Moving boxes? Sure look pretty still to me
May 29, 2022 3:27 PM Subscribe
I need to move some things across the US, and I don't know the best way to do it.
I moved across the country a few years ago and left an awkward amount of stuff behind - too big to check in a suitcase on a plane, too small to justify a moving truck or pod. But now it's time for them to come home. It's an amount I could easily fit into a minivan or even probably a small SUV, but it's like 2700 miles from point A to point B, rental cars seem to be in short supply still, and I think there might be a cheaper way.
The stuff is personally meaningful more than it is valuable - a few moving boxes worth of objects (photos, books, trinkets, etc), a few medium-sized paintings (largest dimension probably 36"), and an antique wooden chair. I went through it on a visit last year and pared it down as much as I could before putting it back in storage. What remains is stuff that I want and could not replace.
If I fly to where the stuff is, from there, I think I could
a) Ship everything via USPS/UPS/FedEx. Cost: I have no idea
b) Buy a couple of large suitcases for the smaller items and fly with them, then ship the art/chair. Cost: $400ish? for flight/fees/suitcases; no idea for shipping art/chair
c) Rent a van and drive everything back. Cost: $1300-1500 car rental, $400-500 fuel, lodging and meals for a week...easily over $2k
d) ????
What's my best strategy here? What are shipping rates like for large and/or weird-shaped-and-fragile packages like this, assuming I don't need them quickly? Would shipping such packages be any cheaper than roadtripping it? Basically, I have ideas but am having trouble comparing relative cost/complexity, which is honestly why I didn't just do this when I moved originally.
I moved across the country a few years ago and left an awkward amount of stuff behind - too big to check in a suitcase on a plane, too small to justify a moving truck or pod. But now it's time for them to come home. It's an amount I could easily fit into a minivan or even probably a small SUV, but it's like 2700 miles from point A to point B, rental cars seem to be in short supply still, and I think there might be a cheaper way.
The stuff is personally meaningful more than it is valuable - a few moving boxes worth of objects (photos, books, trinkets, etc), a few medium-sized paintings (largest dimension probably 36"), and an antique wooden chair. I went through it on a visit last year and pared it down as much as I could before putting it back in storage. What remains is stuff that I want and could not replace.
If I fly to where the stuff is, from there, I think I could
a) Ship everything via USPS/UPS/FedEx. Cost: I have no idea
b) Buy a couple of large suitcases for the smaller items and fly with them, then ship the art/chair. Cost: $400ish? for flight/fees/suitcases; no idea for shipping art/chair
c) Rent a van and drive everything back. Cost: $1300-1500 car rental, $400-500 fuel, lodging and meals for a week...easily over $2k
d) ????
What's my best strategy here? What are shipping rates like for large and/or weird-shaped-and-fragile packages like this, assuming I don't need them quickly? Would shipping such packages be any cheaper than roadtripping it? Basically, I have ideas but am having trouble comparing relative cost/complexity, which is honestly why I didn't just do this when I moved originally.
The current gas price is going to make driving it yourself pretty expensive. I’d put it in big moving boxes and ship it UPS Ground. Except the antique chair might be hard to deal with. Depends on how big it is and how well you could wrap/protect it. Talk to your local UPS/FedEx outlet and find out what their rates would be.
posted by Windopaene at 4:07 PM on May 29, 2022
posted by Windopaene at 4:07 PM on May 29, 2022
Greyhound offers shipping. There are also general freight shipping services (via bus). Amtrak's shipping service has been suspended.
Ship books via media mail.
posted by oceano at 4:18 PM on May 29, 2022 [4 favorites]
Ship books via media mail.
posted by oceano at 4:18 PM on May 29, 2022 [4 favorites]
Check out Uship for quotes, too - carriers will take things on a trip they are already making.
posted by getawaysticks at 5:27 PM on May 29, 2022
posted by getawaysticks at 5:27 PM on May 29, 2022
Here’s my Dec. 2021 post about shipping from Boston to San Antonio.
posted by 8603 at 5:47 PM on May 29, 2022
posted by 8603 at 5:47 PM on May 29, 2022
Pack the art very securely, wrap the chair well, use Greyhound. Books, vinyl, cds/dvds can be shipped media rate; slow but cheap. The rest can go UPS.
You might be able to hire somebody on fiverr or similar to pack it for you.
posted by theora55 at 6:34 PM on May 29, 2022
You might be able to hire somebody on fiverr or similar to pack it for you.
posted by theora55 at 6:34 PM on May 29, 2022
You cannot ship vinyl, cds/dvds by USPS Media Mail, as far as I know.
posted by Windopaene at 8:24 PM on May 29, 2022
posted by Windopaene at 8:24 PM on May 29, 2022
You cannot ship vinyl, cds/dvds by USPS Media Mail, as far as I know.
CDs and DVDs are explicitly named in the list of what you can send. Records aren't named, but probably fall under "sound recordings" generally.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:30 PM on May 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
CDs and DVDs are explicitly named in the list of what you can send. Records aren't named, but probably fall under "sound recordings" generally.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:30 PM on May 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
In 2001 I shipped a bunch of stuff from Massachusetts to California via Amtrak. In 2001 it was 45 cents a pound.
posted by bendy at 8:57 PM on May 29, 2022
posted by bendy at 8:57 PM on May 29, 2022
Did not know that Dip Flash, perhaps things have changed. Ignore my previous comment
posted by Windopaene at 9:28 PM on May 29, 2022
posted by Windopaene at 9:28 PM on May 29, 2022
Some years ago, when cleaning out the house of a deceased relative, we used door-to-door, which is now the U-Haul U-Box service. They delivered a (small) container, we filled it, and about a week later it showed up in our driveway about 500 miles away. We were happy with the service and price, but I don't know if it's still any good, considering U-Haul.
posted by toxic at 11:15 AM on May 30, 2022
posted by toxic at 11:15 AM on May 30, 2022
Best answer: I think it might also be worth considering if there is someone in your extended social network (or Metafilter jobs) who could do the shipping prep and shipping for you.
posted by oceano at 3:21 PM on May 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by oceano at 3:21 PM on May 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think you could also check actual movers like Mayflower or Allied who can pack and move your stuff.
posted by TimHare at 3:47 PM on May 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by TimHare at 3:47 PM on May 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you can get things center and to a Fastenal location, their Blue Line Shipping may be an option, though they do not ship coast to coast.
Allied, Atlas, Mayflower, Graebel, and others can also provide help. Of those, I was happiest with Graebel, but last time I moved, they couldn’t provide me with what I needed. They may just be catering to corporate clients nowadays.
posted by DaveP at 9:38 AM on June 1, 2022
Allied, Atlas, Mayflower, Graebel, and others can also provide help. Of those, I was happiest with Graebel, but last time I moved, they couldn’t provide me with what I needed. They may just be catering to corporate clients nowadays.
posted by DaveP at 9:38 AM on June 1, 2022
Response by poster: Just for the sake of posterity: I found that pallet shippers like MiniMoves are looking like the best option. That particular company couldn't handle my route, but they referred me to a couple of others who do the same thing.
The cost of shipping everything but the furniture by mail/other parcel carrier was almost as much the pallet shippers to carry everything including the furniture, and the pallet peeps will pack my stuff up for me, too. Hot dog!
Also much appreciate the seemingly obvious suggestion to ask my friends for help! Realizing I might not have to fly out there myself (especially while airfare is so steep) to pack stuff is like, duh of course, but really was the domino that set the rest of the plan in motion.
All told, it’ll still be $$$ but about half of what I expected, if all goes according to plan!
posted by moonbeam at 12:48 PM on June 29, 2022
The cost of shipping everything but the furniture by mail/other parcel carrier was almost as much the pallet shippers to carry everything including the furniture, and the pallet peeps will pack my stuff up for me, too. Hot dog!
Also much appreciate the seemingly obvious suggestion to ask my friends for help! Realizing I might not have to fly out there myself (especially while airfare is so steep) to pack stuff is like, duh of course, but really was the domino that set the rest of the plan in motion.
All told, it’ll still be $$$ but about half of what I expected, if all goes according to plan!
posted by moonbeam at 12:48 PM on June 29, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Dip Flash at 3:40 PM on May 29, 2022 [2 favorites]