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I will be moving from Westchester County, New York to Superior, Wisconsin on July 28. I have flown out to Wisconsin for the past 3 weekends to get myself situated in my new home, and thankfully, the previous tenant has left an adequate amount of furniture behind that I need not move my own. I have purchased (or will purchase this coming weekend) enough personal items during each trip to have in my new home that I will not need to rent a U-Haul or moving truck. As a single person, I will be able to fit everything I am taking when I move into the back seats and trunk of my car (aside from possibly 2 or 3 boxes which I will ship through the postal service).
However, I am concerned about staying in a hotel overnight during the drive, since parking my vehicle in any major city along the way may invite trouble. I'm afraid that a car with out-of-state plates and boxes in the back seats is going to be a high risk for theft. I sleep very soundly, so even if I were to park my car right in front of the window of my motel room (which would require a great deal of luck, even in the best case scenario), I'd sleep right through a break-in. Of course, I wouldn't let any valuables be visible in the car, but just the thought of a thief seeing boxes in the back seats and out-of-state plates makes me think I'm a particularly vulnerable target.
My other option is to make the 20-hour drive straight, without sleeping anywhere. I'm concerned about doing this also, for safety reasons. I've never driven 20 hours straight, although last April, I did drive 15 hours straight without having slept at all (I had been awake from 10:00 a.m. the previous day, left at midnight, and drove until 3:00 p.m. the following day). So, technically, I have made a long drive after having been awake for 29 continuous hours. I didn't start to feel unable to drive until about 1:00 p.m. the second day, at which time I had been awake for 27 continuous hours. I'm confident I can drive from New York to the beginning of Wisconsin (Milwaukee area) in one shot; it's the part from Milwaukee to Superior that I'm worried about.
I worked in 5 states and accordingly moved across the country. Most of the times in a car we owned for that time.
NEVER had any issues. You over react. Cars with out of state plates are all over everywhere. Motels have security systems.
Just make sure you take regular precautions - car inside does not show anything a baddy might be interested in. Laptops, Tvs, such. Quick break window grab and run type things.
just put the boxes you will have in the back seats into the hotel room with you and take them out and put them back in the car when you leave the hotel for good in the morning . just don't leave things in the car that can be seen through the windows .
I parked a pick-up truck full of stuff and covered only with a tarp in motel lots in Wichita, Liberal KS, Tucumcari, Amarillo, and either Tulsa or OKC (can't recall which) and nobody messed with it. I've done much the same with a hatchback car -- no problems. Choose a place with a brightly lit parking lot and don't stay at places that look risky. Park it where you can see it from your room.
I helped my son move from IN to AZ a few years ago. Like you he only had to worry about a few things in the car. One was his TV and some associated equipment. We just took it into the hotel room at night and returned it to the car in the morning.
OP is worrying way too much. We have never worried about stuff in the car at a hotel. Perhaps he could park in the front of the hotel, where it is well lit, instead of by the door closest to his room.
One of the chain motel/hotels approaching towns are a good choice. Park where its lit. They watch the parking lot. And take your laptop, and any really desired things in. Always lock the door (and make sure you take the key...) Like has been said, put a tv in your room. Also leave no money, or records in the car.
Some of the chains have breakfast available too. Go get and early breakfast then reload the car. And remember when you stop for food, if you have a tv sitting in the back seat, use the drive through.
OP is not worrying too much. I have two direct friends (different incidents) who had vehicles broken into while moving. One of them lost his important documents, including his passport which he needed for I-9 at his new employer at the destination.
My advice. Put things that are least important and/or least likely to be of value to a thief in the trunk, and just leave them there for the entire trip. Put your more important things in manageable-sized boxes in the seating areas, and then take those boxes into the hotel with you. Buy a collapsible hand truck for moving the boxes. It will save a lot of time and energy.
I once did a move like this and just stayed in campgrounds. I was sleeping only a few yards from the car in a tent so I figured I would likely hear someone breaking in, but if you're a sound sleeper that might not work.
Last edited by hikernut; 07-06-2017 at 06:04 PM..
Reason: added info
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