Moving after retirement? Do it while your young enough (relative, retired, vacation)
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My kids helped us move 3 years ago. Honestly, without them young kids, we would never have the energy. We moved about 5 miles so we had chance for multiple trips back. But on the day of the move, things were packed so that the movers can load and unload easily.
You can move on the cheap. Couple of day labors from a temp agency are worth not being sore or throwing your back out. Cost of a one way Uhaul. Load it up and go. Get some other temp to unload it and place the stuff for you.
If you want to go fancy and hire a big company there is that. Also PODS. Moving doesn't have to be back breaking or expensive.
BTW, not that it is relevant, but I'm not sure where you came up with your $20,000 figure for the OP (and I assume that you meant Mayflower in your post and not Maytag). I've moved cross-country twice in the last six years and we didn't spent 20,000 combined on the two moves. Our last move from Nevada to Florida with Atlas Van Lines came to exactly $7,458.42.
We shouldn't be inflating the costs in these discussions. My move 2 years ago at age 66 cost $4000 for a 600 mile move with a professional mover. After decluttering, I packed everything myself (just me, no helpers) except for large pictures, the TVs and beds. I am a not very strong female. It was nice watching strong young men move all my stuff... so easy for them.
The hard part in a move is the physical and mental chore of getting rid of stuff and organizing it so the possessions fall neatly into place in the new uncluttered home. That alone can tax a senior significantly, no matter what shape s/he's in. Hire the mover, the best money ever spent in making a change. BTDT with do-it-yourself and with clearing out elders' homes. Never again.
I've always packed and moved myself. Last time, I was 52. I was in fairly good shape then, plus, I hadn't accumulated much "stuff". Well, the exception being a grand piano I inherited from my dad, which I had professionally moved.
Now, I'm 62 and won't do the labor myself when I move next time. However, I'll probably sell (or donate) a lot, including the piano. Not sure about a few big items that I bought after moving here, since they are nice and still in-style, I think. Anyway, since I won't be moving a lot, I'm wondering whether it would be worthwhile to have the big stuff shipped or better to just get rid of it all.
We moved cross country in 2012. DH was 70 and I was 65. We did have a mover do some of the packing, storage and the actual transporting of most of our belongings. But we packed a lot of stuff ourselves. We also downsized. We got rid of books and much other stuff, including old clothes, kitchenware, some furniture and many other things. We used the paper lawn bags to put stuff in, and donate to a thrift store. We made many, many trips to donate.
We worked really hard to accomplish this. We worked not only in packing, but in thinking how to accomplish the move. A lot of brain cells were exercised over the logistics!
If you can afford to use a mover, then I'd advise you to do so--at least for some of the move. I had professional packers pack everything I deemed valuable to me and breakable. They did an amazing job. And my stuff arrived in very good shape as did the stuff I packed.
I do not understand people who insist on moving themselves when they have the money to use a moving company or to use POD's and movers.
Moving oneself is usually done when one is very young, in college, or by those without enough money to finance it.
It's a gigantic job which takes physical strength, braun, stamina, and endurance.
And I cannot understand imposing the horrendous moving job on friends and/or family if one has the money to hire movers.
And trying to do all the moving oneself as an older person or senior - I would say not advisable.
Agree wholeheartedly. Doing heavy lifting and otherwise wearing oneself out is dangerous when people are older. Injuries, heart attacks, strokes, hospitalization are all horrible situations that can occur when trying to move yourselves. Not worth the chance. Spend the $6,000-$7,000 and hire a moving company. Rest as much as you can and prepare to enjoy your retirement location!
I really don't see a correlation between your two thoughts there.
It's one thing if someone can't afford to hire a moving company, but if you have the resources to do so, but you're just too cheap to spend the money, then you neither get nor deserve any sympathy. My wife and I have moved into 10 different residences during our 40 years together, and not once did we do it by UHaul or anything similar. I don't mind trying to be frugal in certain circumstances, but packing up a house and driving the contents to a new location is not among them.
I agree, my parents just moved in their 80's and insisted on doing much of the packing themselves to save money.
My mother incessantly tried to guilt me into heavy labor lol. I refused. Because, I know they can afford to pay a mover to pack it all up.
I paid when I moved; they can also pay or do it themselves.
I don't do stupid things. If they want to, that's up to them.
I stored extra boxes in my garage for a year knowing they would be moving and drove them to them a few at a time, but that is where I drew the line.
That is totally unfair. If they are able to do it who are you to say choosing not to spend $20,000 with Maytag is the wrong decision?
20,000??? Are you nuts?
We moved a 4 Br house worth of furniture from NY to FL for around $5000 dollars.
There is almost no house in this country that you would move to anywhere in this country that would cost $20,000 and I assume you mean Mayfair as Maytag sells washing machines and dryers.
Read my comment again. I didn't say it was the wrong decision. I said it was wrong not to spend the money and then b*tch and moan about the work involved because you were too cheap (his words) to spend the money.
Anyone is entitled to spend - - - or not spend - - - their own money as they see fit. There is no right or wrong decision. What I find objectionable is someone choosing to not spend money on a chore and then complaining about how difficult that chore was to accomplish.
BTW, not that it is relevant, but I'm not sure where you came up with your $20,000 figure for the OP (and I assume that you meant Mayflower in your post and not Maytag). I've moved cross-country twice in the last six years and we didn't spent 20,000 combined on the two moves. Our last move from Nevada to Florida with Atlas Van Lines came to exactly $7,458.42.
Yeah obviously I meant Mayflower and I did pull the $20,000 figure out of my butt. I was using a friend's figure of $12,000 to move pods from NH to MD recently and having no idea how far and how much the OP is moving. Regardless of the total figure it's still a lot of money, money that could be saved by doing something they have done over a dozen times in the past.
So yeah I still see your comments as unfair and overly harsh. The point of the thread was not to solicite sympathy, there was nothing in that opening post to indicated that. The OP was simply trying to help others by pointing out how much more difficult a task you have done many times in the past is made as you age. Instead of acknowledging the helpful suggestion you jumped on him and called him cheap.
Last edited by DaveinMtAiry; 09-22-2016 at 05:50 AM..
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