Answered by Jenna Farmer
March 28, 2013
You may have just received a job offer in Boston, but you currently live in Seattle. Maybe you have a family member in need of assistance down in Arizona. Perhaps you found a better school system for your children, a better deal on real estate, or received an Ivy League acceptance letter that has you moving across the country for your education.
No matter what life event or milestone has brought you to the decision to make the long journey, you still have to do it on a deadline. Don't panic. Here are some suggestions to help get you and your belongings cross-country without sacrificing your sanity in the process.
What's the first step?
Make a list. Moving on a deadline can be a daunting experience, and may require you to sacrifice some of less important things on your ‘to-do' list for the bigger unknowns. Keep in mind it takes about two months on average to plan a move. So the first item on your list should be how to expedite your home goods to your new residence.
What are fast shipping options?
- Full Service Moving
Many variables can work against you in trying to schedule a moving company's services, such as time of year, how busy the company is, and truckload consolidation based on how much you have to ship. Summer months are always the busiest time for moving services. Some services say they will deliver your goods in 7 to 10 business days (trucks travel 500-550 miles per day), while others may take anywhere from 2-4 weeks depending on their transit routes. With this consolidation method, other household goods that need to be picked up along the way ultimately determine the arrival time of your shipment, potentially causing your belongings to sit in a warehouse for a few days.
Moving companies suggest that you schedule your move a month in advance, including packing, loading and delivery dates. If you don't have this kind of time, you still want to schedule your delivery as soon as possible.
If you go with major van lines, your shipment has a better chance of being expedited because the trucks will get a full load in a timely manner since they have a higher volume of clients. Be sure to check our guide for average costs of hiring full service movers.
- PODS or U-Pack Trailers or ReloCubes
You may not think you have the time to pack up your things on your own with considerable time constraints, but a “You Pack, We Drive” option can save you precious transit time in the long run, and has become a favorite among cross-country nomads. These services drop off a moving trailer to your old home for you to fill, then pick up the trailer and drive it to your new destination, or store your belongings for as long as you need prior to moving in (some services even include a storage rate in their price). You can even hire movers to pack up the trailer, or hire movers to help you unload once the trailer is parked at your new residence.
Since these services charge by linear foot, you won't need to worry about ditching any of your knick knacks you may have considered dead weight. Generally, ReloCubes cost approximately $95-$145 per 30-day period per container, and $395-$595 per 30-day period for the trailers. U-Pack only moves one household shipment per rental trailer, so your belongings won't be unloaded or transferred prior to delivery – giving you the most direct transit to your new location.
U-Pack and PODS services can also offer a money back delivery guarantee, so you won't have to guess when your goods will arrive at your new home (but be aware ABF U-Pack does not deliver or pick up on the weekends, so your delivery estimate will be based on business days). These services also give you tracking numbers to track your shipment.
- Expedited Service/Last Minute Movers
There are some services for “emergency moves” or those who need to move last minute and therefore must have their household goods shipped as soon as possible. The minimum time for a shipment going from New York to California, for example, would be five business days, and would come at a much higher cost than your average $0.50 per pound charge (you could be looking at closer to $5.00 per pound) These services allocate a truck exclusively for your goods' origin and final destination. Each company's expedited service fees may be different, so be sure to ask about this additional fee when getting your quotes.