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.
I'm moving from Massachusetts to Oklahoma soon. This is rapidly turning into a larger job than I'd expected...
I have a car that could make the trip, but there is no way I can reduce to enough stuff to fit no matter what I do. I'm fine with driving a moving truck- is there any particular company that is particularly good for small moving trucks that can tow a car?
Would it be worth it to look into hiring a moving company and then just driving with a few important things? There is a specific date that I need to be in Oklahoma, but if my stuff is a few days later, that's fine. I've just never hired a moving company before and don't know how it compares cost-wise.
Are shipping companies worth it? I have a lot of things that could easily go media mail, which would make it possible to move in my car. I'm just trying to find the most practical way to make a huge move.
...but there is no way I can reduce to enough stuff to fit no matter what I do.
Focus on this.
Think hard about the biggest and bulkiest and heaviest things you have.
Then think about the rattier and the older and half broken things yu have too.
Just because you own an X, a Y, or a Z...
is not reason enough in and of itself to drag it half way across the country with you...
even if that dragging didn't cost you anything.
If you could ship most of your stuff media mail and stuff the rest in your car, that would be the way to go. Even if you have to ship a few things by UPS or Greyhound, it would still be way less expensive than hiring a truck or a Pod or ABF.
i'd first take another look at what you're bringing and ask yourself if there's anything you can discard. you might find that you can save a lot of space if you throw out some stuff and go on a target trip when you get to your new home.
what i would do is pack as much stuff as you can possibly fit into your car, and then mail the rest. it's the cheapest way to do it. pack all your important and fragile belongings with you and mail the rest - UPS has good rates. you can go to UPS right before you leave and choose a far off (and cheap) delivery date so you'll already be there when your stuff arrives.
i'd also advise that you take some towels/blankets and cover all the stuff that's visible in your car. i've always done that on cross-country trips for peace of mind.
I think you may regret later jettisoning much of your belongings due to perceived high moving costs when replacement costs can exceed it in the long run. I've used a rental truck towing my car on a couple of moves and it's absolutely fine. To be able to pick and choose without the panic of trying to make it fit is well worth it. I would urge you to still whittle down on the belongings you haven't touched or used in a couple of years however. FYI, a quick look on Budget Rent a Truck's website shows a one way rental rate of $1600 from Boston to Oklahoma City.
I disagree with the above. When we moved, we sold about 70% of our stuff, packed the rest in the car and a single Relocube (family of three). We were able to replace every thing for better for less than what we even sold the same type of item for. We just had to do it over the course of 2-3 months to get the best deals. Craigslist and Goodwill are fantastic.
I have a lot of things that could easily go media mail, which would make it possible to move in my car.
If you can ship it all Media Mail, that's the route I would take!
But if you find you have too much to mail, then I'd go with renting a truck and moving it yourself. U-Haul has trucks that are as easy to drive as a car - and I would think other companies might as well - I'v just always used U-Haul because they're the best in my area.
Good luck with your move, and don't let anyone talk you into getting rid of your stuff. If you love it, you should bring it with you!
Have you gone online and gotten some rough estimates? It is fairly easy to enter the zip code of your current home, zip code of future home and estimated size of moving truck. Sure, U-Haul/Penske might be cheaper intially, but realize that YOU have to drive it, plus pay for gas and tolls, etc. If your departure and arrival destination are covered by the pods, check out the price.
We have moved cross-country twice (family of 4) and have used ABF. You don't have to drive it, just load it and get everything tied down good and snug. You only pay for the portion of the trailer that you use. ABF fills the empty space with other goods which are delivered before dropping the trailer with just your stuff at your new home. The ABF estimate is for everything -- trailer space, driver, gas, tolls. If you don't use the amount of space they initially provide in the estimate, your bill gets reduced by a set amount per foot. If you need more than you thought, your bill will increase by the same set amount per foot.
Do some cost comparing. If you want more details, it will be time to pick up the phone and talk with a representative. I have found that the longer you wait, the higher the rental price. So don't delay!
Another option, depending on your car and how much stuff you have, is to get a trailer hitch attached to your car. If you have the time, you can buy a used trailer and sell if for the same price when you get there.
Keep in mind your vehicle probably wasn't made to tow much (if any) weight so this only applies if you aren't packing heavy.
I'm moving from Massachusetts to Oklahoma soon. This is rapidly turning into a larger job than I'd expected...
I have a car that could make the trip, but there is no way I can reduce to enough stuff to fit no matter what I do. I'm fine with driving a moving truck- is there any particular company that is particularly good for small moving trucks that can tow a car?
Would it be worth it to look into hiring a moving company and then just driving with a few important things? There is a specific date that I need to be in Oklahoma, but if my stuff is a few days later, that's fine. I've just never hired a moving company before and don't know how it compares cost-wise.
Are shipping companies worth it? I have a lot of things that could easily go media mail, which would make it possible to move in my car. I'm just trying to find the most practical way to make a huge move.
go to www dot uship dot com and list your location, where you are going, the dates you need the items picked up, the date you are ok with delivery, and accept bids on your job. Start high so you can come down.
Once you start getting bids, review their feedback.
I used to be a service provider on that site.
There are large trucks heading from New England to the Midwest and they may need more than one job along the way to make the trip financially worth while for them.
Look here down the page, you see Massachusetts to Charlotte, N.C.
Not exactly your routing but just an example. They are asking for someone to do it for $500, and their best offer right now is $550. Their's is a 1 bedroom apartment. The person moving has made a list of what they have to move and are taking bids. You can find service providers that can tow your car too if you want to fly to Oklahoma. Cheapest Way to Ship a 1 Bedroom Apartment from Gardner to Cornelius
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.
