Moving cross country...need experiences, advice!

[mommyof2princesses]

My dh just accepted a job in Oregon. We live in North carolina. He needs to start in 3 weeks. Now we need to figure out how to do it! I was thinking of renting a mid size uhaul with trailer and driving. He thinks it is too far and we should get a moving company, but I think it will be too expensive.

And should we just bring furniture items we really want? and buy some new stuff when we can? Some of our furniture is the stuff you put together and I don't think it will even make it!

Has anyone ever driven from the east coast to the west coast? It is something that can be done driving a truck? I have driven a uhaul with a car trailing from NY to NC by myself before.

Any advice and suggestions would truly be appreciated! AHh!!! Here comes the fun!

 

[minnie1928]

I help friends of mine recently move from PA to WA. I would have a moving company give you a quote, just so you have an idea of a worst case scenario. Are you driving your cars or shipping them? My friends shipped 2 cars at a cost of about $2000/car.

If you have furniture that is in questionable shape and may not survive the move, my recommendation is to sell/donate it in NC. Anything that is not truly necessary to move...don't. That means do a massive de-stashing of your house. Also, you might want to get rid of any plants that you have. Our movers wouldn't take plants and if you're doing the move yourself...you don't want to be bothered. Any liquids that you'll be moving, if they've been opened try to use them up. If you can't and want to still move them, put them all in a plastic bin, so in case they leak...the leak will be contained.

Also, my friends did do the drive from PA to WA (twice, without at u-haul) to move some of the cars. It's long, obviously. They drove for about 4 days (I think). They broke the trip into roughly equal amounts of driving, scoped out hotels online and made reservations before they left PA.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

we moved from NY to KS...got movers through DH new job. Lots of things (put it together yourself furniture) didn't fare very well. I would say use it as a time to purge some things. I did a lot of donating before we left (books, toys, clothes, etc.).

Have fun with your new adventure! We did The kids and I took our time getting to KS and stopped at a few fun landmarks. Was a great trip.

I bet Oregon is beautiful - never been there, but I'm picturing lots of trees!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Dh and I have moved from NC to WA and back. Both times we used a moving company, first of all because of the kids, second for comfort and third because I did not want to drive a truck through the mountains. Plus we could drive faster (the speed limit) in our van.

With a u-haul you have the extra gas expense and probably at least one extra night hotel since you can't drive as fast.

I had debated with myself over the furniture issue before we moved both times. In the end I chose to keep all of my furniture because I found that when we arrived at our new home I had different needs for it and repurposed alot of things, for example, I have much less counter space in my kitchen here so an old desk that I thought I didn't need now serves as a microwave stand.

I did declutter before I moved. I went through each room with a fine tooth comb, had a garage sale, craigslisted and ebayed alot of stuff (which also helps with moving expenses).

We bought a carrier to put on top of our van for things we knew we would need in our home right away such as: an air mattress, linens, clothes, pots/pans, etc. I used space bags to pack clothes we wouldn't need for the drive.

It took our family about 7 days to drive both times, BUT we made it into a vacation because of the kids. If we saw something interesting we stayed an extra day. We only drive until 6 or 7pm each day so we could stop and swim and relax for awhile. On the way to WA we drove the northern route so we could stop in OH and IL to visit relatives and we stopped at Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands. This move was in Feb., but it was a mild year and we didn't encounter much snow except in Idaho, that's definitely something to consider when you plan your route. It was very nervewracking to drive in the mountains in snow.

On the way back to NC we took the southern route so we could see the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest and a few other attractions.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

we moved from NY to KS...got movers through DH new job. Lots of things (put it together yourself furniture) didn't fare very well. I would say use it as a time to purge some things. I did a lot of donating before we left (books, toys, clothes, etc.).

Have fun with your new adventure! We did The kids and I took our time getting to KS and stopped at a few fun landmarks. Was a great trip.

I bet Oregon is beautiful - never been there, but I'm picturing lots of trees!

You're right, Oregon does have alot of trees, it's very pretty near the ocean (the area I'm familiar with).

 

[RangerPooh]

2 years back we moved from eastern WA state to Michigan so I know all about cross country moves, especially since we're looking at returning but making it form MD to WA this time.... Like your DH, mine accepted a job offer and had to start work within 2 weeks of accepting the position. So that left us with no time to pack, find a place to live, etc. Thankfully it was summer vacation and I had time to get things done.

We did rent a U-haul with a trailer for the move. In the trailer went DHs motorcycle, kayaks, and some other things. Into the U-Hual went everything that we decided to bring with us. I did have two yard sales prior to the move to try and get rid of everythingthat was no longer essential to us. I also donated to Goodwill and to the local women/children's shelter (they appreciated baby/home items that the moms could use while striking out on their own).

My advice is to start decluttering now. If you don't think that the item is worth moving get rid of it. That's what we do when we move. We too had a lot of build it yourself furnature that we decided would be easier to just replace once we moved. So intot he yard sale it went or was given away to friends/family.

U-Haul does sell boxes and will buy back any that you don't need. They also sell these bands called "Forklift Forearms" which work amazingly well! I could not believe the things that my mom and I were moving using those alone. I definately recommend purchasing a set. I think they come 2 to a pack, so you need 2. When we moved from MI to MD this summer (this time for my job) we hired two loaders/movers from u-Haul for the day on b0oth ends of the move. It cost us a couple hundred dollars but was well worht the $! My dad was a career UPS driver and knows how to pack trucks, but these guys were fast at both loading and unloading which was a huge asset to us, and helped tO save my dads back and our time.

The drive. You didn't say where you are moving to in Oregon. Oregon is a nice place. We have family and friends who live throughout the state, all transplants of neighboring states. Anyways, the drive can be iffy this time of the year. There are mountian passes to cross which can be tricky with moving trucks and snow. So keep abreast of the weather while to drive. When we moved from WA-MI, DH drove out in advance as he had to start his job ASAP. Our girls and I (who were 1.5 and 3yo at the time) took Amtrack from Spokane to Chicago. 40 hours ont he train with 2 kids in coach seats is difficult but sure beat a few days in the car IMO. My pareNts then drove out the other car and trailer for us. While it was a long drive they were able to see new parts of the country.

Cost will be a big consideration in the move. As we had to pay 100% of the expenses ourselves (DHs employer did not include relocation expenses) we needed to move the cheapest way possible. DH priced moving companies and u-Haul and U-Haul was by far the cheapest. We did look at using a POD but that was about $4k, way too expensive. In the end we rented a u-haul with trailer and a small storage unti back in WA for the things that we didn't want to get rid of but had no space for int he truck. As the move was short notice it was our best option. When moving be prepared for any toll roads that you might pass through. Some states like IL and OH have a bunch of toll roads so be prepared to shell out $. Trucks with traielrs are more expensive than cars, so bring more than enough money to cover the fees.

Have a safe move.

 

[lovepurple]

We have moved around the country a few times. Last time was from CO to NC. We rented a UHaul which broke down midway through the trip. So we were stuck with our stuff and UHaul said it would be several days to get us another truck so we ended up getting a Budget truck. I will never do that again. The other two times we moved we hired movers, once at DH's company's expense, and once our own. It is expensive. If we have to move again we will move only the bare bones necessities. Probably rent a pod, only take what fits in it, have it shipped. I think sometimes it is cheaper to sell furniture before you move and then just buy used furniture when you get where you are going.

 

[bettymae1121]

My brother moved from IL to AZ a few years ago. I think the only furnature he took was his matress and his solid oak kitchen table/chair set. Everything else he donated, gave away or tossed. Most of his stuff was "vintage first apartment" and not worth the cost of moving it. Of course he took things like electronics, books, clothes, linens, etc. but since he had hardly any furnature, it all fit in a u-haul trailer.

Now, all that said, I'd still probably hire a mover or use something like Pods if I ever have to move. I helped a friend of mine move from IL to FL and it was horible. The truck worked fine but it was long days on the road followed by a lot of hard work to unload the truck and set up the apartment. Somethings are truely worth the money, and I think something like this is one of them. But, if you get rid of a lot of stuff, it can help you lower your moving costs, so it will still pay to keep your items to a minimum.

 

[Swimalie]

I haven't read all the replies but I can relate. First of all take me with you. I'm small and don't eat much

My husband and I moved from Georgia to Oregon (Portland) in 2001. We looked in to doing it ourselves vs a moving company and decided on a moving company. What we did was sell one car in Georgia and drove the other across the country. The car we sold was not one we wanted to keep so it was worth selling and buying a new one there. The drive out there was 4.5 days going about 10 hours a day with a cat in the car with us as well as some clothing and high value items.

For the moving company, we had several come by and give estimates. Then I chose based on a gut feeling and price as well. We ended up with United. We made them put "Not to exceed" on the quote so we knew the price would not go over their estimate. It helps keep the company from holding your things hostage on the other end, which has happened to friends of mine. We bought the middle of the line insurance with a $250 deductible and packed our stuff by ourselves (well, myself. My husband was 700 miles away in training while I was doing all this)

Where in Oregon are you moving to? We just moved from there in 2006 and we miss it a lot! I can help you with areas to live in, too. We ended up getting an apartment before getting out there with our stuff. I can see with a 3 week time line that may be hard. After we were there 3 months, we bought a house and loved it there until my husband got a transfer to VA where we are snowed in for the 5 day

I hope this helps.

 

[Swimalie]

Oh and to add, we did get rid of furniture we didn't really, really want since we were paying for the move ourselves and every pound costs. We gave away a lawn mower, guest rom furniture, sold the washing machine and dryer (apartment had a set and bought a new set for the house), got rid of book cases, etc. Our apartment couldn't fit the furniture and we didn't want to pay for them. So think about the size of the place you will be moving to as well as the cost of moving them.

Our move out there, including mileage was about $3000 for the actual professional moving company. That does not include the cost of us driving out there and hotels.

And another thing to add, when we moved from Oregon (sniff) to VA we did the same set up where we packed but paid a company to drive it across. We sold one car (the one we drove to Oregon in) in Oregon and bought a new one when we got here. My husband drove here in the other car with the cat and I flew out here with our then 1 year old son.

 

[Poohbug]

Sorry, I don't have any advice about moving across the country as I have never done it. But whatever you decide-save all your receipts during the move. You can deduct moving expenses on your taxes-even your transportation from your old home to the new home-save everything.

 

[malibuconlee]

Is the company offering any kid of relocation assistance?

As for moving - call today whatever moving companies you find in the phone book (Allied, United, Mayflower, Atlas) and ask for them to come do an estimate for the move. Get two separate quotes from each place, one they pack and the second PBO Packed By Owner. realize tho that anything you pack you are responsible for the breakage.

Any idea where you are going to live in the new place? Believe it or not, that makes a difference in price for the movers as well. They charge more for places with stairs.

We have 6 professional moves under our belt. Luckily all paid for by the companies my husband has worked for (and there are plenty more in our future!)

It may be easiest for you to find an apartment online and a storage unit and sign a short lease so you can check out the areas before deciding what part of town you want to move to/if you want to buy a house, etc.

Good luck!!

 

[dex08]

I have relocated several times for work and I know that moving companies are expensive but also keep in mind that you should be able to deduct a portion of your moving expenses when you file your taxes next year.

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc455.html

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

My husband is in the military and we have moved cross country a number of times.

DO NOT rent a U-Haul unless you cannot rent a truck from any other company. We had a horrible experience with them as have many other people. Just one of the many websites with great examples of U-Haul's terrible customer service:

http://www.uhaul-sucks.com/

If you do rent from U-Haul, do not reserve a truck through their 800 number. Find a local franchise and rent through them directly. Otherwise, your chances of getting the truck you reserved on the day you move is quite low. Also, the biggest U-Haul truck available was not big enough for all of my family's things, even after serious purging.

If you have a normal amount of household goods, I would recommend hiring a professional moving company. Packing and moving yourself is extremely hard and you will end up spending so much for truck rental, gas, and packing materials, that you may spend less to pay someone else to do it.

 

[micheleq]

To the OP -- good luck! I don't have any experience with this, but might be in the same boat soon and will sub this thread!

A few months back my DH was a final candidate for a job with his company in Dallas (I even posted here on the DIS to get advice on where to live the Dallas 'burbs). Now we should hear in the next few weeks where his company wants to send him. He's gotten wind of a few places -- Northern New England, Tampa, Indiana/Kentucky...They have 70 territories, so it could be anywhere that someone else is underperforming.

I agree that you shouldn't move furniture that you are not attached to. Why move it XC only to find that you're looking to sell it once you arrive? And keep receipts for everything for tax time.

Best of luck to you and your family!

 

[dizneychik]

My family and I just moved from Georgia to Texas last October. My husband applied for a job and was hired on a Thursday and they wanted him there by the two Mondays later to work!

So we had less than a week to pack up everything and move! We decided not to pack up everything ourselves as we did not want the hassle. So we hired the United Van lines to pack us and move us. We did some price searching to see if it would be cheaper for us to pack and move or for them to do it and we found that it was about the same in cost so we figured why not let them do the work!

A lot of things we donated like tv's, workout equipment and a lot of clothing. I also gave all of my food to family. This made the weight of our items go down. We also left the washer and dryer because we were going to put the house up for rent.

My suggestion is if you have had it for a long time and do not use it donate it. You should also do some price shopping to see if it would be cheaper for you to drive and pack everything.

Also, if you have little ones, will everyone fit comfortably in the UHaul and will you drive an extra car if not.

At the time my girls were 6 and 6 months old and they did good with the drive as we had tv's in the car and we made an overnight stop.

Hope this helps!

Who says you can't move in a week WE DID, With no problem!!!

 

[irishbosoxfan]

We've used ABF moving a few times and really liked it. I went to their site and did an instant quote and for a 2 bedroom plus house going from Fayetville NC to Portland OR it's roughly $2,700.

With ABF they bring the trailer to your house and drop it off. You load it up and when you're done they come and pick it up and drive it to your new house and drop it off. You then unload it and when your done they come back and pick up the trailer.

http://www.upack.com/

 

[Ctsplaysinrain]

Wrong link- ignore

 

[kc10family]

I just moved from CA to IL (we have been here 1 month now) the military moved us so I can not comment on to hire or not, but I can tell you some about what to do before you move to avoid issues when you get there and while driving the kids across country. Oh and do you have a pet?

Give away ANYTHING you have not used in 8+ months outside of holiday stuff. Go through clothing, files, food, and let go what you do not need. I just tossed a full box of expired food I had no clue I had. Clear out your clothes and the kids as well. Go over your files and toss what you do not need anymore. Only bring some food that will make the trip and that will help you get a start when you get to OR. Any kitchen items you have not used in a long time, give away or toss. All these things take up space and extra boxes.

If you use a moving company make sure you bring things that they might "want to keep", some boxes may not make it to your new home.

With kids and driving, movies, DS, books etc. Snacks on hand, drinks and a porta potty (camping kind works great, the kid that have a pad is small and perfect for everyone) helped us make the trip.


I found this for you, hope it helps
http://www.mayflower.com/moving/moving-tips/moving-checklist.htm

Best of luck

 

[kc10family]

Oh and do not drive two cars / car moving van. The stress of one parent with the kids is not worth it and it is safer to have an extra adult in the auto for directions, helping getting the kids stuff, staying awake.

Oh and if you can get a garmin GPS or update one if you have one. Oh so helpful for gas, food etc.