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Having moved ourselves three times in less than 10 years, we really found the moves a great opportunity to "downsize" the accumulated "stuff" of two households.
Except for heirloom quality furniture (the few pieces we had) of exceptional value and some sentimental value ... everything except our tools and equipment was sold, including appliances. Certain collector pieces of audio equipment which were very heavy were kept ... and, in retrospect, I'm not sure that they couldn't have been sold and then replaced with like kind and quality for the same money or less at our destinations. Even the clothes closets were gone through pretty thoroughly. What didn't sell at auction was donated to charities that could put the items to good use or fund raising.
Now that we're settled into our farm/ranch, we see a lot of folks confronted with the same issues when they downsize and move back to the city. They typically take only what is absolutely essential to their new lifestyle and have a "complete farm dispersal" auction. Everything that family members might want for sentimental or functional is given to them, except for major pieces of equipment, and the rest is sold. Literally ... it's carried out onto the auction area, boxes of stuff and items placed on trailers so the auctioneer is above the crowd ... and it's gone within a very short time with true "price discovery" and fast cash in hand.
This may be a "tough" emotional process, but it's also very liberating. Think of how much additional investment you have in the transport and storage costs of stuff you're not using. Is it possibly worth more money now to somebody else? Is it worth what you'll have in it with years of storage costs, non-use, and transport costs?
I know that someday I'll be moving from here to my second home and will no longer need my equipment and my tons of tools, nor my now my very limited amount of household furnishings and collections of audiophile equipment, books, artwork, cookware, and other collectibles. It's going to be one heck of an auction ....
But that's really the way to minimize your moving costs and maximize your opportunites to buy what you need at your new destination. If you haven't already checked it out ... they have quality stores and shops for everything you need in Maine, or very close by. New, used, auction, antiques, rarities, collectables, daily household items, furniture, furnishings, clothing, appliances, etc. Some of it might even get replaced for less cost than the price of the item plus the cost of moving and storing it at your new destination. Really, the only "stuff" worth moving coast to coast are the items of exceptional value and rarity that cannot be reasonably replaced due to scarcity ....
we moved last summer from California to Michigan. We used ABF which worked really well for us. We had a raft of friends over helping to pack us up and we were pretty much done in a day. ABF offers storage on the other end for a fee if it is after a week. We went over a week but they didn't charge us. My husband and I drove 2 cars, 9 kids and 2 dogs back here in 3 and a half days. Had we known that there was to be a huge snafu with our new houses escrow closing we would have relaxed a little and enjoyed the trip! It all worked out. I packed the antiques and everything got here in one piece including 2 very large antique bubble glass pictures. I wrapped them in bubble wrap and then put them in the fridge (freezer on the bottom so very big shelves) I tucked in old sheets around them and taped the fridge closed. The sheets absorbed any odor from keeping the fridge closed so tight too.
ABF was great. They delivered the truck when they were supposed to and cost was about 5000 dollars total. We used 26 feet in the truck. When packing you do have to pay attention to detail and use rope every couple of feet to hold things in place.
We moved when gas prices were over 4 dollars a gallon, we couldn't have rented a truck and driven it any cheaper.
ABF's UPack service is a great option for those physically fit enough to handle the rigors of moving themselves but, in Maja's case, they will probably need at least 3 and possibly four 26' pups to handle their move - and that doesn't include the vehicles. The other obstacle is that ABF may not go to some parts of Maine. They have limited terminal capacity there.
Sunspirit's right. Folks are downsizing like crazy to save money, energy resources and space. This is most evident in the self storage industry where tenents are abandoning their 'precious possessions' en masse because they haven't been used in years. The local Goodwill stopped scheduling furniture pick ups because they have no where left to put new donations.
we moved last summer from California to Michigan. We used ABF which worked really well for us. We had a raft of friends over helping to pack us up and we were pretty much done in a day. ABF offers storage on the other end for a fee if it is after a week. We went over a week but they didn't charge us. My husband and I drove 2 cars, 9 kids and 2 dogs back here in 3 and a half days. Had we known that there was to be a huge snafu with our new houses escrow closing we would have relaxed a little and enjoyed the trip! It all worked out. I packed the antiques and everything got here in one piece including 2 very large antique bubble glass pictures. I wrapped them in bubble wrap and then put them in the fridge (freezer on the bottom so very big shelves) I tucked in old sheets around them and taped the fridge closed. The sheets absorbed any odor from keeping the fridge closed so tight too.
ABF was great. They delivered the truck when they were supposed to and cost was about 5000 dollars total. We used 26 feet in the truck. When packing you do have to pay attention to detail and use rope every couple of feet to hold things in place.
We moved when gas prices were over 4 dollars a gallon, we couldn't have rented a truck and driven it any cheaper.
Arkansas Best Freight. They are a motor freight common carrier that will provide you with a 26' long, high profile, spring-ride trailer with one rear door and no equipment. You would have to provide the pads, dollies, straps, tie-downs, and walkboards. Move with the Truck Rental Alternative - ABF U-Pack Moving
Based on your explanation of the size of your household and amount of goods you have in storage, you would probably require at least three trailers. Check with ABF to see if they service where you're moving in Maine direct.
Although they advertise as providing moving services and storage services, ABF is not a licensed household goods motor carrier and therefore they are not required to provide users with any of the consumer protections that licensed full service movers must provided their customers by law.
Arkansas Best Freight. They are a motor freight common carrier that will provide you with a 26' long, high profile, spring-ride trailer with one rear door and no equipment. You would have to provide the pads, dollies, straps, tie-downs, and walkboards. Move with the Truck Rental Alternative - ABF U-Pack Moving
Based on your explanation of the size of your household and amount of goods you have in storage, you would probably require at least three trailers. Check with ABF to see if they service where you're moving in Maine direct.
Although they advertise as providing moving services and storage services, ABF is not a licensed household goods motor carrier and therefore they are not required to provide users with any of the consumer protections that licensed full service movers must provided their customers by law.
Thanks. I think you're right about not being for our move. Very informative.
I am a sales manger for Mayflower PM me and I will see what I can do to help you out. I have contacs all across the country to help make this a smooth and cost effective move
Be very careful, It sounds like you have a nice home with nice furnishings, it would be unwise to see how cheap you can move these items. Be smart and stay with a major mover who will back up their work. The last thing you will want is a cheap move and lots of damage, Ideally you will want a cost effective move with a compnay who can and will take care of you items,
According to the motor carrier information on their website, Roberto Pineda d/b/a smartmove123.net is a one truck carrier based in California that appears to advertise heavily on craigslist throughout the country. Company DetailAuthority History Did they provide you with an in-home estimate as required by law before they provided their unbelievably low price?
Our family moved from California to New york last fall.We each took a car and a friend. My husband had the two cats and the rabbit in his truck . I had the 3 kids. He only stopped to play golf once but we took a little more time stopping a couple of places. My kids are 16,12 and 5 so some times it is hard to find a place that all 3 will enjoy(which means not complain incessantly).For each of us having a friend was very helpful because we could spend more time on the road switching off.We took the same route so he could give me tips about hotel sites or where he thought we should stop off with thie kids for the night.We hired a company and had the amount set by contract prior to the move. We took a week to get there but unfortunatley our things were delayed. I was about 1 week before our things arrived which was awful. We used Allied but they have different contractors (so it is not always"directly" the company. The company was not one I would recomend at all.They took apart so many things, like all our bicycles!They either put them back together half way or not at all in some cases. They had to come back a week later to put many of these items together. We ended up with things that were not ours and when I told them this they said "oh no. No has said they did not get all thier items" so we just kept them). We too had considered getting rid of many things but decided that it was not much more money to take a few more things than having to spend to replace them.
We are going to move back at the end of the year. We are doing things differently this time. Using relo cubes and probably going without the friends.Finances are hitting everyone so hard it will change the plan but hopefully we can still stop and learn and see other parts of the country.
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