We're setting up the move for mid October. Our house is sold, new house has been purchased and it's about to get real.

I know some of you have moved cross country. Any tips or tricks? Preferred moving companies? (I'm sticking to National Chains). I haven't moved in 30 years and it's like starting from scratch.

Positive or negative experiences?

It is a dim, vague memory, but I think we may have a resident(no pun intended) expert.

I am hoping I die in my current home so I do not have to move again.

Never done a long-distance move, but have moved a number of times.

Best suggestion? Get rid of EVERYTHING you don't absolutely love. And even that stuff, think long and hard about whether it is worth saving and trying to make work in the new place...

Yes, if you can swing it use this as an opportunity to get rid of that old, huge sofa that really won't fit in the new place, for example. Declutter and toss/recycle/donate.

I am embarrassed to admit but when we moved from AZ to OR we still had unpacked boxes from our previous move in Arizona.

For moving itself:

Flag a box OPEN FIRST, usually flag it for the kitchen. Inside that, which you should pack, put the stuff you'll need to help unpack--box cutters, scissors, dust cloths and basic cleaning supplies, sharpies, vodka, and things like that. Also comfy shoes. Look for that when you first arrive.

Be a crazy person in terms of labeling boxes, not just "kitchen," but maybe "kitchen - silverware," "kitchen - basic pots and pans," "kitchen - holiday doodads" (that you won't want to unpack first thing).

If you have really valuable or precious stuff, pack it yourself and take it yourself (if you're driving). "Precious" is in the eye of the beholder, I'm talking not just about valuable $$ items like jewelry, but also photos, etc.

Finally make sure you have put aside the clothes you really want to have available while you're traveling to your new place and for the first day or two (keeping in mind comfy for unpacking) --pack a suitcase that you'll put in the car or the plane or whatever. Put slippers and a robe in there if you have room, so you can relax.

Just one more thing - it takes a long time for a moving van to meander its way across country. If you're planning on being there before the moving van, and knowing your skills, make sure you have a basic tool set (or can get your hands on one), so you can start doing homeowner-y things while you're waiting for the van.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Miller:
We're setting up the move for mid October. Our house is sold, new house has been purchased and it's about to get real.

I know some of you have moved cross country. Any tips or tricks? Preferred moving companies? (I'm sticking to National Chains). I haven't moved in 30 years and it's like starting from scratch.

Positive or negative experiences?

It has nothing to do with the chain, and everything to do with the driver. The driver is the one responsible for your stuff. The crew who loads your stuff onto the truck is different than the crew that unloads at the other end. They're both hired locally, either assigned or by the driver.

Just go with the best deal, assume they'll screw you over on timing, and buy all the insurance.

A few things off the top of my head -

Get rid of as much as you can before the move.

Stick with the big name moving companies. Friends went cheap from Florida to Maine and the truck arrived after hitting a bridge overpass with a ripped truck top, and broken open/wet boxes that the guys basically threw off the moving van into their yard.

Rent a trailer (or something) to pull behind your truck and move your irreplaceables/computers/super valuables/important papers/expensive tools yourself. We also moved the stuff the movers won’t move and we didnt want to throw out, some kitchen stuff like cooking oils, some solvents from my studio and the garage,camp stove fuel, things that would have been costly to replace.

Pack your small not too fragile stuff (bathroom stuff/kitchen stuff/office stuff in smallish totes that are easy for the movers to pack in boxes, saves them time (and you money) and makes it easier for you to find things at the other end.

If you are packing yourselves, Consider letting the movers pack your dishes/China and glassware, they do a really good job with stuff like that.

When you get to the new place, unpack and set up the kitchen first.

Spring for lunch for the guys on both ends, and have a cooler with Gatorade and water for them throughout the day, tip everyone.

quote:

Originally posted by CHAS:
It is a dim, vague memory, but I think we may have a resident(no pun intended) expert.

Lol.

Keep back a couple of camp chairs so you have a place to sit while you are waiting for them to finish loading the truck after they’ve loaded up all your other places to sit!

Consider hiring somebody to do the cleanup/sweep up of the house after the movers leave, so you don’t have to do it (you’ll be exhausted).

On van loading day(s) I cleared out a space I could close off (master bathroom/closet) that had our suitcases, the cats and stuff that Was going with us and put a note on the door so they knew not to go in or pack anything from that room.

No advice but, I am not moving unless someone pays me an obscene amount of money for my little slice of heaven on earth.

2.5 million would probably do it.

Grandkids trump $2.5 mil.

Don’t believe me? Ask your wife.

Best of luck with the move, Steve!

Last time I moved across multiple states, and it was over a decade ago, I used a moving company called Graebel and that worked out well for me. It has since shutdown (around 2017) and then reopened, so I don’t know how much the present Graebel resembles the old Graebel. On the quote they gave me there was a “will not exceed ($amount)” guarantee which gave me good peace of mind. (Grand piano was moved separately, special case there.)

I moved most of the big furnitures at the time, beds and mattresses, sofa set, dining set, etc. because those furnitures were still “new enough” to me at the time. If I were to move again, I suspect I will just sell/give away/throw away my now-old furnitures and just get new ones for the new place. (Except the grand piano, that’s always a special case.)

Also no longer into “big TV” or “hi-fi stereo” these days. Flat screen TV smaller than 40” just isn’t that expensive if I have to replace one these days. Computing equipment is a lot more portable too. So a lot less to move in the home electronics category. Cassette tapes, VHS tapes, DVDs, CDs? Ha!

The “open this box first” box would be the one I bring with me if I were to also drive to the new place myself, though I imagine the way I pack for this box would be very similar to the way I pack for a week-long vacation plus a stack of “vital records/important documents.” I might just go with my regular suitcase rather than a cardboard box.

One thing to consider as we age...

Our last 2 moves, we scheduled a get-away after all the boxes were dropped off and placed in the new place. Just a couple of days away after the crazy day of unloading can make a big difference in energy and attitude!

We came back renewed and ready to begin the unboxing...

Google "moving truck fraud" or "moving company fraud" and make sure you avoid it!

Also I second what Jodi said about the things you move yourself.

P.S. As I recall, I used info from these sites for our interstate move in 2015:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move/

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/site...nsibilities-2013.pdf