The Incredible Moving Pod

When moving you are trying to get so much accomplished it is hard to think of every last thing that needs to be done before you’re done with your old home. If you’re moving from a rental home then getting that deposit back is a priority. Even if you can’t get the deposit back then you can bet that you will be responsible for the cleaning that had to take place after you are gone. If you are selling your home then making sure it is clean to appeal to anyone being shown your home only makes sense. Over our many moves I have discovered a few really great tricks to make your home seem cleaner to others. If you only have a few hours for your move out cleaning then be sure to include these tricks.

Tricks to make the home seem cleaner

Clean the edges

Cleaning the edges of a room makes it look sharper and less dingy. Start at one edge, hopefully by a door. Sit on the floor with a dry scrubbing brush and a bucket of water and sponge. First use the brush on the edge of the carpet to push the fuzz and dirt that gets trapped there. Using a vacuum that cleans edges can help, but the results just aren’t as crisp. Next use the wet sponge to wipe down the floor boards or the bottom of the wall. Make sure that the paint is cleanable by testing a small section first. If you are working with walls that will be damaged by the water then just use a dusting cloth. When the area that you can reach is done then move over to a new section. Work all the way around the house until you are back at the place that you started. When you are done use your vacuum to pick up the gunk that was cleaned away from the walls. I have gotten my entire deposit back using this trick along with the most basic cleaning. Once even got a thank you note with it. This will take a few hours to do, but is worth it.

Bleach the sink

Smells are a powerful thing. When it smells cleaner then everything looks cleaner as well. This trick will not require a lot of work, so definitely do it. Just pour a capful of bleach onto all sinks, bathtubs, and even toilets with at least a gallon of water. Leave a few hours or overnight and then just before you are done with your cleaning just opens the drains. If bleach is just too strong for you to use then pick another cleaner with a fresh scent. If you do use a different cleaner then plan more soaking time. Your whole house should smell clean for a long time if no one starts stinking it up again.

Shine your sink

Making your sinks and other porcelain and metal fixtures should be among the last things that you do. Shiny tends to make people think clean. Use a soft cloth to rub baby oil into a nice shine. Luckily this is really easy to do after you have scrubbed off all of the grime that  it should only take a few minutes to a half an hour to do an entire house.

Fill the holes in your walls

If you have been renting your home and the lease stated that hanging objects that make holes in the walls is not OK, then try this trick. Rub white hard soap on white walls to visually fill in the holes. Do this carefully and sparingly so it won’t be too obvious.

Get rid of all trash

Not leaving anything behind would be a no brainier, but you would be surprised how often people just leave trash and other unwanted items behind. If at all possible take everything with you. Leaving anything behind is a sure way of annoying anyone that has to enter the home after you have left, like landlords or interested buyers. The home will also retain a fresh, clean smell longer if it is completely empty.

Take the time to do these extras and your home will be inviting and really feel clean to others.

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It seems that moving pods are all the rage for your move this year. I don’t know if I have moving pods and containers on the mind, because I have seen them in even the most unexpected places. I actually saw one parked behind an independent gas station recently. Of course they have been parked on my street lately in front of my neighbor’s houses. It is sad to see so many of the families move from my block, but fun to know that they are moving the easy way.

We have included a few quotes on this moving blog and are ready to start adding more. So be sure to check back to see what’s new.

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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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You are going to be exhausting yourself with moving out preparations and the actual move itself.  You may be too tired to think of this simple moving tip to do before the day you move in. Do it, and you save yourself a ton of grief; forget, and you will not be a happy mover.  

Now what is this mysterious thing that you must do to make your life easier?  Spray for bugs.

If you are moving to an area that cockroaches are a problem, then get ahead of them. For the United States cockroaches are the biggest problem in the warmer areas, with the worst infestation in the most southern parts of the country from Florida to California. That being said, very few places in the world are completely safe from roaches. I’ve heard of infestations in New York and even Anchorage.

Spray a newly built house.

Just think about it. All of those naturally occurring bugs that were there before the house was built never left, and they are looking for a new place to live.

Don’t forget to spray if your previous home had even the smallest roach problem

If you are moving from a place that these nasty little bugs live, then don’t forget to spray before you move in. If you can’t do it before hand, try to do it right away after you move in. And then spray again 2 weeks after you have finished moving in. I would also spray about a month after that just for good measure. If you had even the smallest problem with cockroaches before, then they are most likely going to move with you in your furniture. So get rid of them before they make themselves comfortable in you new digs.

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This is a do it yourself moving company, so the packing is up to you. Don’t forget that you could hire a crew for that part too if you need to. You can either use an ABF truck that can hold a house worth of stuff or you can use a Relocube that is ideal for an apartment or dorm move. Storage is also available for a Relocube for an additional cost. There is a coverage map on the website to give you an idea whether or not this company is for you. This company also offers shipment that could fit on a pallet.

My quote is for February 21 which is one month from today. From Mesa, AZ to Port Angeles, WA. For three bedrooms plus.

To get a quote online you will need to not only enter your moving information, but also your name and e-mail address. You could also call the number right there on the home page instead. I opted to try to get the quote from the website and was given an option of receiving an instructional DVD. You just have to give a mailing address.

The quote came very fast right there on the U-pack homepage. I expected to have a problem because my destination is somewhat isolated. The quote is $3650.00 for 19 feet of space. There is an adjustment price per foot of plus or minus $131.00. It is stated that all estimates include gas and taxes. The estimated transit time is 6 days. This is the extent of what is given in an online quote. You can’t ask someone questions for more information, but at least it gives a basic idea of cost.

To further explain adjustment price per foot, the company states “You only pay for the space you use in our 28′ x 8′ x 9′ commercial trailer. Need less space? No problem. Just subtract $131 per foot from your 19′ quote, subject to a 5′ minimum. Need more? Just add $131 per foot…”

If I want to store my belongings because I am not ready to move them in yet it will cost $395 per trailer for each 30-day period.

What I liked about this estimate is the fact that I could get the most important details right away on their site. No waiting, and no talking to someone in a call center that is mostly concerned about getting a reservation or getting me off the phone quickly. This company also seems to be able to serve many places on the map.

The only thing that I don’t like about the quote is it is a bit pricey compared to PODS, but it could be worth it.

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First of all it is important to plan ahead and save all the boxes that could be used for a move broken down and in a safe, dry place. Secondly look for moving boxes at toy stores, grocery stores, and (my favorite) hospitals.

So, you didn’t do this or just plain couldn’t, what do you do now?

Order some online, of course. When ordering boxes look at the dimensions, this will give you a basic idea of the volume inside the box, and what you can fit in it. Also know that many boxes made for moving should have a seal printed on the bottom that gives their strength and capacity.  You can find moving boxes that are made out of single or double walled corrugated cardboard.  Get the strong ones if you can so they won’t crush under whatever is packed on top of them.  If you look around you can find wholesale moving boxes and supplies shipped flat to your house, saving you money.

Don’t forget to get packing paper, packing tape, bubble wrap and of couple markers too. 

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Are you in a big hurry to move? There can be many reasons you find yourself in this predicament. Or maybe you would rather pay someone else to do the heavy lifting, and walking back and forth for you.

If you are using a moving pod or a rental truck or simply have a lot of stuff to move then looking into hiring other people to do the lifting and carrying for you could save a lot of time and strain.

I found movers that will move your stuff info your pod or truck for you. This is a large company that can send people to you no matter where you are. They will even pack for you if you supply the packing materials. You can schedule them for loading or unloading or both if you are only moving within 50 miles. I would think that you could schedule a loading and then an unloading separately if you are moving a long distance. They can also help you with your overseas move. My favorite part about this moving company is that they have pre-priced packages right there on the order service page. If you are looking for this type of service then check them out.

Moving labor Professionals

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I finally got that PODs quote. I had to call them because PODs does not deliver to the place that we plan on moving. The only option for someone in this situation that wants to use the PODs company for their move is to have it delivered and stored in another, hopefully close, city at one of their storage facilities, and then to rent a truck, transfer your belongings to it, and then drive it the rest of the way.

To get the quote you will need to give them your first name, last name, and phone number. If you don’t like to give out this information then consider this before you call for the quote.

This quote was from Mesa, AZ to Seattle, WA. It would be delivered to my current location on February 18th.

Be warned this quote is not guaranteed, don’t expect to get the same quote even if you use the same dates and places. I am not affiliated with PODs and I will not be held responsible for these numbers. I am just sharing what I was told to give you an idea of what you might expect. Everyone’s quotes and experiences will be different. I specifically disclaim any warranty, either expressed or implied, concerning this information.

For one pod that is 8 ft high x 8 ft x wide x 16 ft long, that is supposed to hold 3 to 4 furnished rooms full of stuff. The total charge would be $2,589.93 with two payments. The first one is $482.85 that is due several days before the delivery. The second of $2084.98 is due when it is delivered. Interestingly this adds up to $2,567.83. Makes me wonder what he didn’t tell me. The pod would take 6 days, not including weekends or holidays to arrive at your destination. It will cost an additional monthly charge if my belongings are kept in their storage beyond the first month.

The quote is good for 5 days including the day that you call for it. The person I talked to on the phone was nice enough, but he did talk faster than I could get all the details down on paper and he was not happy about repeating himself. He also tried to talk me into booking now.

Although these things might be good for forcing reservations, they are not good customer service.

There is a smaller pod that you could book, and he did say that there is some sort of a discount if you move several pods to the same place at once.

In conclusion, the price seems good, but the extra cost and hassle of using a rental truck to take the belongings the rest of the way might not be worth it. Also the company seems to be professional, but the customer service might be a little questionable.

Have you used this company for a move? We would love to hear about it. Add an appropriate comment to this post.

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A complete moving checklist could be pages long and very by family and situation. These are just a few things to think about before you move.

1. Get estimates from moving companies, whether you plan on doing most of the work yourself or as little of it as possible.
2. Get your mail forwarded by filling out a form from the post office. You can do this either online or with the special post card that you can get at your local post office.
3. Contact every company that sends you a regular bill. Have them canceled or transferred to your new address.
4. Get information about your kid’s new school. Even better contact them.
5. Collect as many boxes as you can, and then buy the rest. You will use more than you think.
6. Return the things that you have borrowed and get back the things that have been borrowed from you.
7. Start packing as much as you can of the non essentials.
8. Get rid of items you don’t want in your new house or aren’t worth the money to move.
9. Decide how you plan on moving your pet.
10. Use up your toilet paper, shampoo, food, etc. Why move that stuff?

The most important thing is to get started as soon as you can. In my experience the sooner you get organized the better decisions you will make, the easier it will be to unpack, and the less it will cost you in the end.

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