Best [cheapest] way to move your stuff 1000+ miles (and any alternatives) (moving, year)

[rgb123]

I moved from Spokane, WA to Ventura, CA a couple of years ago (before that most of my moves were paid for by employers with fancy moving companies, or I was in college and could fit everything in my car).

I'm now facing this again and in fact just called my landlord to extend my lease a bit longer I'm so freaked out about doing it again, and it would only be 180 miles or so.

So, I basically took option #6 when I left Spokane. Thinking about how stressful that was and then my subsequent local moves in Ventura gives me pause. (When I got here some coworkers helped me move with their pick up truck -- nice but still sucky)

So okay let me frame it for you. I REALLY WANTED to go to CA and had a job offer, the bonus just didn't cover the exorbient (can't spell or word change that, its the right word...) cost of moving over 1000 miles. It seemed impossible but I knew I was going to do it. But thinking about it again give s me nightmares, lol.

First, I started by selling my furniture on Craiglist. It was painful selling a $2000 mattress and $700 dresser for about $150 total, but I needed the cash and couldn't take it. I went with the 'taking only what fits in my car' option and replacing when I arrived.

I lost well over $1000 on the replacement part. I now havea $600 mattress (Which I actually like better) no dresser (and trouble keeping my clothes assembled lol) and no desk (which I pretty much gave away with a nice desk chair to a nice old man) and now I work from home, go figure.

I have a foam mattress that I bought upon moving to CA that now sits in my extra bedroom collecting dust (I needed something cheap fast!). I've acquired some nice new things and fear having to move them again.

Back to Spokane. The stuff I couldn't sell (for painfully low prices vs. what I paid) I gave away or had charity vans come to pick the stuff. It's amazing how much stuff I had when I thought I had so little. I remember the pile in my living room. I gave toietries and sample items to the YWCA for homeless and poor people needing shampoo and that kind of stuff.

I lived on the third floor too I remember just being soooo exhausted yet triumphant at the end when I was left with the items that HAD TO FIT into my car. The things I needed. I drive a mazda3...

I also have a cat...

I remember my sheer will and determination of making everything fit into that car, but I also remember having to get rid of or throw away certain items I didn't want to take and was too exhasted at that point to post on craiglist. I recall throwing an old computer and a laptop I wanted to fix into the dumpster as I was getting close to being able to leave.

I had to keep my (nearly new) vacuum to clean the apartment before I left. My most vivid memory is cleaning my apartment from top to bottom, vacuuming, then taking a photo of my just-used vacuum in my empty apartment and posting to facebook mere hours before I left and selling it for $40

This with all the details you are keeping track of while trying to move! (not to mention did I say I have a cat that was going with me?)

I lived on the 3rd floor too. how I wished I could have hired movers and taken all that junk with me. And yes some of it I was sad to see go especially the part about selling my furniture for fractions of what I paid but knowing I Couldn't take it with me there was just no way to do it that I could afford, while still affording a security deposit and rent on a new apartment in CA.

honestly its the cheapest and best way if you have no attachment to your furniture (I really didn't have much) and I took my tv and a couple of small items (drawers, I could pack stuff inside some drawers and they fit in the backseat) and most of my clothes. I had boxes of totally just sentimental stuff and photos. That's the stuff that stayed. and my cat...

my car was just jam packed and that charity van guy must have made 6 trips with my stuff....and just the energy and worry I had in the 2 weeks making sales and arrangements with people on Craigslit. I met more people from Spokane in that 2 weeks the entire time I was there! oh and I even left an old TV outside ....was exhausted just posted to people where it was if they wanted to pick it up. Imust have gotten 100 replies but no one came for it before I left.

It's no wonder I'm having PTSD before my next move and opting to just stay where I am a little longer!

I don't think I mind moving, I think I just want to have the money saved up to pay someone to do this part...

that said, if you are motivated it CAN BE DONE! and I'm glad I did it. (oh and I also shipped some stuff home to my parents, that is expensive too)

oh....and i stopped at two hotels along the way. no one messed with my stuff....or me. But I did have to bring a cat into a hotel...

[IloveOC]

My daughter is moving from Minnesota to Florida next month. She originally was going to take only the necessary furniture and get rid of the rest. She now has decided to sell the furniture and she can replace it down there. She will just need a van to get the rest down there and her daughter will be driving her car down. I am sure she can find good deals on craigslist or she will figure it out. Then she can get only what she needs for the new place wich she will be picking out this week when she goes back down.

[rgb123]

can you update us when you move? Im really interested in this topic and will need to do it again! I got a quote from "Starving Student Movers" for $1400 -- not bad but it was basically the minimum. The minimum cost is for 4000 pounds. In all of my moves I never broke 2000 pounds I know from when my employer paid so seems not worth it to me.

[certsevtxert]

Originally Posted by rgb123

can you update us when you move? Im really interested in this topic and will need to do it again! I got a quote from "Starving Student Movers" for $1400 -- not bad but it was basically the minimum. The minimum cost is for 4000 pounds. In all of my moves I never broke 2000 pounds I know from when my employer paid so seems not worth it to me.

I bought a mini van. Trying to find someone to share the ride down to share gas prices.

My final costs will be:
* gas costs
* vehicle registration fees
* hotel costs

I got a really good deal and may very well make a profit on the vehicle when I sell it. Hopefully in the end my net moving costs will be zero dollars + time.

p.s. 2000 pounds (4000 dollars)?? SERIOUSLY???
in all my moves I never spent more than a few hundred dollars TOTAL!!

[rgb123]

is the mini van now your main vehicle?

no it was $1400 estimated at 4000 pounds even though id have less than 2000 pounds

[certsevtxert]

Originally Posted by rgb123

is the mini van now your main vehicle?

no it was $1400 estimated at 4000 pounds even though id have less than 2000 pounds

Yes the mini van is my main vehicle for the moment. Obviously I wouldn't have two vehicles if I was using one of them to move one-way to another state.


You realize 4000 pounds = about $8000 not the the other way around, right?
1 dollar USD = ~ 2 pounds GBP.

I know because I get payments monthly in pounds and I have to do the conversion rate all the time.


And an UPDATE:
* I bought a bike rack off craigslist for $20
* I bought a room cargo storage box off craigslist for under $100 and I can resell it for at least what I paid for it.
* I can probably resell the mini van for more than what I paid for it, which may even cover gas and hotel costs and maybe some money left over, meaning a net $0 move.

[peghello]

My husband and I just moved from Illinois to retire in Seal Beach. We shipped about ten boxes to our son who lives nearby - clothes and kitchen stuff - and sold or donated all of our furniture. The moving companies wanted $5000, and our stuff wasn't worth that much. We didnt want to haul a trailer 2300 miles either. Donating gave is a nice tax write-off. Filled our Ford Escape to the max with misc personal items, 2 tv's, 2 computers, 4 pcs of luggage, and drove here in four days. Bought all new stuff at Ikea, Target, Big Lots, and a nice, new bed on sale, and are very happy with our decision! Good luck!

[certsevtxert]

Originally Posted by peghello

My husband and I just moved from Illinois to retire in Seal Beach. We shipped about ten boxes to our son who lives nearby - clothes and kitchen stuff - and sold or donated all of our furniture. The moving companies wanted $5000, and our stuff wasn't worth that much. We didnt want to haul a trailer 2300 miles either. Donating gave is a nice tax write-off. Filled our Ford Escape to the max with misc personal items, 2 tv's, 2 computers, 4 pcs of luggage, and drove here in four days. Bought all new stuff at Ikea, Target, Big Lots, and a nice, new bed on sale, and are very happy with our decision! Good luck!

In your case you essentially sold some of your things to the government by donating and writing them off. Just make sure the Tax Man sees the real value if you ever get audited!

Also EDIT: in the previous post I said 1 dollar USD = ~ 2 pounds GBP. -- I had it backwards sorry.. 1 pound GBP = ~ 2 dollars USD.

[Lola The yorkie]

Originally Posted by certsevtxert

In your case you essentially sold some of your things to the government by donating and writing them off. Just make sure the Tax Man sees the real value if you ever get audited!

Also EDIT: in the previous post I said 1 dollar USD = ~ 2 pounds GBP. -- I had it backwards sorry.. 1 pound GBP = ~ 2 dollars USD.

welcome to the USA

pounds here mean a measure of weight

no one cares about GBP

you likely need to forget all that info

[RobDerek]

Hi,
I will be moving cross country from Boston, MA to Los Angeles, CA Area in the MAY time frame.
I was looking for the best and cheapest way to transport my Jeep Wrangler cross country.
We have two vehicles and want to ship the Jeep Wrangler as we will be driving the other.

Does anybody have any ideas. I was hoping not to pay more than $950-1000.
Thank you,