Movin' and Groovin'

If you've just got some stuff that won't fit in a small car, would the small car be able to tow the small U-Haul trailer?

Joyce

I have a little bit of furniture I'd like to take as well.  Besides, my car couldn't tow a paper boat.   I'll be moving from Illinois to Arizona, it'll be about 26 hours. 

A moving *company* is going to be pricey because they "pack" your stuff (at great peril I might add).  You'll need to rent a U-Haul or similar and then TOW your car (unless you want to pay gas to drive the car as well).

 If the car really isn't in good repair -- would it be worth selling and getting another clunker where you're going?  Think about the risk of car repair ON THE WAY and the risk of time a breakdown could cost you before you dismiss this -- either this or tow it.

To tow a car you need to rent a tow dolly -- that's the only legal way in most states.

Now evaluate CAREFULLY if you really want to take the furniture -- cramming all you can in your car and either renting cheap furniture and buying as you can sometimes can be the better option.

OR you can contact bigger trucking companies and see if you can arrange for a little room on the back of someone else's truck.  That can be a nightmare to arrange tho -- and suddenly you don't have room for your bed and you're standing on the curb with no where to put it!  I've done it -- it's *very* risky.

 Years ago when I moved from NY State to Florida I packed my tiny civic hatchback full, but only brought my rocking chair for furniture.  I bought a waterbed for cheap once I got here and picked up cheap furniture at a garage sale. 

With gas the price it is, you may find you can buy furniture FAR cheaper than you can move it.  If it's heirlooms, ask someone to keep it until you are better situated.  THEN you can find that mover with a little room left and get stuff later -- rather than when you are under a deadline to GET there and get there cheap.

when I moved to Florida, I slept on the floor in an empty apartment for almost 2 weeks -- but heck -- it was paid for and it was cheap.  As I got furniture I got it cheap and as I could pay for it.  Don't go into debt to get yourself TO a new job.  If it all blows up in your face, you don't want to be completely stuck.  Make sense?

Good points Calliecritturs.  I may sell the car before I go and either get a new one here or arrive there without a car.  I'd be in a bit of a remote area so getting a new (used) car might be difficult there.  With the dog in the backseat and a subcompact car, I wouldn't even be able to pack my basic belongings.  So anyway I cut the mustard, I'm going to have to rent a moving vehicle.  I'm looking into maybe getting a cargo van instead and ditching most of the furniture.  I'll be at this job for a while, it's an excellent opportunity.  Now let's just see how I can shave down the 3k moving estimate I'm kind of in sticker shock.

New idea:  I'm leaning towards selling all the furniture and shipping the rest with USPS. 

check out UPS' prices on shipping boxes - it may be cheaper than USPS - that was my experience.

When I moved from NH to AZ, I took whatever I could fit in my Honda Civic which would still allow Gracie the entire back seat for lounging and stretching.  (the pic of G in my avatar is from the last day on the road, somewhere in west Texas.)  I pre-shipped several boxes of stuff thru UPS.  The rest is still in a storage unit back east.  When I went home in May, I flew two bags of summer clothes and a ton of pictures back to AZ.  (I honestly missed my pictures and books more than I expected I would.)  I am going back to NH again on Thursday and will do the same/similar - prep things I want shipped UPS, pack up a few bags to take on the airplane (although bag charges are a pain!)

Good luck whatever you decide.  The only movers I know are $$pricey$$ - because they were paid for the company who paid for work relocation.

 The USPS media mail rate is hard to beat.  I used the online price estimators and UPS and USPS were within a couple of dollars of each other.  I figure if I'm going to spend 3k to move, I might as well get new stuff.  All the furniture in my house except for the bedroom set was used and totaled < 2k 3 years ago.