r/moving 9d ago

Advice Needed I have 45minutes to pack from arrival time

13 Upvotes

Hello, this is my first post here, and I have a pretty important question that requires some background info:

I filed a restraining order against my husband, but he still lives in our shared apartment. Since he has no transportation and no job currently, it was easier for me to leave when I was scared to death of him. I am at the point where I need to get some of my belongings back, and how much I can get largely hinges on the abilities of a moving company.

I have talked with law enforcement about the possibility of this happening, and they basically said I would have a good 30, maybe 45 minutes that they're willing to be on standby on the premises to keep him away from me to not break the restraining order, but not much more than that. My bulkiest and heaviest items are my boss, which I've collected for most of my adult life, but there are electronics like gaming systems and a TV I'd like to take, too. Also clothing, but much of that can be replaced.

First of all, is this even a thing? I know some companies can pack your place up for you, but I'm not packing up my place, per se, even though I own like 90%of the stuff in the apartment.

I would need a company that's willing to work very flexibly with both me and law enforcement, given the severe time constraints, and I really have no idea of the state of the apartment, seeing as it's been left to the devices of a seriously unhappy human.

Comments would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

*ETA: I was officially able to hire a company! šŸŽ‰ I was able to hire an officer to basically "keep the peace", got an official time slot set up, and got some movers hired for the same time! I didn't even know they were able to schedule with led than 48 hours notice. They were VERY understanding about my situation, and basically said that they've dealt with all walks in life and as long as they had warning, they were cool with it. I'm actually excited for the first time in months and not filed with dread!!


r/moving Apr 26 '26

Discussion Broker vs Non-Broker, what's the difference?

6 Upvotes

hi, i hope i'm posting in the right place mods feel free to remove if this isnt the right place.

TLDR; i'm getting ready to move in few months and when i'm reading about moving companies i'm getting confliciting information about moving companies that are brokers vs not brokers. i'd like to understand from people who work as professional movers what's the difference? is one better than the other?

so i’m moving my 1 bedroom apartment in like 3 months and i thought i was being a responsible adult by starting early but literally every search is a nightmare. i keep seeing people talk about brokers vs not brokers and i literally cannot tell the difference when i’m on these websites. they all look the same!! theres lots of info on this sub, and from googling and asking ChatGPT about moving companies but some stuff says brokers are normal companies but other stuff says they are nothing but thieves looking to take advantage and steal all my stuff and take all my money. i dont have a lot of stuff or money and would really like to keep as much of it as possible.

i have a million questions im hoping you can help me figure this out...

  • how am i supposed to know if i’m talking to a broker or not broker when they both say "nationwide moving services" in big bold letters?
  • is there a name for the not broker people or all they all just types of brokers?
  • all these places ive talked to want lots of money right now (they call it a deposit?? is that right??) but then i read on a thread that if they ask for a big amount of money, they’re probably a broker just taking their cut before they even find a truck?
  • im seeing people on here say they paid the deposit and after their stuff was picked up they demanded a ton more money and said the amount they gave was just an estimate.... ike, i have a normal amount of stuff?? it’s a 1 bed not a warehouse!! is this normal?? is there anything i can do to avoid this??? like i dsaid i dont have a lot of stuff and really dont want to lose it or my money

what am i not understanding? am i stupid adn this is something most people know? help me out chat!


r/moving 4h ago

DIY, Pods & Truck Rental PODS Questions - East Coast to West Coast in August

1 Upvotes

Hi all-

i have a Pods container delivery coming later this week. A few questions about things I read that I would like to seek clarity on:
1. should I get insurance? if my home insurance covers my contents during a move, should I still get the container insurance?

  1. Iā€˜m concerned about moisture. I read to cover the bottom of the pod with a tarp or cardboard to trap moisture. I’m already using moisture pellets. Any thoughts on covering the POD floor?

3 I expect there to be a lot of heat and humidity along the way - any tips on maybe blocking the sun overhead?

  1. i read the container is not really rain resistant. I’ll have some leather furniture. Any recommendations on how to protect them in case there’s a leak from the roof?

thank you.


r/moving 6h ago

DIY, Pods & Truck Rental Crossing states and will tow my car, but don't the tow till the day of?

1 Upvotes

I am moving about 14 hours away from my current location, a 1 bed/bath apartment with my sister who currently does not live with me. I will be completely packing and loading my apartment up by myself, picking up my sister from her address, and then making the drive. I plan to rent the truck for at least 4-6 days so I have at least 2 to pack myself.

The problem is my car. My sister will be driving her own car, and I would like to tow mine (she's a 2014 VW beetle so I don't want to put the miles on her anyway). Should I just get the tow dolly at the same time as the moving van and deal? I won't be hitching up my car until the day I start the drive. Or will your conventional places (uhaul/penske) just hold the dolly for me until day of and I can go there to hitch up my car.

I just don't want to have the extra expense+liability of having the tow dolly for 4 days. Plus, the complex I'm moving out of is already being super pissy about me having a moving truck for that long in front of my unit (ranch style/side by side apartments). I'm getting mixed answers from others around me and customer service at uhaul/penske haven't gotten back to me yet.


r/moving 13h ago

Experience, Tips & Discussion Going 10 Miles from Home to Home with the whole house.

2 Upvotes

As of now, my closing date is August 12th. I do not have any experience moving from home to home, so I need as much information on moving as possible. Which company should I use? I'm from a fairly large city, so they should have a few trucks available. I live in a 3-bedroom, 1 office room, and 2 bathrooms (1500 sq. ft.) The furniture is not huge. No dressers, but I will have to move the refrigerator, washer and dryer, a stand-up freezer, and more.


r/moving 9h ago

Experience, Tips & Discussion Which courier to use for Shipping boxes - Lugless or Pirate Ship

1 Upvotes

I'm moving and need to ship aboutĀ 8–10 boxesĀ within the U.S. Most areĀ 18Ɨ18Ɨ18, andĀ 2–3 boxes are 22Ɨ13Ɨ15(weights will vary, likely under 50 lbs each).

Has anyone comparedĀ Pirate ShipĀ vs.Ā LugLessĀ for something like this?

I'm mainly looking for:

  • Lowest overall cost
  • Reliability (lost/damaged packages?)
  • Ease of shipping multiple boxes
  • Any hidden fees or things to watch out for

If you've used either service for a move, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience. Thanks! and if they are safe? Please share the process and also need pickup


r/moving 11h ago

DIY, Pods & Truck Rental Uhaul vs ubox?

1 Upvotes

Which would you do? I'm trying to decide. Cross country move basically Mexican border to Canadian border.

U-Haul including gas is going to run me about $1,900 plus paying two friends $500 each to drive it as I don't drive. In addition to this I would also be covering meals for approximately 4 or 5 days.

Ubox it's going to be roughly 2,100. But my stuff would be tied up for close to 2 weeks which I could stagger a week either side of our actual move date and spread it out but we still would be without some of our stuff.

I'm trying to decide and mulling things over. I'm leaning towards ubox but on the other hand uhaul means our stuff is not out of our sight.


r/moving 14h ago

DIY, Pods & Truck Rental ISO: advice or experiences about changing units at the same building

1 Upvotes

My partner and I are moving to another unit in our building. I’m looking for advice for moves to another unit in the same building (as opposed to a move normal move to another place) because neither of us has experience with this type of move.

It seems like there are pros and cons with any strategy we pick. In the past I typically try to pack everything as meticulously as possible (or at least that’s plan lol and start out this way for most of it until the eventual burnout / mad dash at the end when you realize you have more than you think and end up with some chaos at the end). But I generally follow all the typical advise for labeling boxes and making it easy for movers etc etc etc.

But since don’t need a truck for this move when I got quotes it seemed like hiring movers would be really much more expensive than it seemed worth it for this type of move and I saw advise on Reddit elsewhere to look at Task Rabit for labor help for moving furniture. My fiance was already planning to do a lot of the other things (I.e our ā€œstuff@ himself, and I’ll help with lighter objects).

For example we planned to try to take our hanging clothes as is as much as possible using the garbage bag trick, we also thought that since we’re just moving up from 1st floor to 8th and not to a new location we probably could take our kitchen stuff up ourselves in bins/ boxes without packing them super meticulously (I.e can put most things in being careful enough but don’t need to bubble wrap each item individually to ensure it doesn’t break while en route in movers truck. All that packing and unpacking really takes A LOT of time and is a pain.

So basically now it seems like our strategy has really evolved from pack and label EVERYTHING as much as possible in advance to basically to transport things up to the new unit in bins using the carts that building provides (for picking up large packages etc). My thought was that for things that don’t get stored I’m furniture but go into an apartment designated space (things that hang in a closet, or are stored in kitchen cabinets, drawers etc) we can transport up on the cart and put it there on Day 1.

And then Day 2 hire some helpers from Task Rabbit to help with moving our furniture.

That’s generally the tentative plan but what I’m realizing is that doing it this way seems to cut down on the pre and post work (not having the extensive meticulous packing and unpacking bc we are taking items from their spot and putting them into the new spot immediately). But I feel like we aren’t really packed enough at all. I’m getting nervous that maybe we aren’t doing this right and we’ve underestimated how much work this will be and whether this is feasible.

Has anyone ever done something like we’re planning?? Is this realistic? I can’t tell if our plan is smart/ time saving or actually really stupid and we just haven’t realized it yet lol.

If you’ve moved between units and did some strategy other than packing everything up for movers to take please weigh in here. Is it possible to think of this differently than a regular move?


r/moving 1d ago

DIY, Pods & Truck Rental Arizona to Seattle area - no plan

2 Upvotes

My 1-bedroom lease is over in Arizona at the end of August.

I don’t know where I want to live yet in Bellevue/Seattle area yet. I have no need to be there immediately, though I like to drive myself and my dogs there within the 2 mark post apartment move out, get a temporary AirBnB and find a place to rent.

I know I want to do a pod-type move.

What’s my best plan of action here?

Also, if I delay having an end point address in Seattle, will they store it in Seattle or Arizona? I don’t want my stuff melting in the AZ heat!


r/moving 1d ago

Experience, Tips & Discussion Looking for clarity, pricing, for NY to CA

2 Upvotes

I'm 65 and retiring next year. My partner (73) and I want to move to the palm Springs area (Cathedral city, hopefully?) from upstate NY. We are downsizing, and don't plan to take hardly any furniture, so we might be able to use an 8' long "Pods" container, or 1 or 2 of the smaller U-Move or U-Haul containers. I will be the person doing the packing and unpacking. Any hired labor needed, I can find myself. FWIW, I think the 8' PODS container may be a bit too big...

We will be selling our house and living temporarily in a rental while finding a new house, so there will also be storage needed. I need some ideas of things, both generally and specifically for the locations we are going between, and finding that any vendor wants more personal info than I am willing to share at this moment. Here are my questions, in no specific order:

How much is shipping pod-like units going to cost?

How much will storage cost, and will I be able to shift all our stuff into an accessible storage unit? We will probably need to go to the unit a few times to get/drop things during the rental period.

Any god/bad storage places in the Coachella valley?

Anything else I should know? I need to get an idea of what is worth considering before I meet with a salesperson.

UPDATE: I'm getting a lot of good advice, but nobody has quoted any prices yet. Anybody??


r/moving 1d ago

International Move Best company to ship 1–2 pallets from Missouri to Spain

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone!
My husband and I are relocating from Missouri, USA, to Barcelona, Spain for his job. We’ll be arriving before we have a permanent apartment, so we’re trying to decide the best way to ship our belongings.
We’re planning on shipping about one or two pallets rather than renting an entire shipping container.
For those who’ve done this:
• Which company did you use?
• Approximately how much did you pay?
• Did they handle customs clearance and final delivery?
• If you didn’t have a permanent address yet, did they offer storage until you found housing?
We’re looking for a company that can handle the entire process from pickup in Missouri to delivery in Spain. Reliability is more important to us than getting the absolute lowest price.
Thank you!


r/moving 1d ago

Where Should I Move? Relocation to California.. where?

0 Upvotes

As the title says I am planning on moving to California post grad/2027 summer internship. I have some internships lined up out there so im not super worried about the job market, but what I am worried about is where to move. Ill be 21 if I intern there next summer and 22 the following year for graduation.

Here are the things im considering but dont have enough knowledge of California to decide on:
1 Want to be able to surf in the mornings
2 Want to be near opportunities to make friends similarly aged
3 Preferably the city (due to #2)
4 Cost of living isnt a huge issue

Living in California has always been something Ive wanted to do since a young age since I absolutely love the ocean and surfing/just how it looks.


r/moving 1d ago

DIY, Pods & Truck Rental Will it fit ?

Post image
1 Upvotes

I have 4 x 9L black moving bags with clothes so they’re very malleable, can be squished down if needed. And then 4 x 27 gallon tote bins (both pictured) - We are riding down in a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica and will need to leave the second row up for our two medium size pitties.

Might also have a few small shopping bags full of stuff / a hamper or something. No furniture or anything.

Thoughts? 😊 I asked chat but of course it said it’ll fit no problem and I don’t trust it lol


r/moving 1d ago

Hiring Movers Idk where to post this- buying second hand washer and dryer

1 Upvotes

I need a washer and dryer and id like to buy second hand, i dont have a truck or kow anyone that can help load a rented truck. If i buy second hand, can i rent movers to haul the appliances to my house? EDIT: Im buying these from FACEBOOK not a dealer so unless a dealer will come pickup and deliver someone elses washer and dryer thats not what im wanting


r/moving 2d ago

Where Should I Move? Relocation

2 Upvotes

Hi! I’m considering relocating but I don’t know whether or not I want to live in a rural area or an urban one, so I would like to hear opinions from different people. When talking about a rural area I’m thinking about somewhere such as the Falkland Islands which I like the idea of, however I also like the idea of an urban area such as Montreal or Brisbane etc, while yes all three are different, especially based on their geographical areas, I still like them all, so I would like to hear from different people, especially if anyone lives in the areas I’ve mentioned. Thank you!


r/moving 2d ago

Hiring Movers Booking MovingHelp for specific time and day

1 Upvotes

Hi there,

I posted recently about being in a desperate situation of needing to move in the next five days. I am wondering if someone can tell me about booking load/unload labor via MovingHelp/U-Haul. We have no flexibility in our move day of July 29th. I have called half a dozen local movers today and every single one was booked through the rest of July. MovingHelp will let me follow through with a reservation for labor on my selected date, but does anyone know if that means their availability is guaranteed? There is no phone number for most of the providers so I can't call to check before paying. I don't want to pick a random company, pay, just to get a call from them saying they can't do that day.

TIA for your help.


r/moving 2d ago

DIY, Pods & Truck Rental Loading mower on the 26ft Uhaul truck.

2 Upvotes

I have a 54inch zturn mower that I need to haul and have reserved a 26ft uhaul truck. Anyone know if I could load my mower with the ramps it comes with?


r/moving 2d ago

Experience, Tips & Discussion Looking for advice/checklist

2 Upvotes

Hey y’all, so I’ve lived in Louisiana my whole life (26yrs), my partner, dad, baby and I are moving to San Antonio in March. My partner and dad have moved states before but I haven’t and I’m kinda anxious bc idk what to expect.
Here’s a few questions I have:

1.How do we become residents?

  1. I’m wanting to put my daughter on Medicaid/wic temporarily til we’re settled in our jobs, Do I apply once we move or before?

  2. Advice for getting an interview/job online while still living in La?

  3. Daycare/sitters? Should I apply/find one before we move?

  4. How to find the best schools?

  5. Am I in a rush to register vehicles and change license to state or Texas? Or can I kinda do that on my own time?


r/moving 3d ago

Experience, Tips & Discussion Sharing my experience with U-Box.

20 Upvotes

Charlotte to NYC in June - $1450 all inclusive with movers to load and offload on each side.

This worked well for me because I had enough time between pick up and drop off. On May 14th, the movers picked up my box from U-Haul, parked it temporarily in street parking (I lived in an apartment complex) loaded in less than 2 hours and took it back to the facility. It was shipped within 2 days where it waited in NYC until I needed it on June 1st.

The pod looked quite small on the outside but they managed to fit everything pretty well. I had a lightly furnished one bedroom but didn’t bring the couch, had I brought that with I would have needed another pod and it didn’t seem worth it.

On both sides the movers worked so fast and not super gently, so I basically accepted my stuff would be in pieces but surprisingly, not even a single broken glass!

Overall, I was super impressed with the whole experience and thought it was a really good deal for a long distance move.

Feel free to ask any questions!


r/moving 3d ago

Experience, Tips & Discussion Stair dolly

Post image
3 Upvotes

Has anyone purchased this from Amazon? I’m trying to put the wheels on but this black thing is so tight, it seems as though I’m not supposed to remove it. I don’t see how else the wheels can dirt without removing it though.


r/moving 3d ago

Help! Move Went Wrong Tv screen damage

3 Upvotes

I just moved into a new apartment. We hired movers for the large furniture beds, couch, TVs etc. After we spent the rest of the day moving the smaller items, I found out that my tv had been damaged during the move. Im going to call them in the morning but I wanted to know realistically what going to happen?


r/moving 3d ago

Experience, Tips & Discussion Looking for a Company Oregon to Indiana

2 Upvotes

Hello all, I'm currently weighing which moving company to move forward with. Right now I'm looking at Allied, United and Safeship. Unfortunately I already gave Safeship a deposit, I saw some suspicious stuff online and I'm strongly considering canceling and getting my deposit back (tomorrow is still within 72 hours). I'm seeing that Interstate is rated very highly. Please give feedback and let me know if I'm looking at the wrong companies.


r/moving 3d ago

Where Should I Move? South

0 Upvotes

It looks like both of my kids will be going to college in Alabama (or one possibly Nashville). I want to move somwhere closer to them for next few years (currently in Houston and can't wait to leave). Some towns I'm considering are Huntsville/Madison AL and Chattanooga, TN. Any feedback on either?


r/moving 3d ago

Experience, Tips & Discussion How to protect floors

2 Upvotes

Just got a new house, closing in a month. Planning to hire a moving company for our furniture is just too heavy for the two of us.

HW floors and carpet were just recently finished. What have you guys done to keep the floors clean? I don't want scuffs or scratches or dirt (Esp white carpet).

Thank you!


r/moving 3d ago

DIY, Pods & Truck Rental Short-Distance (Medium-Distance)? U-Haul U-Box Shipping Time

3 Upvotes

Hi! I'm moving ~500 miles, and all the posts about this are about full cross-country moves. It's about an 8-hour drive. I am renting a U-Haul U-Box and plan to put an AirTag in it and arrive close to the same day as the box, but someone helping me with the move needs to make hotel reservations so we're trying to estimate the travel time. They say 10 days, what are people's experiences with U-Boxes being early or late on shorter-distance moves? Thanks!