Why is moving to Seattle so darn expensive? (ABF, trailer, cheap)

[Malloric]

U-Haul or similar. Get rid of stuff. Cost me about $200 to move up to Seattle and then I spent about $1k on furniture (used) once I found an apartment. Moving is really cheap when it's you and suitcase.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by Malloric

U-Haul or similar. Get rid of stuff. Cost me about $200 to move up to Seattle and then I spent about $1k on furniture (used) once I found an apartment. Moving is really cheap when it's you and suitcase.

This is the most sound advice. You can also get a lot of stuff for free by joining one of the many new "gifting economy" facebook sites. Only works if you're not picky though.

[shaylahc]

$6K sounds cheap to me. We moved from NC to Seattle in June 2012, 4 kids, 3 cats, 1 dog, 1 6 bedroom house, we did it as cheaply as possible (used AB U Pack, which is like pods), I drove across the country with the kids, DH drove across the country with the animals, we flew 2 cats. All said and done including gas, hotel, etc, was right around $14K. And I thought that was a great deal lol

[shaylahc]

Also one word about UPack---a lot of our stuff got damaged. I'm not sure I can blame U-Pack for that, because it was my husband who loaded the trucks. But I don't think there was a single piece of furniture that didn't get damaged in some way.

So the one benefits of movers is that they are liable if your stuff gets damaged. They can do a better job of packing it as well, and they're insured. Just something to think about.

[Yakscsd]

I too think $6K sounds like a bargain. Though you didn't provide, or i missed, how many square feed or bedrooms you are moving. A year ago I spent $15K to move a 3Br house from Denver to Seattle. Luckily my company reimbursed, but that's expensive.

I'm not sure you can move without getting "worn out", but why not fly out for a weekend and rent a place in advance? You dont juts show up with your checkbook and get keys. The rental market is extremely competitive and with applications and background checks, it takes days or weeks to get the keys. Fly out a couple weeks before and secure a property even if it "wears you out". lol

[Yakscsd]

Originally Posted by shaylahc

Also one word about UPack---a lot of our stuff got damaged. I'm not sure I can blame U-Pack for that, because it was my husband who loaded the trucks. But I don't think there was a single piece of furniture that didn't get damaged in some way.

So the one benefits of movers is that they are liable if your stuff gets damaged. They can do a better job of packing it as well, and they're insured. Just something to think about.

Liable at 30 cents a pound.....be sure to buy extra insurance and even then it likely wont be replacement value.

[Kalex]

we moved from NC to Seattle in July 2012 and used PODS. Nothing was damaged and that most definitely was not due to our packing skills We were so tired we threw half the stuff in there. They are more $$ than some of the others but were almost overly communicative, exactly on time and crazy efficient. We flew our family and animals out here. DH's father loves driving and offered to bring the car.

I think PODS was somewhere between $3500-$4K, and then the cost of flights. They go by distance so it would be less coming from Ohio. A friend used them to move from Charlotte to Denver and it was around $2400. There was a waiting period bc we got here much faster than our stuff, so we made a vacation out of it and went down the Oregon coast.

we got rid of a lot of our stuff and then ended up having a ton of extra room in the POD. I regretted doing that bc then I just had to schelp around an unknown town looking for replacements.

[rlrsalem]

There's a moving forum? Point me to it please.... Michigan to Federal Way

[rlrsalem]

Originally Posted by Kalex

we moved from NC to Seattle in July 2012 and used PODS. Nothing was damaged and that most definitely was not due to our packing skills We were so tired we threw half the stuff in there. They are more $$ than some of the others but were almost overly communicative, exactly on time and crazy efficient. We flew our family and animals out here. DH's father loves driving and offered to bring the car.

I think PODS was somewhere between $3500-$4K, and then the cost of flights. They go by distance so it would be less coming from Ohio. A friend used them to move from Charlotte to Denver and it was around $2400. There was a waiting period bc we got here much faster than our stuff, so we made a vacation out of it and went down the Oregon coast.

we got rid of a lot of our stuff and then ended up having a ton of extra room in the POD. I regretted doing that bc then I just had to schelp around an unknown town looking for replacements.

I wonder if like one person mentioned Ohio/ Michigan is less popular a say NC and thus more expensive?
My wife and I will be relocating next month too

[valthenya]

I haul and then be sure to media mail your books