posted
Ok, here's the deal. I got a new job about 2200 miles away from where I currently live (moving from Maryland to Utah). The company is giving me a $10000 moving allowance. The less I spend of that the better because I get to pocket the rest. I live in a three bedroom house and I have two cars, one of which is 10 years old. So I would like to hear what any of you folks would do as far as moving scenarios in my place. Here are a couple I've considered:
1) Hire a full-service mover, ship the cars and fly out.
This has the advantage of being the easiest, but it is also the most expensive. Shipping my old car is probably not worth it since the car is worth only slightly more than the shipping costs.
2) Sell all my stuff except 1 car, rent a trailer for the sentimental/ necessary stuff and use the moving allowance to buy new stuff.
This is actually what I was leaning toward, but my CRV is only rated for towing 1000lbs, so I don't think that I can actually do this without screwing up my car based on the weight of a rental trailer plus the stuff I would keep. Plus it has the disadvantage of trying to sell a whole lotta stuff.
At this point I haven't settled on anything, so please give me advice about movers/ car shipping companies to use or not use, as well as any other suggestions about how you would handle this move if you were me.
Posts: 4548 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would ship some of the stuff, tow some, and sell anything you can part with. It's also an excuse to get rid of some clutter. Always good. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
If you aren't adverse to towing, rent a moving truck and tow the car. There is a group that does moving that is pretty interesting and economical. http://www.forrent.com/ssmoving.asp There is another one too, that will just leave a box in front of your house for you to load up and then come pick it up. I can't find the link at the moment though.
posted
Do you have a wife or friends that could help with the drive? Perhaps, instead of renting a trailer you could rent a small truck. Maybe even one that could tow your car.
posted
My opinion: Sell and give away just about everything you don't love. Definitely the car. The furniture you don't love. The Christmas decorations that aren't sentimental. All tuppaware that you can't immediately match to a lid, the empty picture frames, any clothing you haven't worn in the last twelve months. You will probably discover you need much less stuff than you have, and you won't have to buy it all again. Divesting yourself of the STUFF will be freeing.
Posts: 1163 | Registered: Jan 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
LJ- We decided this week. Now the house is on the market and we are collecting all sorts of empty boxes.
Posts: 4548 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Amka- yeah, the idea of renting a truck and towing one car is probably a good one. I have done that before in a previous move, but driving that truck in traffic was a mighty scary thing.
LJ- yeah, I actually really like the idea of getting rid of essentially everything. The problem is that to sell the stuff we will likely have to give dirt-cheap prices (we need to move in about 1 month- not a lot of time to wait around)
Posts: 4548 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
We moved the contents of Bob's 2-bedroom house 1000 miles for under $2000. That included a large U-haul truck, boxes, tie-lines, my flight to Texas and gas for the truck and his car (which I drove). If you don't have a second driver, rent a trailer for the good car and get rid of the other one.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:The problem is that to sell the stuff we will likely have to give dirt-cheap prices (we need to move in about 1 month- not a lot of time to wait around)
Pack everything you're taking, put it all in one room you've cleared out (or two), and have an estate sale. If possible, hire a professional to manage the estate sale (they usually charge a percentage, but it's not that much compared to the difference between what they'll get for your stuff and what you'll get for your stuff). Preferably, get one with a reputation; people will come from miles around to attend a good estate sale.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hmm...less time is a problem. Definitely sell the car and the furniture, and give away all that you can't easily sell.
It isn't just the money you'll save in moving - if you get rid of it, you don't have to pack it, unpack it, find a place for it, and carry it with you. That three year old Santa Claus wreath costs you something by its very existence - it is Life Clutter. Better to give it away.
The exception to this is anything that someone made with their own hands - any creative projects. Even if its the paint-by-numbers horse you did in junior high, keep that because your kids will want it. Everything that was just bought, though, can be given away - especially those house knicknacks and the things you got because you had a specific need at the time. If there's anything that you think you might need someday, get rid of it. You'll value the space and freedom more.
I like the idea of an estate sale - we had a garage sale of donated stuff a month or so ago, publicized it well, and made over a thousand dollars for tsunami relief. There wasn't even anything really big there except a kitchen dinnette set.
[ February 25, 2005, 02:37 PM: Message edited by: Lady Jane ]
Posts: 1163 | Registered: Jan 2005
| IP: Logged |
On a serious note, I vote for a combination of everything: sell the old car, get rid of stuff you really don't have a need (practical or sentimental) for, rent a truck and tow the other car.
A tip for all pack rats (like me), if you don't know why you have it, you don't need it anymore.
Posts: 1090 | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I third B-OJ and Amka. It's the cheapest option that allows you to move the most amount of stuff.
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote: If there's anything that you think you might need someday, get rid of it. You'll value the space and freedom more.
I agree; also, if you know someone who may have a need for it now, give it to them. They'll be thrilled; my husband's former employer called us up and said they were cleaning out the garage, and would Emma like an Exersaucer? They have 9 kids, and aren't absolutely sure they won't have another one, and the oldest is getting right to that age where he might be giving them grandkids soon, but they value the space more than the thing, and are glad to give it to someone who can use it now, and Emma loves it, and now I can make dinner most nights.
posted
Jacare, you have kids, don't you? Can't remember, but I thought you did.
Were it me, I'd opt for a combination of the two. Pare down to the nitty gritty, sell the old car, box everything left up yourself. Then get quotes from a licensed, reputable mover to move your stuff and unload it for you. Then drive your one good car instead of flying. Make a family vacation out of it if you can.
That's how I would do it.
I've done two 1500 mile moves on the ultra cheap. Anchorage, AK to Bellingham, WA, full household goods and one car for about $500 plus the cost of airfare for two. (That was a case of knowing someone who knew someone at the docks who was willing to take my stuff for $10/pallet and $250 for my car.) And Denver, CO to Bellingham, WA, more household goods, no car for the cost of the fuel, which I think was around $200. That time it took 4 months to get my stuff, though, and there was breakage. My dad is a trucker, so he had my stuff palletized and stored with his company, then when he could take the stuff, he did. I definitely would not do it that way again.
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote: What? There is TRAFFIC between Maryland and Utah???
Actually, the scary move was from Montana to Utah. It was in the winter and there was no traffic on the road. Driving through yellowstone was a bit harry on icy roads, but the scary part was only in Salt lake. That was when they were renovating I-15 and there was maybe a foot of clearance on either side in the "luge track" where they were working.
quote: I third B-OJ and Amka. It's the cheapest option that allows you to move the most amount of stuff.
Yeah, this sounds like maybe the way to go. We'll sell what we can, give away most of the rest and only keep the basics to move in the truck.
Posts: 4548 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote: Jacare, you have kids, don't you? Can't remember, but I thought you did.
Yeah, a 2yr old and a 4yr old. Fortunately I think we have this part figured out- my wife will fly out with them to Utah, leave them with her sister and fly back. Then the two of us will drive across the country. Not having the kids for a few days will probably make this feel like a vacation for us.
Posts: 4548 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
One thing to factor into your costs is some decent packaging materials.
Yes, you can go far with scavanged boxes, but for some things it helps to have higher quality stuff. And it's not that expensive to get materials that will add that extra protection and peace of mind that's crucial with a do-it-yourself move.
In particular, a dish pack or two is totally worth the cost. As is bubble wrap or whatever you want to use for any expensive pieces of furniture that could scratch easily.
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
When I moved from Idaho to Hawaii 4 years ago, I did what Kat and AJ have suggested here. Of course, I couldn't drive here, but I did ship my car. I had a few months to get rid of stuff, but it was the most liberating thing I've ever done. I had two huge garage sales, I let everyone at church/work/school etc know that I was selling all... I got rid of most of the good stuff that way. I also listed some of the bigger items in the local "Thrifty Nickel" magazine and sold them that way.
I ended up taking a couple of truckloads to the dump, a couple more to Deseret Industries, and put a few mementos (and more than a few books) in storage. I moved to Hawaii with just what we could fit in our two checked suitcases each. We bought used furniture and household items here after we arrived. And everytime I visit the mainland, I bring a few more things from my storage unit there.
I'm getting a little bit distressed, because I'm starting to accumulate "stuff" again. Less than before, for sure, but enough that it took five pickup loads to move us the last time we moved. I really liked the feeling of freedom I had from not being weighed down by "things".
posted
A good source of cheap/free bubble wrap is a local furnature store. I use to work for one and we were always throwing the stuff away. It came on every single peice of stuff that was shipped to us, and we were happy to give it to someone if they asked nice enough.
BTW, I would be glad to allow you to "donate" the car to me...and I wouldn't charge you much to take it either.... Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
I really liked the feeling of freedom I had from not being weighed down by "things".![[Evil]](graemlins/evil.gif)
