Finally Back After Moving

[billt460]

Well, it's been a little over a week ago that the movers delivered the last of our "stuff". Along with countless boxes. Yesterday we unpacked and organized the last of them. We still have some work left to do. But at least now the place has some semblance of order.

I have my "gun room" in very good order, so today I'm getting a haircut, (I really need one since all of this started 2 -1/2 months ago). Then I'm going to relax in our new abode.

Our realtor came through with flying colors. He sold our old place in less than a week, and for $9K ABOVE asking price. The buyers look very solid. And if anything tanks, he has 2 backup offers in place. If all goes well we'll close on that place on 9/12. Then it will be over. I'm very thankful it sold so quickly, and so well. You never know about these things until they happen. So for now anyway, it's all's well that ends well.

 

[Astro14]

 

[billt460]

One thing that bothered me was not the fact we ended up paying almost $300.00 for boxes, (from U-Haul). That goes with the territory when you're moving. And boxes you get from Wal-Mart, grocery stores, liquor stores, etc. aren't very good for that purpose. And most of the time they don't have them because they compact and recycle them.

What bothered me was I had to dispose of them, and they were perfectly good. I tried calling Goodwill, St. Vincent DePaul, and a few other places, and no one wanted them. What would be nice is if there was a website were people who were moving in to a given area, could get in touch with people moving out of the same area. That would allow them to trade boxes they have no use for after they unpack them, with people who need them.

People could save a lot of money, and it would also help with the environment, by not being so wasteful. Even small moving boxes at Wal-Mart run over a buck each. The larger one's from U-Haul are over $2.50 each. And however many boxes you think you'll need, you will need at least twice that many..... Along with countless rolls of bubble wrap and packing tape. And in most towns there are as many people moving out as there are moving in. At least enough to make something like this worthwhile.

 

[pandus13]

@ billt460,

couple advices re: boxes:
-buy them from home-depot/lowes: they are tougher/better built than u-haul/storage places (ask me how I know).... and less expensive (ask me how I know that too)
-there is a website neighborhood oriented called nextdoor: In my neighborhood , poeple constantly post about needing or wanting to give moving boxes.

Now, please tell me that you as a true BITOGer had one truck full of motor oil????

 

[Dwight_Frye]

I am in the process of moving now. I ordered 75 of the 14"x14"x14" boxes, a case of 36 rolls of packing tape which came with a free dispenser, and 175 feet of bubble wrap from Uline.com for just under $250 delivered. The boxes were $1.33 each in that quantity. Seems like a pretty good deal. I also bought a 600 lb capacity hand truck from Harbor Freight for about $36 which has already saved my aching back.

As others have mentioned, the fun part will be breaking down all the boxes afterwards and either hauling them to the recycling center or finding someone who will come and take them away.

 

[supton]

We moved across town and friends of ours are moving, but later this month, so they've started filching boxes as they need them. A few things less for me to cart off. Got ours from the grocery store, although a good amount came from the liqueur store. The dividers came in useful for packing glasses. Downside was looking like a bunch of winos while moving.

We found that the boxes that eggs come in were a good size for clothing. Need big boxes for those bulky (yet light) stuff.

I have a hand truck but have yet to use it on this move. When I moved years ago I found the truck killed my forearms. Have to hold on and pull up over every stair, and so that killed my arms. Maybe I should have used it a bit more, as I hurt a leg going up and down stairs--a few less trips might have made the difference.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted by pandus13
Now, please tell me that you as a true BITOGer had one truck full of motor oil????

No, but one darn near full of guns, ammo, and components. (Tires were at max pressure).

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted by Dwight_Frye
...... I also bought a 600 lb capacity hand truck from Harbor Freight for about $36 which has already saved my aching back.

I did the same. Harbor Freight has surprisingly good quality built into their hand trucks. Especially for what they charge.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted by supton
We moved across town and friends of ours are moving, but later this month, so they've started filching boxes as they need them. A few things less for me to cart off. Got ours from the grocery store, although a good amount came from the liqueur store. The dividers came in useful for packing glasses. Downside was looking like a bunch of winos while moving.

We found that the boxes that eggs come in were a good size for clothing. Need big boxes for those bulky (yet light) stuff.

I have a hand truck but have yet to use it on this move. When I moved years ago I found the truck killed my forearms. Have to hold on and pull up over every stair, and so that killed my arms. Maybe I should have used it a bit more, as I hurt a leg going up and down stairs--a few less trips might have made the difference.

Moved IL to GA.

Clothes can go in contractors black garbage bags. they are surprisingly tough.
books in small to medium size boxes
other knick-knacks/toys/ kids games into large boxes.
same with heavy glassware/glasses/porcelain-ware

sold non-necessary furniture. bought what's needed here in GA.

Now for next time (if ever the case):
-go into walgreens/cvs/wally/etc and buy ankle/knee/joints holder/compression socks/similar and back protector. also gloves if it gives you better grip.

hand truck is not supposed to use on stairs. You use moving straps! better weight distribution!.
Also work in team and synchronize your walking so you don't dangle heavy items.
the mover's dolly is also a godsend.

pack lighter even if it mean more trips up and down. It also means safer for your back and joints.

And I don't care how i look when moving... I'm moving, not them...As long as i'm not waking anybody at 11PM or 3 AM, everything is fair game as long as you're done quicker and not damaging other's property.

 

[JHZR2]

Moving is horrible. Packing and unpacking really is the worst.

Seems like you got about as far away from anything as you can. Must be nice. The ranges around sound great!

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted by JHZR2
Moving is horrible. Packing and unpacking really is the worst.

Seems like you got about as far away from anything as you can. Must be nice. The ranges around sound great!

That did enter into our thinking. Big city living, while convenient, is getting crazier and crazier today. Sometimes peoples behavior in general scares me. Where we were at they built a new Wal-Mart back in 1998. When it opened it was beautiful.

The last 3 times my wife went there she was approached by people in the parking lot asking for money. I believe in the right to bear arms as much or more than anyone. But if you are finding the need to carry one to go buy groceries a mile away, it's time to think about moving. And unfortunately when neighborhoods change, they seldom change for the better. While ours was still nice, I didn't trust it to stay that way over the next several years. At least not enough to stake the value of our home on it.

Lake Havasu is primarily a resort and retirement town. So it's not as susceptible to what generally sends neighborhoods downhill. That's about the best I can put it without getting racial or political. Another nice thing, is there is only one road in, and one road out, (U.S. 95). So it's not a place people, "pass through". You have to go out of your way to get here. Yet Las Vegas is only 2-1/2 hours away, and Phoenix a bit over 3. So it's not isolated to the point of having to do without.

About the only "intruders" I have to worry about are Coyotes. (The animal kind). A 16 pound Poodle makes a tasty treat for them.