To Pack or Not to Pack?

It is with a fair amount of certainty that the great William Shakespeare must have moved more than once when he wrote these immortal words in the draft version of Hamlet.

The original play was about a person who considered moving from the Kingdom of Denmark to Westeros or Narnia, but he could not decide whether to put up with the Dragon Queen or the White Witch.

To pack or not to pack? That is the question. Is it nobler to suffer through all the terrible things a move throws at you, or to fight off your worries, and, in doing so, to move once again?

That undiscovered country, which we wonder about and which makes us prefer the troubles of moving rather than stay in our current place? The fear of moving makes us all shed many tears, and our desire to move is made weak because of too much packing.

Of course, Hamlet eventually concludes with —

Alas, poor U-Haul, I knew thee well!

Seriously, you have finally made the decision to move and you know where you want to go. Your research has determined that the new place is much more suited to the needs of you and your family. This may include better job opportunities, more freedoms and choices in schooling your children, the ability to get free ranges eggs and milk without worrying about getting arrested, a new church, better economy, or whatever it is that made you consider a move in the first place.

What do you do NOW? This is what we said to do FIRST!

Paper and pen!! Paper and pen!! Paper and pen!!

My parents, who are veteran home movers, NEVER made a move without everything being detailed. They are so meticulous that they know EXACTLY what is in every box, and every box is completely unpacked within the first few days of every move, even now in their 70s.

My dad, who has always been my hero, tried to instill these words of wisdom to my siblings and I that —

“3/5ths of THINK is INK. If you remember to write it down, you won’t forget it!”

Sadly, I have not always remembered his sage advice and have moved to regret it. As I noted previously, “If you do not write down what you want to do, how much you are able to spend, what you will or will not keep, etc., you will find yourself in a world of hurt.”

Note that these are just recommendations. You are free to pack or not to pack whatever you want, but know that it will cost you one way or the other. If you get rid of stuff, then you possibly sacrifice memories, but on the other hand, getting rid of stuff can save you a lot of money in shipping costs.

What is your budget?

BEFORE we booked a truck or paid for a container, we determined a budget. This involves calling: 1) Moving companies (like Mayflower or United Van Lines) and asking for a cost estimate moving from X to Y and how much can fit in one truck (or two if you have a larger home or items like ATV’s, etc. that you wish to take); 2) Shipping companies (like U-Pack, ABF, or PODS) and ask what their costs are; 3) Move yourself companies for truck rental prices (U-Haul, Penske, and Ryder).

What are some of the Pros & Cons?

1. With moving companies, they do cover their packing and storage with insurance against accidents and missing items. The downside is that I have yet to meet anybody that has used a moving company and not had items go missing or that has not had broken goods upon arrival.

On one move from England to the US, the company inventoried everything and we and movers verified it was in the truck, but when the container arrived in the US, we had several items missing including some higher ticket items and several broken items like china, etc.

Military moves do make it possible to work through filing a claim much easier than it seems to be for those in civilian life.

2. With the purchase/rental of a shipping container, there are also pros and cons. As with moving companies, once the doors shut with your goods, they are somebody else’s responsibility until the container/movers arrive at your front door across the country.

This could be a good option for those who want to be free from driving a truck, but want to take the time to pack your own goods. Just know that some of these shipping container companies can be a more expensive option.

Another pro with this type of move is that you are required to provide a lock for use after you finish packing the container. When the container is full, then you lock the door and the company will also provide a seal that is checked and double checked by the freight driver. This is checked at the point of origin and then you have to confirm the same locks are still sealed upon its arrival at your new home.

3. With moving yourself, you are in control (mostly) at all times. However, you need to figure drive-time in the front seat of a horribly riding truck. Don’t forget to calculate the amount of diesel you will have to purchase in addition to the gas for your vehicles. You will not be able to make the same amount of time and with a family you will need at least one other vehicle on the road.

A pro to moving yourself though is that you are responsible for your goods and don’t have to worry about somebody else breaking your items or possibly stealing them. This is true as long as you don’t forget to lock the back door of the truck at each stop. DON’T ASK!

A con to this option though is that you are not a professional meaning you will normally never be able to pack in as much as professional movers can pack into a truck. I say normally because you have never met my Dad. For more advise and help, you can reach him at 1–800-DAD-PACKS! LOL

Which option is best?

Personally, most of our moves have been done with the use of a moving truck. Normally, we rent the largest 26–28’ truck with over cab space for extra room. We found this was a great option because you can also rent a car dolly to tow one of your vehicles without putting additional mileage on the odometer of your personal car. And should you choose to stop for the night and do some sight-seeing, it is not difficult to park the truck and use your car.

Before we conclude this post, there is another option that might work for some people. 20’ and 40’ foot containers are becoming rather popular. If you own one already, you can take your time filling it up. If you do not but have a LOT of stuff to move, then look into purchasing a shipping container and the rates for having a company pick it up and move it across country for you.

While this can cost more to begin with, the advantage is that you own the container. You could turn around and sell it later as people are always looking for one, or you could use it as additional storage at your new home, especially if you are living in a rural location.

Another advantage to a shipping container is that you could use it to start the process of building your own unique, eclectic style of house. Don’t forget to videotape your progress and post it to YouTube so you can make some money.

Stay tuned for the next blogpost.

Packing Efficiently,

Mark