My sister finally moved into her new apartment yesterday, an experience that was both fun and absurdly stressful at the same time. She was only moving two city blocks so we thought it would be fast and easy- boy were we wrong! Since summer is the season of moving for many folks, here are some lessons learned and some tips that worked for us that will hopefully help anyone facing an upcoming move.
1. No matter how prepared you are, packing up the truck takes longer than you think it will. Getting the furniture out of my sister's apartment, down the hall, into the freight elevator, down another hall, out of the building and onto the truck took us over three hours. Unloading that same truck at the new building where my sister's apartment is on the same floor as the loading dock? Less than 1 hour!
2. If at all possible, consider hiring folks to help with your move. My sister was lucky enough to have friends who previously worked at moving companies volunteer to help so we thought we were all set, until one friend was called into work and another showed up 3 hours late. We managed to get everything done, but next time I would consider paying for help just to ensure we have the bodies we need.
3. Pre-stock the fridge at the new place with beverages. We made sure to have plenty of cold beverages available in the new apartment, and I guarantee the promise of a refreshing treat helped get the truck unloaded faster.
4. Move midweek if you can. Once we realized the move would take longer than expected, we were able to call uHaul and extend our time with no hassle or additional charges- not something that is always possible on a weekend when trucks are often booked back to back.
5. Pay extra for the rented dolly unless you already own one yourself. Piling five boxes on a dolly and wheeling them down the hall is a lot easier than carrying them one by one. Without the furniture dolly, there is no way my sister and I would have been able to manoeuvre her couch, but with the dolly, moving it was a breeze.
6. Pack the truck so the big furniture items are the last in/first out. Especially in a small space, you are much better off getting the couch and bookcases into place and stacking boxes in front of them than vice versa, because trying to rearrange things once the truck is empty creates a massive amount of additional work.
7. Try to have at least a sketchy floorplan of where you want those large furniture items to go. Because the bookcases came off the truck and were popped right into place, my sister and I were able to unpack her 30 boxes of books in a flash at the end of the day, creating an instant feeling of accomplishment as well as clearing a huge amount of floorspace.
8. Get a good night's sleep the day before the move, Moving is stressful and physically demanding, and by the end of the day, tempers will run short, especially if you start the day already tired. The same goes for that first night in your new place- don't stay up half the night trying to unpack or organize. Accept that settling into your new place takes some time and try to enjoy that part of the process.
9. On your way to the truck rental place, keep your eye out for the closest gas station where you can fill up before you return in order to avoid exhorbitant refueling charges. Also remember to budget for gas when you're planning out the cost of your move. Though we were only moving two blocks, we put a total of 15 miles on the truck (no uHaul place close to us) and burned through five gallons of gas (yep- the truck got a whopping three miles to the gallon!)
10. Get it done on moving day even if you're an in-town move. As tempting as it is to look at the last few random bits and think "I'll come back for that tomorrow", the reality is that once you are in your new place, you want to be done with your old place. We went back with the truck for a second load of odds and ends that our helpers thought we should just deal with another day, and though it was a pain, now my sister is done and can simply focus settling into her new apartment.
We would love to hear from readers about your moving advice, so share your moving dos and don'ts in the comments below.
(Image: Shayne Kaye licensed for use under Creative Commons.)
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I'd be really surprised if you actually got 3 mpg. The truck probably wasn't topped off when you got it.
ohhhhh this is helpful.
i am doing my first "real" move at the end of the month (meaning i have more than 3 boxes and my mattress) and its daunting but i've been planning pretty well - i think. this list just helped me finalize a few things.
I agree with all of these except #6. I think it's pretty dangerous to pack all the heavy stuff at the back of a moving truck. Most professionals pack the heavy stuff first, making sure to distribute the weight evenly throughout the truck. Might take a little more time, but a worthwhile safety precaution if you ask me!
So happy to see #3!
When I got the keys to my current place, the first thing I did was stock the fridge with a case of LaCroix and a six pack of beer, and the bathroom with soap, paper towels, and toilet paper. My volunteers were very happy with my foresight.
I'd add:
Give yourself more time than you think you'll need to pack up your boxes in preparation for the move. The first time I moved, I estimated the time it was going to take me based on how quick the early boxes were to pack. What I didn't factor in was that the early stuff I was packing was the easy stuff - squared off things like books, cds, dvds, etc. That's the easy stuff. It's the weirdly shaped large stuff that's hard to pack and takes forever, not to mention requires way more boxes than you anticipated. I was scrambling at the end to finish and that just adds unnecessary stress to the whole situation.
a lifesaver for our recent move was having friends help us. we got most of the boxes packed before hand so all we had to do was move the bulky/large furniture.
also, with even the shortest move (only moved to a different tower within the same complex), it is wise to pack things well and organized. especially your valuable pieces/breakables. it would only take one mishap to have your favorite bowl or vase break.
Pack a box designated as first to unpack -- which has enough essentials to make it through the first day or so without searching through all of the boxes. It should include items like the shower curtain, a set of sheets, toilet paper, a few basic eating essentials (e.g. a glass, plate, and set of silverware or plasticware, etc.), and anything else you're likely to need right away.
Great advice if you have to do it yourself, which I have FAR too many times in my life. But my best bit of advice would be to save your pennies and pay the professionals to pack and move you. They are so much quicker and efficient that I could ever be.
TOTALLY worth it if you can afford to do it.
I have moved 18 times in the last 20 years, to 3 different states & the best word of advice I have is:
Unpack the bed first! It really sucks after long hours of unpacking, when you just want to crash & you find the bed stacked against the wall with no linens in sight.
I also suggest to start the packing as soon as you know the move is happening, don't wait. Get all the non-essentials out of the way.
Save, Save, Save for a well-rated moving company. We just used movers the other week, and while they cost a pretty penny, it was just part of the moving budget. When all you have to do is point to where you want the couch, you'll be SO thankful at the end of the day! After the new renovations before the move and the un-packing after, there is no way my back could have taken anymore.
Dude.. I just moved this weekend and we hired movers to move my 1 bedroom apartment and my boyfriend's 1 bedroom apartment into a 3 bedroom town home. It took them THREE hours. THREE hours. It was amazing. We weren't tired at the end of the day and got a lot of unpacking done the same day. It was awesome.
We used Tri-State Movers, cost $79/hr for 3 guys and a truck, best deal in the area. (We are in Oakton/Fairfax.) Communication was iffy, but the foreman spoke decent English and they were fast! :)
Laura
http://www.justalittlebit.net
FABULOUS! Once again, a perfectly-timed article. I'm closing on our new house on the 30th and haven't made a move in a few years. Oh the dread...But having a checklist lightens my mood about the whole thing. Thank you!
Plus, I love the idea of having something that *has* to get done at the new place before we move from the old place. I can't wait to get in there!
-Alana
http://www.kitschykitten.com
bethy2183 is totally right on packing the truck. DON'T put everything heavy/big at the back, especially if you're using a trailer for the move instead of a truck. Trailers have to be loaded evenly, or they'll put undue stress on the trailer hitch and can also cost you a new pair of shocks/struts, if you're driving your car (and if you're not, you might end up paying for someone else's!). Even trucks should be loaded evenly, according to all the movers I've worked with (I always hire movers, these days).
the best advice from an "on the go family":
Invest $44 on plastic container boxes. You can get 10 for ~$44 and it is worthed! I personally got tired of trying to fit in cardboard boxes! These are neat, and easier to stack up. Each $4.40 tax, reusable, stackable..
We moved last month and I would say that getting a decent night sleep is really needed also we gave away a lot of stuff and practically started new with our new apartment. We bought a new bed and had it delivered to our new apartment. Do as much packing and sorting BEFORE you move-don't stay up the night before and do it. Have lots of beverages (especially in the summer months). We started moving around 11:00 a.m. and was finished at 4:00 p.m. It was just my husband and friend and myself.
If you possibly can, start packing a month (two is better if you have a lot of stuff) before you move. Last time I moved I put myself on a "at least one box a day" packing schedule. This gave me the time to decide if I REALLY wanted the things I was packing that day and establish a big goodwill pile as I went. This is why I think packing your stuff yourself is a good idea.
However, for the actual MOVING I heartily agree with the "save up and hire people" method.
Packing the new place with drinks and such is definitely a good thing, wish i had thought about it when I moved last July. I had a friend pick up a bunch of waters from the gas station down the street since my car was blocked in by the moving truck. I also wish I had thought about having toilet paper and hand soap out at the new place. One of movers I hired christened the new apartment toilet and didn't have toilet paper... he smelled pretty bad for the rest of the move...
Twice I've used movers on E-Move-- you can rent the UHaul yourself and then hire a few hourly workers to help with the lifting. Inexpensive compared to a full service move, and so worth it! Everything gets done so much faster.
for folks worried about #6: at least for us, the big bulky furniture was awkward but not heavy, especially compared to a similarly sized pile of boxes filled with books, dishes, CDs, etc. Obviously this one is a judgement call, but having the sofa go in last and come out first made it much easier to get out of the old apartment and into the new one.
This NEVER gets mentioned, but it's so important: Check into the parking situation in your area! I work for a city parking office, and we constantly get calls from customers saying, "I didn't know I needed a permit and now they're trying to tow my moving van!" Some cities even allow people to reserve spaces for their moving truck.
If you're moving by POD or other portable storage container, look into the local permits for those, too - some companies are so tired of getting their containers towed that they won't even drop it at your location unless you show them a permit.
I agree with the recommendation to rent a truck and then hire a few guys to actually load up your stuff. It makes moving day SO much less stressful. Definitely worth the money.
As far as moving trucks, I highly recommend going with Penske. I have found them to be less expensive than U-Haul (and they offer a AAA discount) and so, SO much better. With U-Haul, I dealt with a truck that was larger than requested, was incorrectly charged for gasoline, and was sent to pick up my truck from a U-Haul location that were way outside of town (when there are several closer dealers). My truck also had a filthy cabin infested with gnats. A bad experience all around.
I've used Penske a couple of times and have had zero problems. They are clean, efficient, and affordable. I have recommended them to all my friends for their moves, and everyone has had an equally positive experience.
I just moved from a house to a condo, about five miles apart. At the suggestion of the moving company, I hired four guys. They sent along a fifth at no cost, a truck for furniture, and a van for delicate items, and they arrived at 8, and were gone at ten. I couldn't believe it. A move that took two hours. I had packed 30 boxes. They were all lined up in the living room, three deep. I had labeled all my boxes. LAST TO FIRST is the last one I close, and the first one I open, with the coffee pot, phones, silverware, everything to make coffee, etc, a beer opener, and a corkscrew! (And in my case, a travel cat pan, with cat food with dishes.) I also had a box labeled bed linens. To make a long story short, every important box was on the top. It made unpacking so easy. They charged $175 an hour, but it was so worth it. AND they smuggled my cat into my no pets allowed building. They packed her last, in a carrier in an open box, put her in the front seat of the van, and then brought her up the freight elevator mixed in with the other boxes. She had an adventure!
I would never try to move myself.
I agree with the suggestions to start packing as soon as you know you are moving and to purge/donate what you no longer need. I've moved A LOT and the kitchen is always the most time consuming because most things have to be wrapped up and carefully packed. I always pack glassware and stemware first, and then mostly everything else in the kitchen, leaving only a couple of pans, dishes and utensils for my use.
I'd also suggest craigslist or freecycle for free moving boxes, that you can then pass on to others after your move.
And regarding movers, I tried to use them for the first time for my move two weeks ago, but the companies I called were quoting me between $950 to $1,000 to move me from a small one-bedroom to a studio. Although it was an in-state, 30-mile move, I still thought the price was outrageous and ended up going with my old standby: friends and a U-Haul. Total cost, including dinner for my friends: around $180.
totally agree it's worth it to pay people and have cold beverages in the frig ahead of time.
another thing i did on my last move was order pizza online ahead of time and also schedule the cable guy to come by (because i can't get by without internet.)
i didn't know when my move would be finished, so i estimated several hours' time ahead. the pizza guy walked up RIGHT as my movers drove off, and even if he hadn't, i would have taken the pizza and let the cable guy in while the move-in was going on, to make sure everything got done.
Starting to pack *as soon* as you know you're moving will save you a world of trouble in the long run. It made my recent move much less stressful than it could have been. Labeling the boxes correctly didn't hurt, either.
One tip for everyone who will move in the upcoming months (or even years) is to keep your apartment as clean as you can. Clean out the fridge every few months, vacuum out your drawers, etc. It doesn't really take that much time, and will save you oodles of time when you move out. Because there's nothing worse than getting out of your apartment, being all excited to unpack and decorate your new one, and have to spend an entire day scrubbing your old, discarded digs.
That poor Volvo...
Ditto the tips on stocking the fridge with beer. Nothing says 'Thank you for helping me move' like a nice, cold beer.
I've moved way too many times, and break it down like this - I start packing a week before. Invest in a huge black sharpie to label boxes with. Hire movers if you can, enlist the help of more dependable people than you think you will need (some will flake, others will show up late, and some will only want to help for an hour or two) if you cannot hire movers.
Have one car set aside for plants, computers, pets, and a suitcase full of clothing/toiletries (inc. toilet paper, towels, ect.) and bedding for your first night in the new place. On your way to the new place, have someone pick up beer, soda, order pizzas. That way anything super important is all in one place for the first evening/day.
If you can't afford full moving, consider hiring packers and unloaders. We found ours through the UHaul site. The first set were such a nightmare I fired them halfway through, but the second set was a dream to work with. Cost about $300, but was worth it!
And of course, pack the valuables in your car- instruments (if possible), cats, medicines. Extra set of clothes!
The open up early and stock with drinks plan only works if you are moving nearby. All my moves have been out of state: so my biggest suggestion there- Spring for drinks and dinner for your helpers or partners at the end of a long day of driving and getting to an empty apartment.
On the day your moving truck arrives (it usually follows me by 2-4 weeks), THEN be sure you are stocked on ice and beverages for the crew, and TIP them. I did not know about tipping movers for my first two moves, and I'm mortified!
Nothing has made moving easier (besides hiring movers) than my new favorite toy...my Kindle. WAY less books to move! And get rid of your cd's if your music is on your computer. Love the digital media!!!
These are great ideas. Every move I've had has simply been an absolute nightmare! If I could afford it, I'd just put everything on the curb for grabs, and start from scratch...moving just my body and the clothes on my back. I've tried every trick, but nothing relieves my moving pain. A couple things I have done is to move everything in one day and unpack the same day.
Once I did the, "I'll go back later for the odds and ends." I didn't go back for over a week, because I was settled in my new place, and I couldn't stand the thought of reliving moving day by returning to the previous place. It's a pain to go back. Also, when putting everything (or at least most things like furniture, clothes, toiletries that you'd use immediately) in it's place the day of the move, you can finally rest and feel comfortable in your new space
Some great tips in the comments here! Stocking the fridge is definitely the most important. We just recently moved inter-island and did the whole lot ourselves, saving well over $1000 in the process. If you are moving a long distance the best advice I can give is to hire the truck for an extra day and get everything except for your mattress loaded in the night before. We were out the door by 8am and had time to stop in and visit Matt's parents for brunch.
Also, if you're moving into an apartment building form a chain when unloading your stuff - one person for getting it out of the truck, another to take it to the lift, one person to load it onto the lift and out on your floor and the last person to get it into the apartment. Once we formed this chain we had a two bedroom apartment full in under 2 hours, and I had to climb up a set of stairs at the end of every load! This also means there's always at least one person watching the truck, so you don't need to worry about anyone ripping off your gear.
I was expecting our moving experience to be one of the most stressful events in my life, seeing as we had to co-ordinate timing with ferrys, truck pickup and drop off, and making sure we were here in time to meet the landlord, but if you're organized like we were (a good couple of weeks in advance) it will usually go smoothly barring any unforseen circumstances.
I really appreciate the realistic vibe of your post. The notes that it will take long that you expect, that renting a dolly will feel worth it and that getting a good night's sleep truly makes a difference are great reminders. I always find myself glossing over stuff in my excitement about moving.
And sweet little tip on stocking the new fridge. We're moving to Venice Beach from the Bay Area and I KNOW that that will be a real treat (obviously my friend who already lives down there will be doing the stocking).
Turqoise my dear, where did you find your containers?
love this tread, i bookmarked it for further moving! there are two things i would like to add:
- don't try to save money by buying less cartboard boxes than you need. a friend of mine (in the middle of this ph.d. thesis, with lots of books...) was moving and tried to save money, so he did'nt get enought cardboard boxes and overstuffed the boxed he bought. everyone who was helping him to move got mad with the heavy boxes...
- when moving, pack yourself a nice box with all the really important stuff like keys, papers, toothbrush, blowdryer a nice bodywash to feel instantly at home and your favorite sweet thread to reward yourself after the move.
I've always been able to get the lease signed at least a few days early so I could move essentials a day or two ahead of time. So when it comes to moving day, there is toilet paper along with shower curtain and towels already in that bathroom (along with soaps/shampoos/whatnot), sodas and water in the fridge along with some snacks in the cabinets (trail mix type stuff), etc. No one goes hungry and at the end of the day the shower was already ready.
If you rent a truck, be careful not to scratch it at the gaz station when you fill up, we got charged 500$ for a little scratch!
Also please feed the people that come and help you.
-Use standard-size moving boxes if you can. They are easy to carry, you can only put so much in them, so they won't get too heavy, and they stack neatly.
-For glass and stemware, wine cases (with the dividers) are very ygood at preventing breakage.
-Clearly label every box on multiple sides. Include what room it should go in and a brief description of the contents.
-Have water ready at both locations.
-Move everything that you can to a central location. Bring your dresser drawers, side tables, kitchen table, etc. into the living room with your bigger furniture. (Assuming that your living room is the closest to the exit)
-Have some bags ready for the end, you will forget to pack some things, so it's nice to be able to throw those little odds and ends in a cloth bag.
-Make sure there is toilet paper at both locations.
-Dissassemble furniture if you can.
-Make a list of all of your furniture, noting its current state. (This will be especially important if you've hired movers)
-Treat others like you want to be treated. This seems like common sense, but I've helped too many friends who weren't all packed up, or didn't offer food at the end, or were unorganized and demanding during the move that this needs to be said. It also works out if you've hired movers. Making their job easier means they get done faster, which means you're paying for less of their time.
this might be silly, but what do you all do about hanging clothes?
I moved about a month ago and it felt like a pretty successful move (thank god both of our sets of parents helped and wonderful friends), but then we got to the hanging clothes.
I ended up using twisty-ties to tie approx 5 hangers together, then we stacked the bunches on car seats or on blankets in trunks.
Anyone else have better luck? I REALLY didn't want to fold/pack and have to iron it all again!
@francaisejolie: you can buy or rent tall moving boxes with hanging rods in them.
#1 - start packing and labeling as soon as you find out you're moving. if you don't use it regularly put it in a box. it makes that last minute push to pack SO much easier!
#2 - i try to move some of the smaller stuff (books, dvds, cds, etc) before it's moving day. i put them in a corner or the bottom of a closet so the boxes are out of the way. getting at least a small dent in the move helps.
#3 - pack a suitcase of clothes for the second day, shower stuff, and bedding. that way you won't be digging through a ton of boxes trying to find that stuff after a full day of moving (which isn't THAT hard if you label things).
#4 - enjoy it! i know that sounds nuts, but i think it's fun to decorate and organize a new apartment.
All great tips, i'm getting ready to move again so this is nice to read... One tip that came from a friend of mine: Pack a suitcase of clothes and essentials for the week prior to the move. Then I can easily pack everything early without worrying i'll need something. I also make sure to clean the fridge and shower the weekend before, then the day of I can just wipe them down quickly!
I'm moving in August, so this post is great!
One thing I'm doing is getting rid of as much junk as I can ahead of time so I have less to move, including furniture pieces. For instance, I hate my couch, so I'm going to sell it on craigslist and just get a new one for the new place....sounds excessive, but to me it's worth it to get a new couch and have it delivered straight to the new place!
My tip call some moving companies. Before I moved last October I had to hire a moving company to drive some new appliances up from Orange County. I found one on Craigslist that did it for $100. So I thought to ask how much it would be to move my one bedroom apartment across town. I was shocked when they said $220 and I made up my mind to hire them. I thought it would have been at least double that price. It was $220 well spent.
They were from Craigslist so they showed up an hour late. It really didn't matter though, since they did all the moving.
This is a trick I've been using for quite some time now and while it doesn't work for every situation, if you are moving only an hour or so away it's perfect:
I always ask for early occupancy from my NEW landlord and usually try to get in about two weeks early. For those two weeks I'm painting the new apartment how I want it and moving everything that isn't necessary to have back at the old place, like books, pictures, anything that belongs in drawers, lots of kitchen supplies, etc. Then, by 'moving day' there is mostly only large furniture to do, and the rest is already inside.
It may seem like doing this is dragging out the move a bit, but it's so worth it to have only large things and furniture to move on the big day. And by the and of the day you aren't surrounded by boxes because a lot of things are already where they belong.
http://www.abbeycatchat.com
Before you move a single box in, clean the new place. I'm sure someone says they did, but won't you feel better putting all your things on nice clean shelves, floors, closets...knowing that if you find dirt later, it's *your* dirt.
I would say stocking the fridge with drinks is an excellent idea. Also don't pack everything in huge boxes, only pack stuff in boxes that you can carry. Its not really something you'd think about when you grab a box and start to fill it that you might not be able to lift it. I prefer small office boxes with the lids- less tape and way easier to carry especially up stairs. Nobody wants to carry a huge awkward box with things sliding around in it.
Another thing we did was pack all the clothes in big camping bags and use the suitcases for fragile items instead. The rigid sides of the suitcases meant that we didn't have a single broken item when we arrived!
The tips are great, but i'd rather have that Volvo 780 Bertone.
I've moved at least every year for the last decade, with two of those moves being cross-country, and I'd endorse just about every recommendation here - EXCEPT that packing the heavy stuff at the back works for short distances, like the move described here, but is absolutely NOT recommended for long moves.
Also make sure that when you're packing boxes, the boxes are packed all the way up to the top. Otherwise you're just asking for your stuff to get crushed.
Also please please sequester your animals in a safe location before your moving crew arrives, check in on them often, and make sure they have a small, safe room with a door that they can explore when you get to your destination. Our cats are very resilient but FREAKED and managed to lock us out of the bathroom when we moved into our current place (a 9 hour drive from VA to MI).
#6 & #7 will be good to keep in mind next time we move.
@ missbrewsky the best deal on 18 G Sterilite Containers, $4.40 tax @ wlmart... (found at the store, better rate than their online prices)
I'll give you one massive tip of what NOT to do.
If you google moving companies, inevitably the first sites you hit promise to give you a fast quote from a couple big companies to save time. We, knowing better, still said sure. For the next 6 months (no joke) I was inundated with calls from about 30 moving companies begging for my service. Even with a promise to not call you, just email.
If you want a company to move you, google movingscams.com (I think thats it) it has a huge up to date list of reputable movers in your area and what to watch for. You have no clue how sketchy moving companies can be til its too late.
Anyone in the DC area know of a company that rents out plastic shipping crates like http://earthfriendlymoving.com/greenbox/ ?
I have an upcoming local move, and really don't want to collect cardboard boxes, and I fear renting cardboard ones. (Bed bugs, anyone?)
Also, another recommendation for good movers (load truck, drive truck, unload truck) would be appreciated. Earlier grafxnerd said Tri-state did a complicated move in 3 hours, but, of course, I'd like more options.
Magdelane: if you are in DC, check out Titan movers. They were the Best. Damn. Movers. I've ever had. If I ever move back South, they are the company that will be my first call. They were the company that taught me to pack an "open me first box" because they MADE that box *for* me. They were fast, on time, strong, tidy, and So respectful. They were also clean- my place was spotless and scuff free. They also wrapped all my furniture so well that when I could finally unpack (three months later, thanks to my new idiot landlord being late on construction), there wasn't a spot of dirt on the furniture.
Did I mention I love the company?
at the end of May I moved from Savannah, GA to Atlanta. Even though my boyfriend & I had reserved a uHaul trailer 2 MONTHS in advance, they still didn't have it when we were scheduled to pick it up. Everyone in town was moving out on the same weekend, and apparently they never got enough trailers in. (only 2 rental places in town) My bf had to argue with them to get them to rent us a 25ft truck to take for the same price. The first day they said no, but on the second they let us have it for the same price as a tiny trailer.
Just be aware that Uhaul places are all different, and don't be afraid to argue with them when they mess up badly.
The good thing from the whole situation was, at first I was afraid we wouldn't have enough room for all our stuff. And then we had plenty!
Bee T, thank you!
I will look into them!
I moved myself in a Penske truck (22 ft truck pulling a jeep on a car carrier ) from Tx to Mi. Uhaul wouldn't guarantee me the truck I needed would be there in advance at all, Penske would. Also, Penske had unlimited one way milage- I don't know if they still do, but it was great at the time. The truck used diesel and I had a hell of a time getting gas that first time due to the size of the truck (and the carrier) , but once I figured it out it wasn't hard at all. It got about 10 mpg, and I had to stop for gas every 300 miles or so.... still I did the drive in 2 1/2 days...
Having a few cross-country moves under my belt and facing another one in July, I think I have the smarts to weigh in on this topic. Some bullet points of advice:
1. If you are considering hiring movers, don't sign anything until heading over to www.movingscam.com to read their own advice and verify that none of the companies you're considering are on their "black list". While yes, there are enough horror stories on the site to make you seriously contemplate staying put forever, there is also some pretty sage advice.
2. Related, if you do hire a moving company for a long-distance move, be sure to take all of your essentials -- and then some -- in your car. In our case, we were supposed to have our things three days after arriving in our new city. Those three days turned into 23 days. We had an air matress, a pot, two forks, important papers, clothes, and two books that we each read no less than twice.
3. Before you go, start purging. Don't take anything you don't need. You want your new space to be a clean and blank canvas. Besides typical channels for taking old or unwanted things, www.freecycle.org has proven to be a super duper hub for reuse. Also, once you've arrived and unpacked all your boxes, share them with another mover (for reuse is better than recycling).
4. Lastly, make yourself a designated "hardware" box. Anything that comes out of a wall (curtain rods, picture hangers, shelf brackets, robe hooks, etc.) goes into this box. I also put specific screws into baggies, which I label, to take the mystery out of reassembly later on. If you're methodical about it, it's not a total p.i.t.a.
Oh, just thought of another.
5. PODS (and other container storage/transit) is such a tempting option, especially for a cross-country move. I will also say that for my last move, it was my first choice based on cost, ease, and efficiency. However, before booking, check and double-check that both the departure and arrival cities allow these containers. It just so happened that, in our case (and for two entirely different reasons), they did not.
If you're renting, take photos of your new place before you move anything in. This will come in handy when you're moving out to get your deposit back. Look for carpet stains, dents/damage in woodwork, condition of appliances, etc. I had a landlord try to charge me for things that previous tenants had damaged, but the photos proved my case!
Wow. I disagree with almost every point! Except 7. Having a floor plan is very important. People will know where to put stuff and it saves a lot of time and mess.
I'd say:
1. Pack everything well, and well ahead of time. Have one type of boxes (really, it helps so much you won't believe it) and DON'T overload them. Have two lighter ones instead of one heavy one. Keep the weirdly shaped stuff to an absolute minimum. Just put it all in those boxes.
2. Move everything through the window if possible. Rent one of those lifts. It's heaven.
3. Purge before you move.
4. The floor plan mentioned in the post.
I always have found that moving is much easier than it seems. I've done it in two and a half hours once, and that's including unpacking all the books and putting them into the book case. If you do it well, it shouldn't take more than a Saturday morning to do it all.
Buy more boxes than you think you'll need. I thought 25 boxes would be plenty, but I ended up having way more books than I thought I did.
We moved maybe 200 miles over three days and the best thing we did was to pay the movers to pack up most of our stuff. I did the clothes and things we didn't want people going through, and then four guys turned up and packed the rest of the 4-bed house in about 5 hours. Awesome. Well worth the ~£150 just for the breakables to be properly packed and safe.
Thank you for the smart tips! I am trying to make sure when I finally move out of my parents' house and into my first apartment, that I can avoid stupid mistakes. I love the tip about stocking the refrigerator beforehand, Lord knows that will be a lifesaver when you are physically exhausted and sweaty!
I have used Georgetown Moving and Storage guys to move and always had good service. www.georgetownmoving.com
Several weeks before my move, I invited the girls over for a "housecalming." Instead of showing up at my new place with a gift, I needed them to come drink cocktails and help me get rid of my stuff. People brought clothes and things to swap, and then at the end of the night, the guests carted it all off to Goodwill.
A fun and easy way to get rid of stuff, and a nice party to have in the old place.
Prepare an “Unload First” carton with essentials that you’ll need immediately at your new home (Essential Items). Include a bag filled with hardware from disassembled items, such as dresser mirrors and beds.
Try to keep boxes to 50 pounds or less and always lift with your legs. Tape the bottom of all boxes to make certain they will hold your belongings.
Pack books flat, not standing on end (which may cause damage to the spines). Books are extremely heavy, so don’t pack too many in one box.
I recently wrote about this, special for newlyweds living together for the first time!
http://bonnieprojects.blogspot.com/2012/07/a-newlywed-move-9-rules-for-moving-in.html