How to move states with 2 adults 1 toddler 2 cats & a mountain of stuff
November 13, 2020 5:34 AM Subscribe
We’re moving from Florida to Boston this winter and I don’t actually know how to do any of this. What is the least stressful way to transport all of us and all our stuff to Boston?
- We own our home and plan to put it on the market in early December. The housing market here is heated so we don’t expect this to be a long wait according to our realtor friends.
- We will be renting in Boston and are working with a broker.
- I’m going to sell as much of our stuff as I can in the next 6 weeks but we will want to take at least a bedroom set and fancy living room furniture with us.
- We are taking one car (old sedan)
My question is, what do I actually do now? Do I get quotes from moving companies? Is it really so prohibitively expensive to move furniture to the point where we should just buy all new stuff? Do we get a pod thing? How should we physically get ourselves (me my husband and our daughter) and our cats to Boston? We don’t have a deadline per se but are assuming we will close on our house/ start a lease around Jan 15. I really, really do not want to drive a toddler from FL to MA. I really, really do not want to drive 2 cats from FL to MA. However obviously we need to get the car up there, somehow. My goal here is not to spend the least money, it is to do this in the least stressful way possible. Please tell me what to do.
- We own our home and plan to put it on the market in early December. The housing market here is heated so we don’t expect this to be a long wait according to our realtor friends.
- We will be renting in Boston and are working with a broker.
- I’m going to sell as much of our stuff as I can in the next 6 weeks but we will want to take at least a bedroom set and fancy living room furniture with us.
- We are taking one car (old sedan)
My question is, what do I actually do now? Do I get quotes from moving companies? Is it really so prohibitively expensive to move furniture to the point where we should just buy all new stuff? Do we get a pod thing? How should we physically get ourselves (me my husband and our daughter) and our cats to Boston? We don’t have a deadline per se but are assuming we will close on our house/ start a lease around Jan 15. I really, really do not want to drive a toddler from FL to MA. I really, really do not want to drive 2 cats from FL to MA. However obviously we need to get the car up there, somehow. My goal here is not to spend the least money, it is to do this in the least stressful way possible. Please tell me what to do.
The thing to know about moving cross-country with a traditional mover (like, guys show up at your house, load stuff in, then arrive at your new place, load stuff out) at least in my experience is that you don't get a set date your stuff shows up. They come to your old place, your stuff gets loaded into the truck with a bunch of other people's stuff (because odds are you do not have enough stuff to fill a truck, so you get a section of the truck), and then you get a 10 days to two-week ish window in which your stuff will get dropped off at your new place. Basically, they need to account for the fact that they have to drop off stuff in a bunch of different locations, and they might also need to switch subcompanies/crews.
Here's how our cross-country move worked (roughly FL to Boston distance; two adults and two cats moving from 1000 sq ft ish apartment to 1000 sq ft ish apartment):
-Got quotes from two different moving companies maybe 6 weeks to two months before we moved? We went with the one that actually did a walk through of our place, rather than taking an estimate using an online form. (This was in the Before Times, YMMV now)
-We sprung for having them pack up the kitchen. It's not much on top of what the move cost in total (like, a couple hundred bucks on top of about $1500 or so), and it was worth it, especially if you have a lot of stuff in your kitchen. We packed everything else up ourselves. We also just went with the baseline "We'll reimburse you X amount per pound if the truck catches on fire" insurance that was included in the price.
-They arrived, packed up everything except what we set aside--card table, air mattress, basic cooking and cleaning stuff, all of our clothes and toiletries, TV, etc. Basically everything we could fit in our two cars and that we'd need to live on for a couple of weeks.
-We stayed at our old place for two nights after that while we cleaned everything and finished packing up; we sprung for a hotel the 2nd night because we had cleaned the carpets and it was humid and gross in there.
-Did the drive. We had a brief layover at a family member's house en route. Cats were displeased, but survived.
-Arrive at new place. Wait impatiently for movers to call to say when they would get there. Buy new furniture, etc. for new place while we wait for our stuff to get there.
posted by damayanti at 6:03 AM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Here's how our cross-country move worked (roughly FL to Boston distance; two adults and two cats moving from 1000 sq ft ish apartment to 1000 sq ft ish apartment):
-Got quotes from two different moving companies maybe 6 weeks to two months before we moved? We went with the one that actually did a walk through of our place, rather than taking an estimate using an online form. (This was in the Before Times, YMMV now)
-We sprung for having them pack up the kitchen. It's not much on top of what the move cost in total (like, a couple hundred bucks on top of about $1500 or so), and it was worth it, especially if you have a lot of stuff in your kitchen. We packed everything else up ourselves. We also just went with the baseline "We'll reimburse you X amount per pound if the truck catches on fire" insurance that was included in the price.
-They arrived, packed up everything except what we set aside--card table, air mattress, basic cooking and cleaning stuff, all of our clothes and toiletries, TV, etc. Basically everything we could fit in our two cars and that we'd need to live on for a couple of weeks.
-We stayed at our old place for two nights after that while we cleaned everything and finished packing up; we sprung for a hotel the 2nd night because we had cleaned the carpets and it was humid and gross in there.
-Did the drive. We had a brief layover at a family member's house en route. Cats were displeased, but survived.
-Arrive at new place. Wait impatiently for movers to call to say when they would get there. Buy new furniture, etc. for new place while we wait for our stuff to get there.
posted by damayanti at 6:03 AM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
My goal here ... is to do this in the least stressful way possible.
Do I get quotes from moving companies?
Yes
Is it really so prohibitively expensive to move furniture to the point where we should just buy all new stuff?
No. Not by a long shot.
Do we get a pod thing?
Depends. If you need to keep most of your stuff in storage for a bit, that might be useful. If your stuff will be packed, shipped, then unloaded immediately, no. A moving company will advise you on your best options based on your situation.
How should we physically get ourselves (me my husband and our daughter) and our cats to Boston? I really, really do not want to drive a toddler from FL to MA. I really, really do not want to drive 2 cats from FL to MA. However obviously we need to get the car up there, somehow.
I'm not sure that other options would be any less unpleasant for toddler or cats.
In my experience driving cats long distances, they cry themselves out after the first 2-3 hours and then are fine (and glumly resigned to their fate, only crying for the first hour on the second day of driving). Especially if the cats are in crates (that give them a little bit more space to wander than just a carrier, have a small (eg. kitten sized) box with newspaper to use as a litter box, and access to water and periodic food), and the non-driving adult can pay attention to the various little creatures in the vehicle when they need reassurances. For FL to MA, you're looking at a two day drive with an overnight somewhere - maybe two if you're coming from far southern FL? - which is likely factoring in to your disinclination to drive. I'd consult your vet, who knows your specific cats, about best transport options for the cats.
With the toddler, one thing to keep in mind is that your stuff will be driven, so if the adults, toddler, and cats fly, you will need to pack and bring along everything you will need for everyone while the rest of your stuff is on its way. In short, it will likely be a bit of a hassle either way.
I'm not sure if it's seasonal or not, or still being offered during covid, but Amtrack at least used to run a car train along at least the DC to FL section of that route (service for snowbirds). So taking a train might be an option. Though there would likely be more restrictions around the pets.
A third option is that there are services that will have bonded drivers drive your car for you. I'm forgetting the name of the one that a friend has worked for, will write another comment if I remember. But poke around on web forums for snowbirds to get some recommendations? If I recall correctly, that will likely cost somewhere in the $1000-3000 range?
posted by eviemath at 6:08 AM on November 13, 2020
Do I get quotes from moving companies?
Yes
Is it really so prohibitively expensive to move furniture to the point where we should just buy all new stuff?
No. Not by a long shot.
Do we get a pod thing?
Depends. If you need to keep most of your stuff in storage for a bit, that might be useful. If your stuff will be packed, shipped, then unloaded immediately, no. A moving company will advise you on your best options based on your situation.
How should we physically get ourselves (me my husband and our daughter) and our cats to Boston? I really, really do not want to drive a toddler from FL to MA. I really, really do not want to drive 2 cats from FL to MA. However obviously we need to get the car up there, somehow.
I'm not sure that other options would be any less unpleasant for toddler or cats.
In my experience driving cats long distances, they cry themselves out after the first 2-3 hours and then are fine (and glumly resigned to their fate, only crying for the first hour on the second day of driving). Especially if the cats are in crates (that give them a little bit more space to wander than just a carrier, have a small (eg. kitten sized) box with newspaper to use as a litter box, and access to water and periodic food), and the non-driving adult can pay attention to the various little creatures in the vehicle when they need reassurances. For FL to MA, you're looking at a two day drive with an overnight somewhere - maybe two if you're coming from far southern FL? - which is likely factoring in to your disinclination to drive. I'd consult your vet, who knows your specific cats, about best transport options for the cats.
With the toddler, one thing to keep in mind is that your stuff will be driven, so if the adults, toddler, and cats fly, you will need to pack and bring along everything you will need for everyone while the rest of your stuff is on its way. In short, it will likely be a bit of a hassle either way.
I'm not sure if it's seasonal or not, or still being offered during covid, but Amtrack at least used to run a car train along at least the DC to FL section of that route (service for snowbirds). So taking a train might be an option. Though there would likely be more restrictions around the pets.
A third option is that there are services that will have bonded drivers drive your car for you. I'm forgetting the name of the one that a friend has worked for, will write another comment if I remember. But poke around on web forums for snowbirds to get some recommendations? If I recall correctly, that will likely cost somewhere in the $1000-3000 range?
posted by eviemath at 6:08 AM on November 13, 2020
Here's the link for the Amtrak car train. It goes from Sanford, FL, to Lorton, VA, which is near Washington, DC. It's about an 8 hour drive from DC to Boston, but there could be traffic and /or crappy weather. Plan to split the drive into two days and you'll be fine. Check with Amtrak about cats.
posted by mareli at 6:18 AM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by mareli at 6:18 AM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
As for the trip up to Boston itself, however you end up going (car, train, plane, etc.), could a friend or family member come with you to help you and your husband wrangle your toddler and the two cats? I know it's a big ask but I'm someone who would be glad to help a loved one in this way and so are many others.
posted by smorgasbord at 6:30 AM on November 13, 2020
posted by smorgasbord at 6:30 AM on November 13, 2020
$1 per pound.
There. That's your guide for what items to keep and what not to keep.
Keep the things that:
- you are absolutely sure to use
- are important to you
- then, as a tie-breaker, is it worth more than $1/pound?
If not, then don't pay more to move something than it's even worth, and that you don't use. You can buy it again later if the need comes up. Feel free to say goodbye.
posted by dum spiro spero at 6:42 AM on November 13, 2020 [3 favorites]
There. That's your guide for what items to keep and what not to keep.
Keep the things that:
- you are absolutely sure to use
- are important to you
- then, as a tie-breaker, is it worth more than $1/pound?
If not, then don't pay more to move something than it's even worth, and that you don't use. You can buy it again later if the need comes up. Feel free to say goodbye.
posted by dum spiro spero at 6:42 AM on November 13, 2020 [3 favorites]
You can hire a service to relocate your cats, just look up “pet relocation service.” I’ve only known people who have done this for international moves, where you need to get a specifically sized crate for the flight. It’s probably less paperwork to do it domestically, however it’s a different kind of mental stress to worry about handing them off to someone else.
posted by hooray at 6:49 AM on November 13, 2020
posted by hooray at 6:49 AM on November 13, 2020
I have moved across the US several times with toddlers and cats -- both on a shoe-string and with a nice corporate budget.
- absolutely hire professional movers. More than that: hire them to *pack* and (maybe) unpack your stuff. What might take you weeks of dawdling about what to keep, what to chuck, how to wrap...they will just put it all in boxes in half a day. Yes, they might break stuff in transit. But I broke way more things because I packed them poorly. If you WANT to purge, great, do that first. Purging is stressful in and of itself and the difference in cost might be minimal. They will be so much more practiced and efficient and putting things in wrapping and an appropriately sized box. If on the other end they will unpack, you'll still have a fair amount of "where should this go?" so the saved effort is just getting everything out of boxes - which is less stressful than having a garage full of boxes for weeks (or months or years).
- Like most things, there are good movers and bad movers and you'll hear lots of stories about the bad ones. If you know someone that works in HR in a mega-corporate they can connect you with their company relocation managers and they will likely have a recommendation on a) who the big discount, steady folks are (Wheaton worked for us FWIW) and b) who the "white glove," A-List, cost-is-no-object folks are.
- kids and pets have varying temperaments, so it's hard to give advice about your kids and critters. Both flying and driving are stressful. Flying is of shorter duration, but shipping a car is a pain. I've done both for moves and if I had to do it again (knock wood) I'd hire a trusted nephew to drive the car and cats and pay for a flight back. Kids would fly with me.
Good luck!
posted by GPF at 7:21 AM on November 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
- absolutely hire professional movers. More than that: hire them to *pack* and (maybe) unpack your stuff. What might take you weeks of dawdling about what to keep, what to chuck, how to wrap...they will just put it all in boxes in half a day. Yes, they might break stuff in transit. But I broke way more things because I packed them poorly. If you WANT to purge, great, do that first. Purging is stressful in and of itself and the difference in cost might be minimal. They will be so much more practiced and efficient and putting things in wrapping and an appropriately sized box. If on the other end they will unpack, you'll still have a fair amount of "where should this go?" so the saved effort is just getting everything out of boxes - which is less stressful than having a garage full of boxes for weeks (or months or years).
- Like most things, there are good movers and bad movers and you'll hear lots of stories about the bad ones. If you know someone that works in HR in a mega-corporate they can connect you with their company relocation managers and they will likely have a recommendation on a) who the big discount, steady folks are (Wheaton worked for us FWIW) and b) who the "white glove," A-List, cost-is-no-object folks are.
- kids and pets have varying temperaments, so it's hard to give advice about your kids and critters. Both flying and driving are stressful. Flying is of shorter duration, but shipping a car is a pain. I've done both for moves and if I had to do it again (knock wood) I'd hire a trusted nephew to drive the car and cats and pay for a flight back. Kids would fly with me.
Good luck!
posted by GPF at 7:21 AM on November 13, 2020 [2 favorites]
Can you outsource any of this logistical work to a trusted friend or relative?
Can one of you fly to Boston with toddler and the other drive kitties up to Boston? The person in Boston can meet the movers.
I fully support doing this in the least stressful way possible. I would write out a timeline of how you'd like things to go and who needs to be involved for each section (realtor, moving company, pet transport, etc.), and just start calling down the list.
posted by pumpkinlatte at 7:27 AM on November 13, 2020
Can one of you fly to Boston with toddler and the other drive kitties up to Boston? The person in Boston can meet the movers.
I fully support doing this in the least stressful way possible. I would write out a timeline of how you'd like things to go and who needs to be involved for each section (realtor, moving company, pet transport, etc.), and just start calling down the list.
posted by pumpkinlatte at 7:27 AM on November 13, 2020
I just drove two cats across the country twice. Both cats took wildly disparate attitudes to the move but a few things on the trip back helped. Gabapentin, if they will take it, helped to calm them down. This is a prescription you can get from your vet.
On the trip back home I used Pet Luv carriers which are huge and have so many zippers and windows that it made it so much easier to get them in and out and in and out depending on how many nights you plan to stay in a hotel. They are easy to secure in the car and they are so roomy that at least one cat was able to really relax in there and chill out.
Have some wee wee pads on hand. One cat just started to panic on the trip back and go would fairly indiscriminately in her carrier. The wee wee pads made it that much easier to just get her cleaned up and get a new pad in there and get moving again. She's fine now - just dramatic.
And if you are planning on staying in a hotel or two on the trip up I found that Bring Fido was immensely helpful finding hotels that will accept pets.
posted by rdnnyc at 8:59 AM on November 13, 2020 [3 favorites]
On the trip back home I used Pet Luv carriers which are huge and have so many zippers and windows that it made it so much easier to get them in and out and in and out depending on how many nights you plan to stay in a hotel. They are easy to secure in the car and they are so roomy that at least one cat was able to really relax in there and chill out.
Have some wee wee pads on hand. One cat just started to panic on the trip back and go would fairly indiscriminately in her carrier. The wee wee pads made it that much easier to just get her cleaned up and get a new pad in there and get moving again. She's fine now - just dramatic.
And if you are planning on staying in a hotel or two on the trip up I found that Bring Fido was immensely helpful finding hotels that will accept pets.
posted by rdnnyc at 8:59 AM on November 13, 2020 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Forgot to add, we’ll probably be living in inner suburbs (probably Dot, maybe Cambridge but maybe Southie) and I actually have driven a cat across the country before! This is how I know I don’t want to do it (again.)
posted by tatiana wishbone at 10:29 AM on November 13, 2020
posted by tatiana wishbone at 10:29 AM on November 13, 2020
Someone may come along and suggest sedatives* for the cats. Do a trial run. I moved my kitties via bus when I lived in Korea. Gidgette did fine. Ivory did not. It was a lot of fun to try to figure out why she was howling and panting with my broken Korean and the vet's broken English. In the end, she was fine. But I wish I would have done that trial run.
*I don't remember what the vet gave her. They were unmedicated when I flew them from Seoul to Chicago and they were fine while they were still in my possession in Korea and in my dad's possession in the US.
posted by kathrynm at 2:31 PM on November 13, 2020
*I don't remember what the vet gave her. They were unmedicated when I flew them from Seoul to Chicago and they were fine while they were still in my possession in Korea and in my dad's possession in the US.
posted by kathrynm at 2:31 PM on November 13, 2020
Due to job-related things, we have moved a lot including toddler and kid years. Definitely voting for getting a company to pack for you, and for driving if you can (or flying and checking in as many large suitcases as you can tolerate.) You may also want to have them unpack for you, since then they cart away all the used packing material. Also, Cambridge/Boston parking can be vicious - you may want to get street parking permits to reserve space for the truck (some of the fancy firms do this themselves, but not all.)
Keep in mind that January in Boston could mean snow and ice. If you are financially able, book a hotel for a few days around your estimated truck arrival so that you'll have guaranteed access to a warm safe clean place where you can store things, let everyone stretch, and source food and internet. Booking a nice hotel was possibly the most worthwhile moving expense we had.
posted by BlueBlueElectricBlue at 4:54 PM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Keep in mind that January in Boston could mean snow and ice. If you are financially able, book a hotel for a few days around your estimated truck arrival so that you'll have guaranteed access to a warm safe clean place where you can store things, let everyone stretch, and source food and internet. Booking a nice hotel was possibly the most worthwhile moving expense we had.
posted by BlueBlueElectricBlue at 4:54 PM on November 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
1. Pay for movers, start getting quotes. People get pods a lot in my area but it seems to be young folks moving their stuff into and out of the pod themselves. If you do get a pod you may want to hire movers on both ends to pack it and unpack it, and at that point maybe just look into full-service movers.
2. Ask the realtor/broker to help you arrange parking. This includes a place to park your own personal vehicle when you arrive and a place for the moving van and/or pod. Depending on your neighborhood this may require permits and posting days in advance.
Good luck! Although you might have annoying winter weather in January it might be much easier to move then than it will in September which is when most moving happens.
posted by Hypatia at 5:57 AM on November 13, 2020 [3 favorites]