Relocating

Noway2 · December 30, 2023 at 10:15 pm

Congratulations. We will be brothers in misery.

We moved out of our house on July 31st and have been living in our travel trailer with 3 cats and a Pyrenees ever since. We did a down to the studs renovation, putting more into the house than we paid for it. I am so looking forward to it being over. The GC says about the 3rd week of January, which is a good two months past the initial estimate. We just recently got the AC power restored and heat on this week, so the wood floors and tile can aclimátate and be installed. I’m just happy to be past these effing holidays and everyone getting back to woke because I WANT TO GO HONE.

Anonymous · December 30, 2023 at 11:59 pm

Sucks to be you, buddy. After my late wife was killed, for various reasons I had a stretch where I moved ten times in one (1!) year. I used to enjoy finding, moving, and settling into a new place but after that long, horrible year, I didn’t anymore.

Elrod · December 31, 2023 at 7:21 am

RE: Moving. Pro Tip: Palletize everything.

A GMA (Grocery Manager’s Pallet) is 40X48X5.5. 16-inch cubes (or 16Lx16Wx18H boxes) fit 6 to a layer on a GMA pallet. They will – probably – require supporting panels between layers especially heavy layers; 5MM luan or thick, rigid cardboard (called “slip sheets”) works. Load the boxes on the pallet, and since you’re not carrying any of the boxes they can be as heavy as you want.

Five layers of 16″ cubes + pallet = 85.5″ high, four layers of 18″ highboxes + pallet = 77.5″ high, fits through 48″ wide 80″ high doorways (typical of most U-Store it places’ climate controlled areas; residential garage door openings are typically 84″ high).

Four layers of 16X16X18 boxes = 64 cubic feet and since weight isn’t a factor – pallets get moved with a rented pallet jack, and put on the truck either with a lift gate or a rented fork lift with driver – each box can be densely packed tight with as much stuff as possible regardless of weight. Moving 64 CF units it is surprising how fast a move will go. If you have single heavy units – gun safes, tool chests, freezers, etc. – moving them on/off the truck with a rented forklift and driver is faster and prevents damage; they will have to be set up for that, however, such as heavy tie-downs areound the item and the 4X4 or 6X6 “feet” on each unit.

Moving trucks are 96″ high inside so that 78.5″ total height allows for individual 16″ high boxes of light stuff (pillows, blankets, clothing) to go on top of the palletized load.

“Combat load” the pallets so the most important stuff goes on the truck first, comes off last and is the most accessible when it’s put in the garage at the destination. Label the boxes (color codes work). Do not “randomly pack” the boxes on the pallet at the origin point, plan what is in the boxes and what is on which pallet. Planning and organization are your friends.

Everything needs to be strapped down to the pallets, including the pallet(s) of “light boxes” that go on the truck whole but get broken down to put individual boxes on tops of the palletized stacks. Loose boxes on a pallet will fall off the pallet during handling. 1/2″ plastic strapping comes in 7,000 ft rolls, the metal “strap buckles” inboxes of 1,000 and you will need a “strap tensioning tool” to pull the straps tight, and probably the thick cardboard 90 degree “corner guards” to prevent the straps from crushing or cutting into the individual boxes. Buy the corner guard in 36″ or 48″ lengths and cut into 12-16″ lengths with a reciprocating saw.

Packing and unpacking the boxes is the same mount of work, the savings comes in not having to use small, lighter boxes that one individual can carry and having to manually carry 300 boxes one at a time.

TechieDude · December 31, 2023 at 8:21 am

At least you have the time get stuff done, move at your pace. I just moved, because the wife divorced me, had to sell the house which had a fast closing with no rent back. I had to pack up and flee, refugee style, with little help.

The house I rented until I want to by is a shithole owned by a Chinese who doesn’t want to put a nickel into the place. I’ll wait on the market a bit and pick up a bargain. Prices are falling too fast now.

John in Indy · December 31, 2023 at 8:48 am

Good luck with the move.
We are 1+ years past ours, and are down to less than 30 boxes and a full garage. But we made places for everything first, so we can actually find what we have.
I hope that the gremlins who re-label first used boxes as to the contents leave you alone.

Steve · December 31, 2023 at 9:43 am

Years ago (1982) we had a 3/2 3,500 sqft house in Oklahoma. We both were in the oilfield. The bust happened and she got laid off before I quit. Nothing to do but to go to college. Got accepted at UT in Austin. Her Mom came to help pack. We had lots – I mean LOTS of books. I was making one last job that lasted a week or so. When I got back to the house every box was a medium size from Uhaul. Full of books. And each box was labeled “STUFF’. I s**t you not. Spent all day loading the truck and crossed the Red River headed south at 3am. Didn’t have a place to go so unloaded all the boxes at a storage place. Six months later we bought a 850 sqft house close to campus. I crammed everything I could in the house and the rest – including almost all the books – in the front yard. Put several ‘Free books’ signs out on the street corners. Almost all were gone later that day. She was really pissed off.

TRX · January 3, 2024 at 2:28 pm

Moving the arsenal will be the biggest hassle, depending on your gun safe situation.