Learn me: Moving Cross-Country

I just signed an offer letter for a job in the SF Bay area. Adrenaline is still pumping.

The company is paying for movers, and we're still figuring out the start date but it will probably be mid-August at the earliest.

So, for those of you that have done this - what advice can you offer? And do you want any of my crap so I don't have to move it? Seriously, I'm probably selling at least 1 car, probably the motorcycle, all my random car parts have to go, most of my tools probably have to go, etc etc.

cmcgregor wrote: ....cycle, all my random car parts have to go, most of my tools probably have to go, etc etc.

Probably just the big stuff - press, maybe my welder, and so on. The parts are mostly for cars that I no longer have. Just need to generally purge. Or, try and find a place with a big garage (not likely given my budget)

In reply to cmcgregor:

Well, this place is available, but how's that work with your budget?

Burn the house to the ground. Collect insurance and buy a cool car to make the drive. Start over on the other side.

I've only moved 20 miles, once, so my recommendations are probably questionable.

Since the company is paying for movers, that makes some things easier. I shipped my stuff freight when I moved and it was a clusterberk.

Clearly labor or color code your boxes. Not just "downstairs closet" but "work boots, parka, vests".It will make finding things as you get situated a hell of a lot easier.

Anything you've not used in a year, toss it. You either won't need it, or its cheap enough to replace later if you do.

I've often wondered if calling one of those estate sale places just to clean out the house would work. Maybe you could call one and let them organize and deal with selling the stuff you don't want or can't take. They have experience, and advertising coverage, let alone making things easier for you, just sit back and collect a check at the end of the day.

In reply to Pete Gossett:

I actually posted in that thread, haha. That's.....a little more than I can spend. Not as bad as the 13mil place the wife found, though.

I'm more inclined toward Toyman's suggestion - but I don't think my wife will go for it. Unfortunately. My current plan is to sell my Focus, drive the Miata over myself to establish a base of operations, then have the wife and baby fly and ship the Fit. Lots of moving pieces.

Also - I've often thought the same thing about an estate sale. Why do I have to be dead first before I can sell all my E36 M3? I don't think I have enough for it to really be worthwhile though - we might end up with a lot going to Goodwill.

I did a full board clear when I left. Buttoned up the car I was keeping, lost all the rest, sold everything that didn't fit in the car i was driving (I kept 2 that I had at home) and bolted. It's amazing how much E36 M3 you accumulate, and how easy life gets when it has to fit into a corolla.

If I was moving across the country I might sell most of what I own and buy new when I get there.

I'm no help. The only time I moved across country, I did it in a GEO tracker. That was with two basses and an amp. Ahhh to be in my 20's again.

My thoughts are similar to Toyman01's. Keep a weeks worth of work clothes, a couple of sets of non-work clothes, the cell phone, a couple pieces of luggage to carry it all in and the car you want to keep. Sell everything else it's probably cheaper to replace it all than pay to move it. But, considering your new employer is paying for the move that changes the money aspect...

Ive been in your spot. Sell or throw away as much as you can before the move. Most expensive thing about moving into California is acquiring a place of residence. No matter if you're renting or buying, you'll be paying out the ass just to get situated.

swmbo and I moved out west about 12 years ago. In our case we had dogs... so my 80 year old father and my swmbo took 4 days and drove the dogs... while I dealt with the movers The house move went ok, they broke some stuff I decided to "splurge" on the car move, and hired Horseless Carriage to move my car.

Btw... I sure hope your job is paying 6 figures... because a very recent economic report release said to live in San Fran,,, you needed that much income

Yeah, the pets are something that we have to figure out still. We have 2 rabbits that are probably coming, but I'm not about to drive cross country with 8 chickens in the car.

I won't need to live in downtown San Francisco as the job is in Emeryville, but the money is pretty good.

Moving cross-country? Gonna eat a lot of peaches?

I've moved cross-country 3x in the last three years. FL to CA, CA to NJ, and NJ to WA.

Best advice that I can give you is to get rid of everything you are ambivalent about keeping, especially since you are moving to a high cost of living area. Expect to take a bath when getting rid of anything of value, since you will be selling everything in a hurry. I've shipped my car each time (company moves), so I don't have any advice about the drive. If your company is offering temp/corporate housing, I recommend taking them up on it to have some extra time to find a place to live. Spending hours on Zillow can help you determine realistic prices for each area, but it doesn't make up for time spent scoping out each neighborhood.

Congrats! You are welcome to post up for a night with us in Chicago if you are on i80.

Agree with getting rid of as much stuff as possible, but I just moved and that is easier said than done.

When I moved from CO to WI, I drove my f250 and towed my car on a uhaul trailer. But I also was moving out of a college dorm...

Ps since I just moved I have plenty of boxes to give away for free. Most still even have stuff in them.

You're planning to drive a modded Miata across the country? You're a better man than I sir, I won't take mine two hours away any more.

If the company will pay to have it shipped I'd do that and fly or take the more comfortable car.

Stuff-wise: aggressive downsizing. Your housing spending power is about to go down, so a smaller place is virtually a guarantee. Everything But The House (EBTH) is a good website/service to deal with your "stuff" and give you a check at the end.

Over the years, we've moved from WV to FL, FL to upstate NY, upstate NY to Idaho, Idaho to FL, FL to upstate NY, upstate NY to Connecticut, Connecticut to Washington state, Washington state to Connecticut, Connecticut to Virginia, Virginia to Alabama, Alabama to Minnesota and Minnesota to North Carolina. Moving sucks in some ways, but is great in others.

Do you know how much weight the company will pay to move and do you have any idea of how much weight you have to move? I would assume based on the area you are moving to that you will end up in a smaller place, so as others have already said, pare down.

If the movers are doing the packing, try to put everything that doesn't get packed all together in a closet or bathroom or somewhere apart from everything else. Then post a sign on the door saying do not pack. Think ahead to all the things you may need to start your new job or to get set up in your new place and make sure that stuff goes with you and not with the movers.

I'd check with the company if they can recommend movers - the big ones often have a few they can recommend from experience if they regularly move people.

Emeryville? Are you going into the animation business?

That said, in that area you're either looking at a long commute and a decent sized place, or a tiny place and a shorter commute. Unfortunately you're in "bedroom community for SF" range.

Speaking of movers and packing, keep in mind that the mover's insurance will usually only cover stuff they packed, plus you'd want the additional insurance even though it might be a rip-off as the basic insurance doesn't pay out E36 M3.

Clark Howard's website has some useful info on finding a good mover.

Or do what someone on (IIRC) Garage Journal did - buy an old big rig with a 40' trailer, stuff your belongings in the back and drive across the country.

Have a detailed inventory list of whats in every box. Number the boxes. Don't ship anything that you'd be upset if it showed up broken or if it "disappeared" along the way.

If you have a nice bike, don't ship it. If you're shipping a tool chest/box, make sure its inventoried and LOCKED.

I might reconsider selling the motorcycle. Seems like one of the best commuter vehicles out there.

Pay to ensure your goods with the movers. If your employer won't cover that, pay it out of pocket.

Nothing like unpacking everything to find out your glorious 60" Tv has a crack in it.