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Old 01-27-2013, 04:22 PM
 
Location: Cushing OK
14,539 posts, read 21,207,511 times
Reputation: 16939

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Quote:
Originally Posted by sabride View Post
I have moved six times in the past 10 years (in-town moves). I only have three items of furniture that have been with me from the beginning. One is a shelf unit that is a solid wood stair-step thing (like cubbies). I bought it at a yard sale when my boys were little and used it for toy storage. The seller had made it by hand. Now it is in my living room being used for books (and a cat-condo) and it's been painted four different times for use in different rooms. That sucker is heavy too. It's unique and multi-functional and would not be easy to replace at all.

Next is my Grandmother's antique desk that she bought at some auction in Virginia in the 70's, and it dates from the 1700's and I am the "keeper" of the desk. The other is my GG Aunt's antique cedar chest, so that's obvious.

Everything else has been easy to replace, sell, replace again, repeat. My current furniture includes a leather lazy-boy recliner I picked up for free on Craigslist, a green velvet overstuffed sofa that was $60 at a thrift store, an antique velvet rocker armchair that was $30 at an antique shop, an antique wrought iron daybed that was $120, a fold out "sleeper chair" for when we have guests stay over ($40 Craigslist), and Ikea loft beds for the kids, all found on Craigslist and not one more than $75. Just yesterday I replaced my falling-apart desk chair (that someone had given to me) with a fancy ergonomic one at Goodwill for $20.

And all of it was paid for with stuff I sold from the last place we lived. None of it is falling apart or poor quality. So, it can certainly be done.
This is true, BUT in some areas the used stuff isn't like that. I was really hoping for thrift shops and yard sales, but they are few and far between, and unlike socal which I was coming from, until its had its lifetime people here tend to use it. So this is not true of all places. I'm very glad I brought my nice table and chairs since finding them here would be hard. That is why research is in order. I've found some things on craigslist, but not nearly as much either.

Places are different and in a more metro area there is going to be more choice. In a rural/small town area you can't count on it. That's all part of research.
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Old 01-27-2013, 04:28 PM
 
Location: San Marcos, TX
2,570 posts, read 7,727,037 times
Reputation: 4059
Quote:
Originally Posted by nightbird47 View Post
This is true, BUT in some areas the used stuff isn't like that. I was really hoping for thrift shops and yard sales, but they are few and far between, and unlike socal which I was coming from, until its had its lifetime people here tend to use it. So this is not true of all places. I'm very glad I brought my nice table and chairs since finding them here would be hard. That is why research is in order. I've found some things on craigslist, but not nearly as much either.

Places are different and in a more metro area there is going to be more choice. In a rural/small town area you can't count on it. That's all part of research.

Oh wow, I don't think I could live in such a place!!! Serious!

I am spoiled in that regard, living in a city of millions.
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Old 01-27-2013, 06:38 PM
 
Location: Cushing OK
14,539 posts, read 21,207,511 times
Reputation: 16939
Quote:
Originally Posted by sabride View Post
Oh wow, I don't think I could live in such a place!!! Serious!

I am spoiled in that regard, living in a city of millions.
I used to. I wanted to get away from it for years and LOVE the peace and quiet. And Amazon is your friend if the local stores don't have it. But then the local lumber yard delivers and I have space to play with wood and tools and paint. Next step is to finish the couch and coffee table and put in more shelves.

I think my best creation is the computer table, made to fit the extra large keyboard drawer, just the right height for me and my favorite chair, room for a crate to sit the laptop on at eye leve with storage inside. No more aching arms from the desk being too high. And shiny black and ALL REAL WOOD!

Women and tools, a good combination.

My house isn't much bigger than my apartment was, but the space around it is every so much better. It's all in what you want and what makes you comfortable.
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Old 01-28-2013, 08:15 PM
 
Location: Kalamalka Lake, B.C.
3,563 posts, read 5,360,504 times
Reputation: 4975
One of the "costs" in a long move is the chance that something can go wrong. Accident, U-Haul on a tow hook, motel stays, food bills.

Example: a co-workers move from Vancouver Island to Calgary ended up costing him almost triple by the time he arrived. His 1500. move turned in to 4500. And that's just between two provinces. And he's a planner, but .............

By all means, buy what you need when you arrive.
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Old 01-31-2013, 11:31 AM
 
Location: On the corner of Grey Street
6,126 posts, read 10,088,319 times
Reputation: 11796
When I moved to Denver I shipped a few boxes of books and movies and the only other stuff I brought was what I could fit in my car. I had just gotten a divorce though and he kept most of the furniture which was fine by me. I spent about 2200 dollars to furnish my apartment and probably about 500 dollars buying the essentials for my kitchen and bathroom. I'm pondering a move back to the east coast and I think I'll probably get a truck and load up all my stuff. I think it would be time consuming to list all of my stuff to sell, arranging times for pick up, shopping and having new stuff delivered when you get to the new place. Just seems easier IMO to pack up everything at my old place, drive to the new place, and unpack it.
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Old 02-10-2013, 08:45 AM
 
Location: Abalama by way of Tejas
267 posts, read 1,121,090 times
Reputation: 244
Quote:
Originally Posted by jasper12 View Post
Yes. It does add up. But when you have an opportunity for a better career move and possible increased salary of 30k, and you dismiss the career opportunity because you cant afford to move your "stuff", it does not make sense. I moved for a job that was similar in pay to a job, but I knew it would increase, and it has. Best career decision and long term financial security move I ever made....look at the big picture.
I didn't say "jettison your career potential because material stuff is expensive to replace."

During one 24 month period of the last 4 years of my life, I moved three times on my own dime - FL to NC, NC to GA and GA to TX. I earn 70% more than I did 4 years ago, so yes, it was worth it.

I was encouraging some thought about the idea of throwing away absolutely everything you have becasue it can all be replaced. Yes, all things CAN be replaced, but that is a cost to consider in the equation.
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Old 02-10-2013, 09:22 AM
 
Location: Abalama by way of Tejas
267 posts, read 1,121,090 times
Reputation: 244
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
How old is that mattress? How soon would you be replacing it if you didn't move?

Call that 1997-98... it's now 15 years old. How soon would you be replacing it if you didn't move?

How many of these things won't fit into a box?

Whether it will fit into a box or not... is the fulcrum for making the decisions.

If the ONLY items you have that can't be sent in a box are of low value to you...
(do try to be fair as regards their objective residual/depreciated value) then you don't
have a need for a truck or a pod or even a trailer -unless you have a ginormous pile of boxes.

Done objectively... most will get down to that one big item (maybe the mattress) that for $600
(plus the cost of UPS for 20 boxes) pushes the decision into hiring a mover or renting a truck...
and in nearly every instance for far more overall cost. As they say: "do the math"
Do the math is my point. I'm not telling the OP not to move, just have eyes open about all of it. My decision making aid is "if it burned up in a fire, would I miss it?" And "can I easily replace it with a similar quality at a price I can afford?"

The mattress is less than three years old. I will replace the mattress when it needs to be replaced, but I don't have $600 to throw down for a mattress every time I move. My work is very important to me, so I have to be 100% if possible, every single day. I have got to sleep at night. I'm not a spring chicken, I need a decent mattress.

My 15 year old lazy boy furniture is still sound and beautiful and will last a lifetime unless it is abused. I'll never be able to spend $4k on a couch again. That 15 year old $4K couch will probably cost twice that today, if the same construction and material quality is even available.

What's the likelihood that I will find a used replacement of similar value and quality that I like when I get to the new location? Out here in Greater West Podunk, it's slim and none.

I never said "oh don't move, it's too expensive to replace stuff." My point was to say you have to really consider the cost of pitching everything with an eye to replace it.

A chest of drawers made of solid wood from 30 years ago can be replaced with a new piece of fiberboard garbage easily. But it will have to be replaced again and again whereas the solid piece can easily last a lifetime.

Personally, I have been living out of boxes for almost four years now because of my career moves. I slept on an air mattress for months, ate off the ironing board for a table and had nothing but plastic lawn chairs to sit in for about 18 months. All my clothes to this day are folded on shelves of cheap shelving units I found at thrift stores. This is because all of my stuff is in my house in FL. After almost 4 years, my husband and I are preparing to reunite our commuter marriage households again. Uncle Sam doesn't pay our moves any more so we have become much less sentimental about what we need to keep. We are doing all that math about what needs to come to TX from FL. I make 70% more money now, so I consider it worth all the moves and separation and discomfort. YMMV.
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