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Hello,
We need to hire movers to move our stuff about 2,000 miles away. We will have at least 20 large boxes to move. Given that we will have to hire movers to move those boxes, does it make sense to move sofas/mattresses and cheaper furniture be getting rid of them? The sofas and stuff are not really expensive but I wonder if the distance of the move matters more than how much we are moving. For example is moving a 12 foot truck 2000 miles much less expensive than moving a 16 foot truck that distance?
We also need to move 1-2 sedans. Not sure if the same movers would move our stuff and the cars.
Logic tells me that it depends on the quality and age of your furniture. What is in your 20 boxes? Consider your housewares. High end cookware or something you picked up at Walmart? Comforters take up a lot of space, bed sheets not so much. Can you mail the boxes to yourself? I think the Post Office takes up to 70 pound boxes. I've known people going to Alaska that mailed the majority of their stuff. You say 1 - 2 sedans. How much can you put in them? Could you get around using movers by scaling back your stuff and packing it into your sedans and driving? If you have to use movers ask them the difference in price. Maybe you can even find a chart on line for various moving companies.
Thank you for the responses! I would say our stuff is not “cheap” for us. Yes, even the pots and pans, sofas etc would take some time to replace when we move. It might make it more worth it to move the washer/dryer and fridge since those are only a few yrs old and cost a bit. We moved into our current home a few yrs ago and wasn’t too happy about having to buy these things (sofas, fridge, w/d). Wouldn’t want to get a used couch after the move, so we might go without for a while.
I’ve gone both ways. One thing to consider is whether you will be dramatically changing the “style” of your home. For example mountain cabin cozy to beachy. But do take into account the time it will take to find, order, and have shipped any new goods. That can be tiring on top of the changes you need in local services. Money isn’t always the important consideration.
On the other hand, getting rid of stuff in the new place might be harder. Different types of donation resellers, estate sales, recycling rules. If you know people in the new location they might offer some advice.
I'm going through this myself, right now! The answer really depends on a lot of things...
When we first started looking into moving, we found the "services" (Bekins, Two Men and A Truck, etc.) charge by distance and weight of load. Not counting any packing, with an estimated weight of about 12,000 pounds over about 1,500 miles, the quotes came in around $15,000! Pods told us we would need 2 large + 1 small, and that quote was in the same ballpark.
We have decided on using an ABF U-Pack trailer. We are doing all of our own packing and are hiring help to load and unload the large heavy things (at a minimum). Quote for the entire 28-foot trailer came in just over $5K. Hired help will run another few hundred through "task rabbit . com" or "hire a helper . com ", that sort of thing. This way, we don't have to be so concerned about the weight...U-Pack charges by how many linear feet of the trailer you use *not* by weight.
I would encourage you to watch some Youtube videos from people who have actually used the different services. They were really helpful to us!
Once you pin down your options and pricing, I think you'll have a better idea of what makes sense to keep and move with you vs. what you should get rid of beforehand. Good luck!
Just FYI I recently moved a lot of antique and vintage furniture a long distance in the summer. The national van line must have kept the truck airtight and it must have gotten very hot inside. Lots of surface damage to finishes. Real wood veneers are particularly sensitive. I suspect most can be reversed but it will take effort. The heat can affect some household decor as well so keep that in mind.
These types of damage are hard to document as having taken place during shipping so you will probably be stuck with it.
I would consider looking into all the options, including the large moving companies where you hire part of a truck. I’ve done moves with those companies and the price often ends up being comparable or even less than other options. This is particularly the case if you are moving the opposite direction of most people because those companies have trouble filling up the large trucks.
That said, it will be charged somewhat by weight. If you have older, heavy furniture, it doesn’t make much sense to save it unless it is some sort of heirloom or otherwise vintage/expensive. My parents will be moving next year and they won’t be moving any of their beds, as the beds are all old. A lot of their furniture is really nice, so they plan to sell some of it locally. My mom’s already sold a lot of stuff she hasn’t used for a while. Other stuff like artwork, she plans on moving up because she feels like she can get more money here than she’d get where she is now.
We need to hire movers to move our stuff about 2,000 miles away.
Your stuff is worth the effort and expense?
Absent real value MOST will be better off selling or even giving away whatever won't fit in a box...
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