Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Our plan is to buy a 40 foot cargo container. They haul to my friends farm (40-50 trip) on a tilt bed tractor trailer truck for app $200-$300. I store excess stuff from house (make house look bigger inside), when sold pack the balance. Then use U-Ship to have a tractor trailer tilt bed haul it the 1000 mile trip to our retirement land. While the new house is being built we're living in a 27 foot trailer my son is hauling out for us with his F350 truck. When house is done we move stuff from cargo container into new house. If we want we can sell it or keep it for a tool shed, etc.
Also my wife and I will be hauling our two horse trailer with our lawn tractor, gas grill, gas generator, etc with us. Our horses (3) will be professionally moved when I have the new barn ready since we're not up for moving them ourselves 1000 miles.
If anybody has any comments/pros/cons on the plan let me know. We've been working it out for several years (we're retiring in 6 months).
Our plan is to buy a 40 foot cargo container. They haul to my friends farm (40-50 trip) on a tilt bed tractor trailer truck for app $200-$300. I store excess stuff from house (make house look bigger inside), when sold pack the balance. Then use U-Ship to have a tractor trailer tilt bed haul it the 1000 mile trip to our retirement land. While the new house is being built we're living in a 27 foot trailer my son is hauling out for us with his F350 truck. When house is done we move stuff from cargo container into new house. If we want we can sell it or keep it for a tool shed, etc.
Also my wife and I will be hauling our two horse trailer with our lawn tractor, gas grill, gas generator, etc with us. Our horses (3) will be professionally moved when I have the new barn ready since we're not up for moving them ourselves 1000 miles.
If anybody has any comments/pros/cons on the plan let me know. We've been working it out for several years (we're retiring in 6 months).
Thanks
Great plan and well thought out. Good luck on the farm.
Sounds like you know what you are doing so it should work out.
Do not overlook insurance while the stuff is in storage and transit.
Possible water damage would be a concern. The cargo container may not be water proof. I think I would try and test it and maybe put plastic over the top of the cargo.
Be careful if you move liquids- heat and cold is one problem.
I would try and sort out what you are sure you will not want before the move. Unfortunately you will probably want something you downsized so maybe moving all is practical in your case.
I'll add one thing. When I moved a long distance I did what you are planning to do and filled the horse trailer with similar odds and ends. Then I had the horses shipped via a professional hauler. I got travel insurance on the horses. Maybe yours are already insured? Just be sure your insurer knows what you're doing.
Thanks everyone. I had thought of insurance for the stuff in the cargo container and the horse trailer as well as the horses but good to hear that others are thinking the same things. I haven't checked into the insurance yet but it's on the check list.
The cargo container that we're looking to get is supposed to be water and wind proof but we'll be checking it once we get it on my friends farm shortly. If we keep it out in Arkansas after the move we plan to paint it to blend in as well as build a lean too roof over it. Might even use a welder to cut another door near the other end of it as well.
Also a good thinking on watching on fluids and liquids; we hope to be able to store those types of things at a friends house at the end of the travel till our house is done. It might be after winter time so we have to watch for things freezing.
We have been giving away things to the kids/grandkids when we can. What they don't want we've been putting on Craigslist/Ebay as well as giving some things to Purple Heart.
It's all a big job but we hope we don't make big mistakes; the little mistakes which I'm sure we'll have some we can recover from.
Thanks again and please enter any thoughts/ideas you all might have.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,712 posts, read 58,054,000 times
Reputation: 46182
40 ft cargo container can only be moved empty, ( by conventional rigs). Possibly an oil well service truck with BIG winch and drop trailer could lift it from the ground when loaded. Be sure to have the container blocked up on one end so they can get it started up the trailer by backing trailer under one end before winching.
Option... Buy a 40 or 53' dry van freight trailer (about the same price, but harder to load into). Since I maintain / live at several locations, I plan to add a 'hook lift' to my class 8 ex- trash truck and pull a pup. Then I will have different supplies / shops in separate 20' containers, I can just take what I want when I migrate.
You may already have your 27' RV, and plan to keep it, but for the next reader...
I prefer to add an apartment into shop or barn, than to live in RV while building. I save a lot of money on building by gathering supplies at Habitat ReStore or deconsruction/ freecycle. I get new windows and cabinets from dealers who have mis- ordered. My shop at new location is very handy for storing this stuff, and other good deals I find while / before building. After house is complete, the extra apartment is very handy for rental income, LT guests, boomerang kids, needy parents, or my future caregiver. I like having a 'boarder' who can watch the place and feed plants and animals while I travel. I get age 40+ single people who enjoy a quiet place to garden.
Do yourself a big favor and get rid of as much stuff, as soon as possible. No sense moving it twice, and risking damage of move / storage.
Is the container vented? It can get pretty hot inside perhaps affecting your wood furniture. That is one thing I'd worry about unless you are moving when it is cool and there is no direct sun.
Thanks everyone. I had thought of insurance for the stuff in the cargo container and the horse trailer as well as the horses but good to hear that others are thinking the same things. I haven't checked into the insurance yet but it's on the check list.
Be sure to let us know what you find for insurance. I looked for shipping insurance and could not find any. I was using a PODS and the insurance they offer is totally worthless (does not cover water or fire damage while in transit, loss of the container, or damage to the contents). I finally decided that I was probably covered under my home owner's policy and crossed my fingers, and it all worked out.
I will be renting a Matson container for shipping another load so will go through this again.
Is the container vented? It can get pretty hot inside perhaps affecting your wood furniture. That is one thing I'd worry about unless you are moving when it is cool and there is no direct sun.
Good thing to think about. When we start loading the household goods in it the container will be on the east side of a very tall barn so it will be shaded from the afternoon sun. We will be moving it in Oct time frame to a very wooded area.
40 ft cargo container can only be moved empty, ( by conventional rigs). Possibly an oil well service truck with BIG winch and drop trailer could lift it from the ground when loaded. Be sure to have the container blocked up on one end so they can get it started up the trailer by backing trailer under one end before winching.
Option... Buy a 40 or 53' dry van freight trailer (about the same price, but harder to load into). Since I maintain / live at several locations, I plan to add a 'hook lift' to my class 8 ex- trash truck and pull a pup. Then I will have different supplies / shops in separate 20' containers, I can just take what I want when I migrate.
So far the drivers we talked with said that with normal amount of household goods it should be no problem with a tilt bed tractor trailer. Will see how that works out.
The 40/53 foot freight trailer in any kind of good condition is way more expensive and then it will need to be maintained since it has a lot more parts Also being in our 60s anything that is harder to load into is a no go with us
Thanks for the thoughts and things to think about
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Also being in our 60s anything that is harder to load into is a no go with us 
