The Incredible Moving Pod

There are many ways to move you things from your old home to your new one. Moving containers is becoming an increasingly popular option. Before you move you should think about all of your moving options.  Here are some to think about.

Full Service Movers

Full service movers are the most expensive way to go if you are moving very far. If you are just moving across town then hiring people with a moving truck that will do the heavy lifting and even take apart your furniture is not quit so bad. Generally when we are talking about full service movers we are talking about hiring a large moving company that can pack your belongings in there boxes, put everything in there truck and drive it to your new home, store everything if you need them to, and then deliver and unload for you.

Moving Containers and Moving Pods

Moving containers and moving pods is my favorite way of moving long distance. You can get a few containers delivered to your residence, pack them at your own rate, and then get them picked up and driven to there destination for you. You can also have these containers stored in there warehouse if you need some time. This method does tend to be more expensive then just renting a rental truck or using your own vehicle, but the convenience can be worth it.

Moving Trucks

Moving trucks are a great option if you have too much stuff to mail or the distance is too great to use your own vehicle. Even if you are moving just a few miles renting a moving truck can save you lots of time since you can make fewer trips. In my experience the rental truck always costs at least twice what you think it will.

Moving With Your Own Vehicles

Unless you don’t have much to move, moving with your own vehicles is a lot of work and can take a really long time. If you aren’t moving far then this is one place you can save a lot of money moving. I moved a few years ago just using an old van and the trunk of a car. It took three days, still not sure if the money saved was worth it.

Moving With the Post Office

Moving with the Post Office only works if you are not moving much. This is very likely the most expensive way to move per pound. We used the post office to move once from Anchorage to Albuquerque. We got rid of almost everything and shipped the rest. It was easy to do and cost us less then moving everything we owned in a rental truck. That was over nine years ago and we still have a few boxes from that time that are still sealed. Obviously they were not worth the time and money to ship. Just make sure you really want everything that you ship or else you will be wasting your money.

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I tend to be the frugal type even when I am moving from one home to another. I just hate to spend extra money when it seems that so much money has to go the new place. Unfortunately moving itself tents to be expensive weather you are going to use a moving pod, one of those you pack it rental trucks or the full service movers.

The only tool I would tell anyone that they will need to have for any move is the old trusty hand truck. This is a great tool if you are moving your stuff all by yourself or have a crew coming to help. Even if you are planning to hire people to do the heavy lifting I would suggest still have one for the before move shift your stuff around that most of us end up doing.

We finally purchased a sturdy hand truck for our last move. It made a world of difference, I am thinking of treating myself to a second one when the time comes for us to move again. We have used this handy tool numerous times since our last move as well. Hand trucks are great for moving stacks of boxes, furniture, sacks of dirt, and giving each other a ride (try this last one at your own risk).

Luckily you can find several to choose from at your local hardware store and sometimes even the big box stores carry them. Be sure to get a good sturdy one. You will probably be lifting heavier things than you think and you want the frame to stay strong and the tires to hold up. I at first wanted to just get the cheapest one that I could find, but ended spending a bit more for a stronger one. It was absolutely worth the extra cost.

If you would prefer to just order one then Amazon.com has a few nice ones to choose from.

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Who in the United States has not driven down the street and seen a U-Haul truck? In the summer they are everywhere. When it comes to moving truck rentals this company is the one most people think of first. I have used them for in city moves several times, but how about an out of state move?

Why use U-haul instead of the competition?

The biggest thing to consider is that U-haul is everywhere in the US and Canada, in fact there are over 15,000 locations. The company claims to have lower truck beds to make loading easier and I can attest to that as we have used a few other companies as well. According to the website “U-Haul has the newest and safest fleet in the industry.” 

This company also offers storage facilities and packing supplies. And if you don’t already know, the range of sizes of trucks you could rent is amazing. You could get a pickup truck or a 26 foot Super Mover and many sizes in between.

What I found extra interesting is that you can get one month free storage with a One-way truck or trailer rental, with paid reservations either before or after your move.

So, what’s the quote?

I will use the same destination and origin as the other quotes so that the numbers can be compared more accurately. Although these prices are also dependent on other factors, and as I have stated before they are not guaranteed. Your quote will be different. I am just giving numbers to help you get an Idea of what you are looking at.

My date of move will be one month from today, February 27^th, 2008. From Mesa, AZ to Port Angeles, WA.

The basic estimate is very easy to get right there on the website. For a 17 foot truck that should hold 2 to 3 bedrooms or an 849 cubic foot capacity would cost $1,294.00 for 6 days of use with 1638 miles included. Amazingly for this distance the miles included might just be enough, but if it isn’t then expect an additional cost per mile. I also know from the past that you will be offered insurance and other extras that will make the cost go up.

And don’t forget that gas is not included. This truck should get 10 miles to the gallon. Just for the fun of it, let’s do the math on that also. So let’s assume that you can get an average of $3.01 a gallon of gas throe out your trip. With the fluctuation of gas prices this might be high or low, it’s hard to tell. For 1640 miles gas would cost around $493.64.

What is the conclusion to all this?

You can reserve your truck right there on the website easily, with options of adding extra moving supplies, equipment, and even movers to help you either pack or unpack. You would need to drive the truck yourself and with gas my estimate would be around $1787.64.

You are the only one to decide if a moving truck rental is right for you.

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