Have you moved a lot?
12-29-2017, 10:19 AM
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2015
Posts: 120
Have you moved a lot?
Hello,
I am getting ready to accept a new job in a new location. The last time I moved was over 15 years ago.
I am looking for pilots that have moved a lot and have a lot of experience in moving to give me an update on moving.
What advice do you have to give?
Have any of tried shipping your car to a new location? What moving companies do you recommend? How do you screen out fraudulent, careless movers, etc.
Thanks.
I am getting ready to accept a new job in a new location. The last time I moved was over 15 years ago.
I am looking for pilots that have moved a lot and have a lot of experience in moving to give me an update on moving.
What advice do you have to give?
Have any of tried shipping your car to a new location? What moving companies do you recommend? How do you screen out fraudulent, careless movers, etc.
Thanks.
12-29-2017, 01:28 PM
#2
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,002
Early years of the career, a lot of moves; later years, not so many. A lot of moves? Yes. My address history, going back to high school, spans six pages. A lot of moves.
I've never shipped a car, or had someone else move me or my things. I always did it myself or with family, with a rental truck and a lot of cardboard boxes from the local grocery store (fruit boxes are the best; tough boxes. Today you can get more boxes than you'll know what to do with if you visit Walmart at night when they're stocking. They're thrilled if you take the boxes. Smaller boxes work better than exceptionally large boxes; big boxes are hard to move, fall apart, and don't stack well.
Mark everything, even if you're sure what's in the box. I have boxes that are still in storage lockers around the country, been there 25 years. I have boxes in my house that I haven't opened in 20. Five, seven, ten years...nothing. Mark everything. It makes sorting, and prioritizing everything easy.
People go nuts over packing breakables. Don't. I stack dishes on top of each other; really fragile things might get a sheet or two of newspaper between them. Don't pack towels; use them to wrap things. Same for sheets and everything else. Blankets, whatever; they all make good packing materials. I've never had a need to buy packing materials or moving blankets.
When I did my first interstate move, I went in an old Jeep with three cardboard boxes. With my last move, I left things in other states, used the largest truck and made two trips.
Start packing early. Whatever you wont' need for a while, get boxed up and out of the way; saves a lot of aggravation. Moving is usually a well planned, well organized effort until time goes short; then it falls apart and ends up everything getting jammed in whatever container is available. That's avoided if you start early, reduced blood pressure, have everything already boxed. Then it's just loading and unloading. Easy.
Heavy stuff on the bottom, light stuff on top. Square things pack easiest; boxes are your friend. Things that look like won't need a box; box anyway. It makes moving a lot simpler. Get extra miles on the truck, ask for extra days. Things happen.
If you belong to a church or a civic group, it's often possible to have people at the end of your journey there to help you unpack; I've done hundreds of packings and unpackings for others that way, never paid, always just cool aid or burgers or something like that; good way to get to know folks when they arrive.
Plan on an extra day or two after you get everything out of the house to get it cleaned and leave better than you found it. Easiest done if you clean as you go, and if you can eliminate several rooms by packing them and getting everything out, you can knock out half or more of the house before you ever get the truck, which makes life a lot easier when you're trying to get on the road.
Hand-trucks with straps. Get one. Or two. Wide base, and big wheels. You'll appreciate them when trying to do stairs.
I screen out fraudulent, careless movers the same way I screen out bad mechanics; do it myself.
Lower trucks are a lot easier to load and unload.
If you have to bring your car and don't have someone else to drive it, a tow dolly or trailer works fine behind a u-haul.
Inspect the u-haul before you take it; people beat them up. Don't get stuck paying for it. Get a good lock for the truck; don't skimp, especially if you're overnighting. There are those who do nothing else with their life but jack trucks. Back it against a wall if you can.
Moving sucks. I hate moving, with a purple passion. With every move I've hated it more. Even more than painting a house, and I really, really hate house painting. With that in mind, do whatever you can early, to avoid the stress that inevitably comes later.
I've never shipped a car, or had someone else move me or my things. I always did it myself or with family, with a rental truck and a lot of cardboard boxes from the local grocery store (fruit boxes are the best; tough boxes. Today you can get more boxes than you'll know what to do with if you visit Walmart at night when they're stocking. They're thrilled if you take the boxes. Smaller boxes work better than exceptionally large boxes; big boxes are hard to move, fall apart, and don't stack well.
Mark everything, even if you're sure what's in the box. I have boxes that are still in storage lockers around the country, been there 25 years. I have boxes in my house that I haven't opened in 20. Five, seven, ten years...nothing. Mark everything. It makes sorting, and prioritizing everything easy.
People go nuts over packing breakables. Don't. I stack dishes on top of each other; really fragile things might get a sheet or two of newspaper between them. Don't pack towels; use them to wrap things. Same for sheets and everything else. Blankets, whatever; they all make good packing materials. I've never had a need to buy packing materials or moving blankets.
When I did my first interstate move, I went in an old Jeep with three cardboard boxes. With my last move, I left things in other states, used the largest truck and made two trips.
Start packing early. Whatever you wont' need for a while, get boxed up and out of the way; saves a lot of aggravation. Moving is usually a well planned, well organized effort until time goes short; then it falls apart and ends up everything getting jammed in whatever container is available. That's avoided if you start early, reduced blood pressure, have everything already boxed. Then it's just loading and unloading. Easy.
Heavy stuff on the bottom, light stuff on top. Square things pack easiest; boxes are your friend. Things that look like won't need a box; box anyway. It makes moving a lot simpler. Get extra miles on the truck, ask for extra days. Things happen.
If you belong to a church or a civic group, it's often possible to have people at the end of your journey there to help you unpack; I've done hundreds of packings and unpackings for others that way, never paid, always just cool aid or burgers or something like that; good way to get to know folks when they arrive.
Plan on an extra day or two after you get everything out of the house to get it cleaned and leave better than you found it. Easiest done if you clean as you go, and if you can eliminate several rooms by packing them and getting everything out, you can knock out half or more of the house before you ever get the truck, which makes life a lot easier when you're trying to get on the road.
Hand-trucks with straps. Get one. Or two. Wide base, and big wheels. You'll appreciate them when trying to do stairs.
I screen out fraudulent, careless movers the same way I screen out bad mechanics; do it myself.
Lower trucks are a lot easier to load and unload.
If you have to bring your car and don't have someone else to drive it, a tow dolly or trailer works fine behind a u-haul.
Inspect the u-haul before you take it; people beat them up. Don't get stuck paying for it. Get a good lock for the truck; don't skimp, especially if you're overnighting. There are those who do nothing else with their life but jack trucks. Back it against a wall if you can.
Moving sucks. I hate moving, with a purple passion. With every move I've hated it more. Even more than painting a house, and I really, really hate house painting. With that in mind, do whatever you can early, to avoid the stress that inevitably comes later.
12-30-2017, 08:54 AM
#3
Banned
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 461
I've moved, a LOT. Having kids makes it a LOT harder.
1. Get rid of stuff. Yard Sales, Ebay, whatever it takes. Anything not solid hardwood or especially valuable possessions should go. Consider a bonfire (not kidding). Most items are less valuable than the cost of moving them. This includes TV's as they will probably break during shipment. This goes double for a long distance move. Give away the rest to Goodwill or friends.
2. File boxes are your friend. Easy to fill, cover and stack and are best for high density items like books, dishes, tools, etc. And relatively cheap at Walmart and Target.
3. Have a set of Last Minute Boxes. They will have the necessities like paperwork, toiletries, non perishable foods, clothes, basic set of cutlery and cooking items to get you started at your destination. These boxes will be the last items on the truck and the first ones off. Reduces the need to dig through the pile.
4. Cars and vehicles. Ship them? Expect $2000-5000 for a coast to coast trip. If you're driving a hoopdie (old car) make sure it'll pass the inspections for the state you're going to (looking at you California). Even if it doesn't, you can usually get away with the old tags for 6-12 months.
You're better off getting a uhaul and car trailer and transporting the stuff yourself. Tow your vehicle on a trailer (all 4 wheels off the ground) and NOT a tow dolly (two wheels off the ground). The trailer makes backing up a LOT easier and is not much more expensive.
If you REALLY don't want to drive a uhaul, consider the portable storage boxes (PODS?).
Seriously, consider all new things. You'll thank me.
1. Get rid of stuff. Yard Sales, Ebay, whatever it takes. Anything not solid hardwood or especially valuable possessions should go. Consider a bonfire (not kidding). Most items are less valuable than the cost of moving them. This includes TV's as they will probably break during shipment. This goes double for a long distance move. Give away the rest to Goodwill or friends.
2. File boxes are your friend. Easy to fill, cover and stack and are best for high density items like books, dishes, tools, etc. And relatively cheap at Walmart and Target.
3. Have a set of Last Minute Boxes. They will have the necessities like paperwork, toiletries, non perishable foods, clothes, basic set of cutlery and cooking items to get you started at your destination. These boxes will be the last items on the truck and the first ones off. Reduces the need to dig through the pile.
4. Cars and vehicles. Ship them? Expect $2000-5000 for a coast to coast trip. If you're driving a hoopdie (old car) make sure it'll pass the inspections for the state you're going to (looking at you California). Even if it doesn't, you can usually get away with the old tags for 6-12 months.
You're better off getting a uhaul and car trailer and transporting the stuff yourself. Tow your vehicle on a trailer (all 4 wheels off the ground) and NOT a tow dolly (two wheels off the ground). The trailer makes backing up a LOT easier and is not much more expensive.
If you REALLY don't want to drive a uhaul, consider the portable storage boxes (PODS?).
Seriously, consider all new things. You'll thank me.
12-30-2017, 09:26 AM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2017
Posts: 120
Early in my career I had a 5th wheel trailer.
I could actually be gone in 10 minutes if I had to.
Of course I was single.
I could actually be gone in 10 minutes if I had to.
Of course I was single.
12-30-2017, 09:59 AM
#5
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,002
Originally Posted by MadmanX2
Early in my career I had a 5th wheel trailer.
I could actually be gone in 10 minutes if I had to.
Of course I was single.
I could actually be gone in 10 minutes if I had to.
Of course I was single.
01-03-2018, 12:36 PM
#6
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2015
Posts: 120
John Burke,
Do those pilot encampments still exist at Long Beach and LAX? If so, how do I get more info. about them?
Do those pilot encampments still exist at Long Beach and LAX? If so, how do I get more info. about them?
01-03-2018, 09:05 PM
#7
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,002
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/201...-than-10-years
It's been going on for some time. An older article about it:
LAX parking lot is home away from home for airline workers - latimes
It's been going on for some time. An older article about it:
LAX parking lot is home away from home for airline workers - latimes
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