Help me find a mover for my snowflake needs

August 11, 2024 3:22 PM

I will soon be moving out of state and there a bajillion options for movers and a bajillion mixed reviews for them. Below the fold, i'll list my criteria. Thanks!

I am moving from Blacksburg, VA, to Pittsburgh, Pa. It's approximately five hours.

I am moving from a 1 br apartment to a 1 br apartment.

I am taking most of my furniture with me, plus a ton of books, clothes, etc. It will probably not be a very big load--I'm worried it'd be in a van/truck with a bigger order and I'd have to wait a few days to get my stuff.

I do not have a driver's license, nor do I know anyone who could drive a U-Haul.

I prefer not to itemize all my inventory if possible--I can give a general idea of things but not that specific.

I will be riding up with my mom and my two cats. (Fine, fine, here's your cat tax.)
I am not a rich woman, in dollars anyway. I have raised money through crowdfunding but everything about this has cost more than expected.

I am okay involving someone who's not a professional mover (for a U Haul or something) but I do want to be sure I can check that person out.

posted by mermaidcafe to Travel & Transportation (6 answers total)

When you say Blacksburg, are you at or associated with VPI? I imagine you could hire a few college or grad students to rent a U-Haul and drive it to Pittsburgh (Carnegie Melon? Pitt?)> If you are looking for a direct inexpensive or least expensive way, post a job on the job boards or in the paper. My guess is that if you want reliable and efficient, hire a couple of students in the Corp of Cadets for the weekend. Drive up on Saturday with your stuff and drive the U-Haul back on Sunday. Figure a couple of hours to load your stuff, the 5 hour drive should be about 8-10 hours of work on Saturday. The drive back should be easy for them.

Have them come look at your stuff to see how much they think you have and then have them rent the appropriate U-haul.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 3:43 PM on August 11, 2024

If you're riding with your mom (and cats), could a small U-Haul trailer be hitched? Similar to this. I priced Blacksburg to Pittsburgh, just selecting default car options and I think it should be under $100. That would allow you to A) have some items more within your control and B) take with you items you really need right away, so if there is a delay in delivering everything else, you already have the most important stuff.
posted by Meldanthral at 4:28 PM on August 11, 2024

If you are up for packing it yourself, there's the movable storage container option like Pods or even U Haul version U Pack. They deliver the container, you pack the items, they can pick up and store the container or deliver it to your new location. Saves you the inventory, you can pack as carefully as you like, no loss of items, delivered on the date you are ready to move stuff in to your new unit. Drive in a regular car to your new location wih your mom and cat. No need to worry about towing a trailer, where to park, dodging other drivers while towing a trailer, etc.
posted by effluvia at 4:54 PM on August 11, 2024 [1 favorite]

Please make sure whatever mover you hire is legal. If you are moving from one state to another, this is the site to check: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move. (When moving intrastate, check your state laws.)

I talk to people who were scammed every week (in my job at a state agency) because they don't know movers must follow laws and rules. If you hire an illegal mover, there's a good chance you will have problems.

Be aware the Pods type businesses are not always able to deliver to certain areas and may also not be considered household goods movers (and thus may not be not regulated). Make sure they can deliver to your destination. Ask that specifically and get it in writing.
posted by Chalks-n-Locks at 6:54 PM on August 11, 2024 [3 favorites]

I've had two very good cross country move experiences with the U-Haul U-Pack system. In many places, they even have movers available now. You pack all your stuff yourself. They deliver the pods to you; you do have to keep them there for a few days, which might be an issue in an apartment complex, I don't know. I hired movers to put everything into the pods - I just got some people off Craigslist and it was fine. Then U-Haul delivers your pod to the new place and you hire people either from U-Haul or Craigslist and they move everything into your new place. Again, the pod will be there for a few days.

Blacksburg to Pittsburgh isn't really very far. I would try to stay out of the clutches of Big Movers if I were you; you don't really need that and they are so awful. If you decide not to go the U-Pack route I'd look on Craigslist for small moving companies instead.
posted by mygothlaundry at 2:17 PM on August 12, 2024

Response by poster: Those are good ideas and caveats.

Now I need to figure out how I can find trustworthy responsible people. I have no problem paying students to help, but the point of being organized this time was to avoid the "throw some money at a guy on craigslist" strategy that has backfired on me at least 3 or 4 times.

It's usually ok if I hire people casually to unpack or something, but I'm hoping to be done with the craigslist mover nightmares. I've had five bad experiences that way with everything from the person I'd hired/vetted sending a different guy to a mover who wouldn't stop making jokes about my love life. Whoever I choose, I need to be sure they're experienced and good to work with.

I agree that a big mover isn't right for my size of stuff. I'm sure my mom wouldn't tow a U-Haul.
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:50 PM on August 12, 2024