liability, however.)  Likewise any starving college students you may know.  The church suggestion is good as well.  But really, you and your family and maybe a few friends can do it.  Paying for the truck for an extra day (assuming you can park it somewhere safe overnight) so that you can take your time loading it should still be cheaper than hiring real help. 
Echoing this advice:  A friend of mine hired her church's youth group to help her move.  This was a local move, so not identical to the OP's situation, but still the advice is good.  She figured it was a win-win situation:  She did her own packing, but she needed some strong backs to help her move furniture.  She got help from people whom she trusted, and the youth group got a good donation for half a day's work.  Win-win. 

Imustacheyouaquestion

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #23 on: March 26, 2015, 08:12:48 AM »
Don't put anything in storage. If you're moving and not coming back, this is pointless.

« Last Edit: April 09, 2016, 07:58:25 PM by Imustacheyouaquestion »

Bob W

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #24 on: March 26, 2015, 12:44:11 PM »
Never done the cross country do it yourself move but know people who have.

One strategy is to sell everything with the huge "moving sale everything must go"  deal.

You can reserve family photos,  a few clothes,  documents and grandma's china.

Then when you arrive you attend the "moving sale everything must go" deal and restock.   I know this a mind screw as we become attached to "our" stuff. 

My perfect move would be 1 trunk a cell phone and computer included. 

It really is super expensive to move cross country. 

Bstarr

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #25 on: March 26, 2015, 01:41:32 PM »
We did midwest to west coast by ourselves for about 10k. 
Uhaul, towing a car, driving one. 3 days from the midwest. Two kids in carseats, largest truck, everything filled to the brim.  I would have to look at our taxes to be certain, but including everything I think it came out around 10k.  Next time we are taking WAY less, buying footage on an ABF trailer or get a couple of PODS.  Then re-buying to fit our new space.  I look around my house all the time and think about what I won't take the next time we move.

That being said, my kids were little, their grandparents rode along to help with the driving, and I had a great time.  Stress and struggles aside, real memories were made.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #26 on: March 26, 2015, 02:17:49 PM »
Also, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of efficient and pre-emptive packing. The best way to piss off your pool of laborers is to have things floating around and not already packed into boxes of roughly equal shape and weight. No loose lampshades or other oddly shaped things that then get awkwardly placed on top of stuff in the truck. Your truck should be an impeccable game of Tetris.
I third doing Penske for one-way moves.  Just remember if you get a car trailer that it is very hard to back up with it on. 

Get that big role of saran wrap from Home Depot to wrap up big stuff.  Drape your blankets over furniture like dressers and couches, then saran wrap them really well. 

Get rid of lots of stuff.  I dont know if I would get rid of the table because the legs should unscrew, making it pretty flat.
I can't reiterate these points strongly enough.  We moved ourselves about 4 years ago, and it was an astonishingly easy move, because we were super organized (thanks, DW!).

1) We chose a 26' Penske over U-pack, because we were going on a week-long vacation during the move, and we didn't want to pay $400 for them to park the trailer for the extra time.  Had we been going directly to our new home, we would have gone with U-pack.
2) Get rid of stuff before you go, especially furniture, and ESPECIALLY sofas.  They take up tons of space, and you can find replacements at the other end.
3) Blankets + saran wrap.  We did it, and it was a huge help.
4) I wish we had spent the extra $100 on the two-axle trailer which holds the entire car--backing up would have been so much easier.
5) Tetris.  I even created a computer model of the inside of the truck and all our furniture, etc.  Uniform-sized boxes help a lot.
6) If you have lots of books, boxes from disposable diapers and wipes are just perfect.
7) We splurged on boxes from Lowe's.  The uniformity in size was a big help.  And we gave them away to someone else after unpacking.
8) Label boxes with their destination room.
9) Minimize loose stuff, like Paul der Krake said.
10)  I built a platform inside the truck with 2x4's and plywood, for holding boxes.  Stuff on the bottom doesn't get crushed that way
11) Got rid of our piano.  It wasn't a great one, so it wasn't worth moving.  We bought a nicer one once we got here.
12) Keep in mind which things you'll need off the truck first.

Because we had a plan, it only took us (and a half dozen friends) about an hour to load the truck.  And it took a whopping 45 minutes at the other end to unload.

Things I would have done differently:
1)  two-axle trailer for hauling the other car (or sold it and bought at our destination)
2)  things I should have sold/given away/junked and replaced at our destination:
  • lawnmower
  • grill
  • kids' bikes
  • other big outside stuff--wheelbarrow, broadcast spreader, etc
  • more furniture.  We brought an entertainment center that we eventually gave away because it didn't work in our new home.

pagoconcheques

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #27 on: March 26, 2015, 02:52:35 PM »
Don't put anything in storage. If you're moving and not coming back, this is pointless.

Most furniture is not worth shipping unless it's really nice.


So true.  We're going through this thought process as we anticipate a cross-country move in 2-3 years and de-clutter our home knowing we will live in a much smaller place.  We came up with a whopping total of 3 (for me) or 4 (my wife) pieces of furniture we love enough to move cross-country.  Three of these are unique antiques that have a lot of sentimental value, the other is a custom-made platform bed that breaks down into pieces and is easily packaged.  All of these, along with clothing, kitchen items, and the few other things that make sense to move will fit into one of the smaller PODS units. 

Write down this quote from William Morris and tape it in an obvious place while preparing for your move: 

"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." 

Le Poisson

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #28 on: March 26, 2015, 03:00:47 PM »
One thing no one has mentioned yet, but was hinted at by zolotiyeruki - pack a toolbox or a box of reassembly stuff and keep it in the cab of the truck, or someplace where you can get at it instantly.

Not only will it come in handy for stuff along the trip (like when the car breaks down) you may also need to take off doors/windows or disassemble/reassemble furniture once at the destination. The kit should include basic tools (screwdrivers, hammer, wrenches, pliers, knife, etc.) and some 'emergency fix' stuff like Duct tape, penetrating oil, cayenne pepper, spare nuts and bolts, etc.

You should also carry a first aid kit in an easy to find place, but that goes without saying. Ever see what a broken leg looks like after a guy falls off the back of a truck? How about stepping into air while carrying a dresser... with a glass mirror... you get the picture.

One other thing. If you have a hippo among your possessions, be sure its secure in the truck. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/659967/hippo-jumps-from-moving-truck-in-taiwan-locals-report-seeing-dinosaur
« Last Edit: March 26, 2015, 03:03:50 PM by Prospector »

FoundPeace

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #29 on: March 26, 2015, 03:46:28 PM »
Quick pricing of the u box (pod by uhaul is $2923) for shipping the 2 pods.  Driving a truck minimum for us is $3k not including gas for the penske truck rental which I assume is another $1k at least?  So we could ship in 2 pods and store until we get settled.  I'm leaning towards pods.  But there is a lot of research to be done.

Try moving around the dates for the Penske truck. I found that by moving the pick-up and drop-off dates just a little, the price dropped significantly. The quote will also change as time goes on (depending on their supply of trucks in your state and the demands in the new state).

I've done this twice, and the Penske trucked worked for us both times. Of course we only have 1 car. I did all of the driving and my wife and toddler flew. This made it easier for me to get in some long driving days.

LAL

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #30 on: May 07, 2015, 07:30:36 AM »
I've been pricing out things and it's Penske truck $3049 for just the rental not including gas.  And so far using 3 pods shipping and 1 month storage is $3800.  I'm wondering if it's worth driving since we have to include gas.

RexualChocolate

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #31 on: May 07, 2015, 07:53:31 AM »
I can't believe I'm reading this on this board.

Spending 3k+ to MOVE? Are you people crazy?

Sell everything. Buy when you get there. Baby boomers are FIRESELLING their stuff these days. There's even articles about how much junk they have.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/boomers-unwanted-inheritance/2015/03/27/0e75ff6e-45c4-11e4-b437-1a7368204804_story.html

If you need a 3k truck (god forbid, two that I read upthread?????) you have too much stuff.


firelight

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #32 on: May 07, 2015, 07:57:33 AM »
We did two moves up and down west coast. First time, we sold everything and moved in one car. Second time, we sold all but two mattresses and whatever fit in two cars and drove them down. Got movers for those mattresses. For us, mattresses were the major investment ($1000+). Everything else we got and returned to craigslist. As a result, we have upgraded furniture every few years without spending too much.

Rubic

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #33 on: May 07, 2015, 10:22:41 AM »
Here's a packaging technique I used some years ago when I moved across country. I purchased some small acrylic spray paints in different colors, designated for each room the boxes were to be assigned, e.g.:

 
  • green: living room
  • yellow: dining room
  • blue: kitchen
  • red: bedroom #1
  • purple: bedroom #2
  • orange: bathroom

Before assembling the packing boxes, I gave each side of the boxes a quick squirt from the designated spray paint on all 4 sides and let it dry.

The big advantage is instead of having movers/friends dump boxes in inappropriate locations, everything gets organized by color and it's immediately obvious if the box has been deposited in the wrong room,because it sticks out in comparison to all the other boxes.  I found this was much more effective than simply writing "Kitchen" on the box, which would often get ignored in the rush to unload the truck.

I've done this twice, and in both cases it has elminated the constant "Where does this go?" questions as you're moving in.  An incredible time saver.

RunHappy

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #34 on: May 07, 2015, 10:28:51 AM »
I (and my SO helped) moved from Texas to NH in November.  We rented a UHaul packed what was left of my stuff (after a massive purge), towed my car.  I used hotel points for free hotel stays.  After the truck, gas, etc.  It ended up just under $500 cheaper than getting a Pod.  Looking back I would have done a Pod instead.  Saving $500 is great but doing it all on our own was too much headache.

LAL

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #35 on: May 07, 2015, 12:06:20 PM »
rexual chocolate I'm not sure it's worth moving our stuff. I'm trying to figure that out.

rubic great tip thank you!

Run Happy how much was the truck?

yoga mama

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #36 on: May 07, 2015, 01:23:56 PM »
Along the same lines as Rubic, I bought small colored dot stickers and designated one color for each floor for our move into a two story house.  I just made sure there was a sticker visible on every side and tried to make it clear to our moving help which color went where.  Kitchen stuff in the dining room is less of a big deal than lugging lots of boxes up and down stairs after all the hard work everyone has done to get the stuff in there in the first place. 

Another vote for Penske.  We have always used them and been happy after hearing many horror stories about UHaul.

In addition to pricing out different dates for your truck, price out different sizes (or #s of pods, which you already have).  If there is a significant savings for a smaller truck or fewer pods, that may be good motivation for purging.

While moving it yourself (as opposed to a pod) is a hassle, there is something to be said for being in possession of your own stuff at all times.  Don't know if this is an issue with the pods but in our sole experience with movers, the arrival of our items was repeatedly delayed and it was interfering with other aspects of our lives, even though I thought we had brought by hand everything we would possibly need for up to a month.  (I was wrong and it was over a month before we saw our stuff.) 

Good luck - I've moved across the country a couple of times and hope never to do it again :)  Very impressed with your savings and with your FU plan!

FreeAsADragon

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #37 on: May 07, 2015, 06:30:10 PM »
The folks over at bogleheads have a related thread you might find useful:
http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=164707

LAL

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #38 on: May 08, 2015, 09:00:04 AM »
Thanks will read thread.  We can't play with dates.  We are selling our place and moving out on a pretty specific time frame.  We have to still secure a place and drive and couple of other things.  And we're moving with our dog and two kids driving.  So we have to figure out a lot of things yet.  But these are awesome tips and stories.

My house is half packed up because we are selling.

LAL

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #39 on: May 11, 2015, 07:10:40 PM »
I can't believe how expensive a truck is from where we are to where we are going. But if I flipped the cities and went from where we were moving to where we are, the truck rental is $3050 but only $1350.  So less than half the cost.

I think we are going with Pods.  For 3 pods we can definitely fit all our stuff for $3600, which is easily the cost of the truck rental plus gas and we don't have to drive.

Paul der Krake

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #40 on: May 11, 2015, 07:36:11 PM »
Yeah it's funny how that works. Penske makes no secret that they want customers to help redistribute their fleet:

http://www.pensketruckrental.com/discounts/one-way-rental.html

$1350 to go coast to coast is a friggin steal.

Le Poisson

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #41 on: May 12, 2015, 06:26:29 AM »
Hmmmm - I wonder if renting a truck in a neighbouring state and returning it an hour away would tip the scales.

shelbyautumn

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Re: Moving cost effectively
« Reply #42 on: March 26, 2018, 01:37:16 PM »
I'm hopping on the Penske train as well! It would definitely be worth it to invite a friend or family member to help drive and fly them back on a one-way ticket. Definitely look up promo codes for Penske. It will save you HUNDREDS.

I've made a couple moves across the country. One from Southern California to Colorado in 2013 and most recently from Colorado to Mississippi last July.

CA -> CO (1000 miles+, 2 day trip, 1 night in hotel)
Dad has a work truck so he towed a small U-Haul trailer for us. We had just gotten married 2 weeks before and everything we owned fit between the trailer and our cars.
I drove my car (loaded with stuff).
DH drove his car (loaded with stuff).

CO -> MS (1130 miles+, 2 day trip, 1 night in hotel)
Step-dad drove a Penske truck. I ended up buying a AAA membership for a discount. I booked early so it was about $850 including the AAA membership.
My mom and I drove my car (with my two drugged dogs in the back).
DH drove his car.

From CO -> MS we kept 2 of 3 mattresses/bed frames, one dresser, the decor that we LOVED, and most of our kitchen stuff. We got rid of the rest. The majority of our furniture was from Craigslist or hand-me-downs. It was all big and bulky and we didn't love any of it enough to move it with us. I ended up buying new stuff when we got to Mississippi. I walked into our new apartment and hated it (we ended up buying a house 3 months later), so my mom quickly whisked me away and took me to furniture stores. I don't regret buying new stuff, but I think my husband does. I just really value a beautiful home, and I bought pretty mid-range stuff that will last us YEARS. I went to places like Homegoods, Pier 1, and Kirklands. You can get nice stuff for really great prices.

tldr: Get friends and a Penske truck. Keep what you need and/or love. Sell the rest. Buy new, but affordable, items when you get where you're going and know what you need.

ETA: Just realized this is from 2015. I don't know how it was at the top of my posts. Facepalm.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2018, 01:41:08 PM by shelbyautumn »