Advice for a big move

[busybusybusy]

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So, I know many of us are going to be moving some looong distances in order to attend out PhD/PsyD programs....

I personally am going to be moving from DC to the deep south 😱 and I was wondering if anybody had any advice on making such a big move. I've made smaller moves around the DC area, but never such a long distance and it's making me a little nervous.

Any pearls of wisdom to help?

 

[bunderj]

Great idea for a thread!

I'm not even moving all that far (although it will feel very different in terms of big city vs. suburban), and I'm really nervous about it too! I would love to hear any advice anyone has who has gone through this🙂

 

[DynamicDidactic]

So, I know many of us are going to be moving some looong distances in order to attend out PhD/PsyD programs....

I personally am going to be moving from DC to the deep south 😱 and I was wondering if anybody had any advice on making such a big move. I've made smaller moves around the DC area, but never such a long distance and it's making me a little nervous.

Any pearls of wisdom to help?

when moving far, it is rarely worth renting a big truck and moving all your stuff (furniture, mattress, etc). Do the math (truck rental, gas, tolls, hotels, etc.), it may cost you just as much to buy new stuff at your new place and just move whatever fits in your car. Or the savings may not be worth the headache.

 

[PsychAndMusic]

i agree, great thread idea! im moving from the very fast paced life of long island, ny to the deep south too (what school btw?). i have no idea what to expect and itll be my first time moving far away from my family/friends/and boyfriend of over 6 years. eek!

 

[Phipps]

i agree, great thread idea! im moving from the very fast paced life of long island, ny to the deep south too (what school btw?). i have no idea what to expect and itll be my first time moving far away from my family/friends/and boyfriend of over 6 years. eek!

wow!! I don't envy you for that. Sounds like major changes in front of you. Hope you enjoy your new life 🙂 I am going to stay local. I am one of those who are not up for the sacrifice 😀

 

[PsychAndMusic]

wow!! I don't envy you for that. Sounds like major changes in front of you. Hope you enjoy your new life 🙂 I am going to stay local. I am one of those who are not up for the sacrifice 😀

ah thank you very much! i stayed local for undergrad and my MA so i figured now is my chance to explore the country a little bit 😱

 

[madtofu]

Nice thread. This thread should be super useful over the next several months.

I'll be moving from the Deep South (y'all got to capitalize that) to the Midwest. (I am really disdainful of stereotypes generally, but it's true that you should learn to use the word "y'all" properly. It is a useful word and things will go better for you if you become comfortable with both hearing it and saying it.)

I'll definitely be renting a truck. It's not a huge distance - about a 9 hour drive. I have entirely too much stuff for my car.

My question is how are y'all planning to handle the living arrangements? It's hard to find an apartment in a city you don't live anywhere near and don't know very much about. I realize the school and, especially, current students are a great resource for info on neighborhoods and such and can definitely make suggestions. But you still have to actually go look at the apartment and apply and all that. Would a week be sufficient time to get an apartment? I was thinking about going up for a week in June.

Also, when are y'all actually moving? I need be where I'm going in early September, so I was thinking I want to move late-July/early-August.

 

[busybusybusy]

I'll definitely be renting a truck. It's not a huge distance - about a 9 hour drive. I have entirely too much stuff for my car.

I feel the same way. It's going to be my husband and I, both of us have been in the working world for a few years so it's not like our furniture is still college dorm futons I've looked at some U-Haul price and they are not cheap...way to add another expense to this process

My question is how are y'all planning to handle the living arrangements? It's hard to find an apartment in a city you don't live anywhere near and don't know very much about. I realize the school and, especially, current students are a great resource for info on neighborhoods and such and can definitely make suggestions. But you still have to actually go look at the apartment and apply and all that. Would a week be sufficient time to get an apartment? I was thinking about going up for a week in June.

Also, when are y'all actually moving? I need be where I'm going in early September, so I was thinking I want to move late-July/early-August.

This is my problem also! I've looked online at different apartment sites but I know that they're going to look better online than they do in real life or maybe I'm just skeptical, either way if I'm signing a year lease I want to make SURE that I can live in this place....the other thing we've been thinking about it buying a place - to be honest though that just sounds like soooooooo much extra work I don't know that I want to deal with it.

i agree, great thread idea! im moving from the very fast paced life of long island, ny to the deep south too (what school btw?).

Thanks! Southern Miss, it's in Hattiesburg, MS. You?

 

[erg923]

We will be relocating 2000 miles for my predoc internship this year. I have moved quite a bit over the years, so thought I could offer some advice.

1.Unless, you're buying, I wouldn't bother looking for a place until 30-45 days before you move. Otherwise, not much will be available that corresponds to your move timeline.

2. Shop around for moving trucks. Penske seems to be the cheapst alot of times. Start with them and get a quote, then call all the other places and mention that there competition will do it for X amount. Sometimes you can get them to drop the price in order to beat the lowest bid.

3. If you financial means, go to the city and look for you place in person. This will also give you a feel for the city, the neigborhoods (good and bad), and will allow you navigate better when you initially move there.

4. Be friendly with your neighbors and your landlord/building manager/leasing office personnel if possible.

5. Your program (or internship TD in my case) should provide you some info on the city, where is good to live, etc. My TD already introduced my wife to a elementary school teacher she knows, so my wife can make a jump start on getting a teaching job there.

6. The move itself should be relatively enjoyable and adventurous feeling. The only part that truely sucks is packing and unpacking the truck.

7. Any place you look at, you should ask about pest control and noise. Ask the building manager as well as at least one current resident.

8. After age 21, the roommate thing got old for me. I like my alone time and privacey. If you are the same, its is worth an extra few hundred bucks to live alone in grad school. I did until I got married. I didnt mind having a roomate then...

I'm sure Ill think of more as time goes by..but Im blanking right now. 🙂

 

[Marissa4usa]

Hi,
I have not used it myself but will for my next move: If you don't have many furniture but just "stuff", I would recommend using Amtrak's shipping service
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am/Layout&cid=1241267371736

Per "shipment" you are only allowed 500lbs per day but you can just send one shipment in your name and have another person ship additional things in their name. I just called to get an estimate from Oakland to Boston and it's $275 for 500lbs. It may be chepaper for shorter distances but I'm not sure.

Especially, if you don't have any furniture, this may be a great alternative to driving a truck across the country. I myself will sell all my furniture that I bought used on craiglist anyway and then just bring my personal things (mainly clothes..I am such a girl) and other random things with me in my car)

 

[LaserPrinter]

Anyone looking to move to New York City may contact me with questions pertaining to how to find and secure a place.

 

[DocRacz]

I feel you with the big move - I went from a beach town in California to the midwest (South Dakota), about 2000 miles in a roadtrip. For me, packing everything up in a truck and driving that out there was FAR more expensive than just buying a new bed/furniture when I got out here, so I just packed everything I could into my tiny little compact car, grabbed my best friend, and hit the road.

As far as finding housing, contact your program. Our program here specifies an older student as your "big buddy", who is available to check places out for you and report back on them (or take pictures, skype chat and walk you around the house, etc). Your program may be able to have someone volunteer for that to help you.

Honestly, I think the best advice is to enjoy the experience. My best friend from undergrad and I mapped out a course for us, finding every ridiculous town ("Manville" anyone?), roadside attraction, parks, and famous place along the possible way. Then we both hopped into my packed little car, hit the road, and had one of the most fun experiences I've had in quite awhile (especially since starting grad school...). Shortened version: if you're going to drive, make it a fun trip.Do some research first, and bring at least one buddy.

 

[AgapeBlue]

Honestly, I think the best advice is to enjoy the experience.

👍
Sounds like you had a great attitude and a wonderful time on your trip. Great advice!

I've moved across the country several times...and will be doing it again in the fall (from the tropics to the chilly northeast). Really looking forward to getting to know a new area and meeting people.

When the logistics have been tackled and the boxes packed, keeping an open mind and limiting expectations is the best advice I can give you. There may be bumpy situations (flat tire on the moving truck, sofa doesn't fit through the doorway, the elevator in the building is broken on your move-in day, the landlord gave you the wrong set of keys....etc), but accepting them as just part of the process will keep your stress in check...and give you something to laugh about later!

I like to "check" out the area before I arrive via sites like city-data forums (talk to the locals and find out where are the nice spots to eat/chill/live music/pizza), cost of living, and I've been able to meet some great people from the school via social networking sites.

I've used Realtor.com, which I find to be quite helpful in giving me a general idea of how much the cost of rent is in different areas and compare them to the info the school offers. Being married does mean I have to ensure hubby is happy with the place too..so the more info I have before I get there, the better.

Enjoy the adventure!

AB🙂

 

[berlin81]

My girlfriend and I moved to Chicago from another rust-belt state over six months ago. We pretty much moved here since there were a few schools that I wanted to attend and thought that whatever happened, it would be a good experience. Plus, the GF got a job here. Luckily, I got accepted so I won't have to deal with moving and then starting up classes. However we might move to another apartment anyway just because our place is too expensive.

If you're moving to a big city, I strongly suggest taking a week to visit. Besides getting an apartment, I think its important to get use to area, check out the bars/restaurants, and get a rough idea on how to use public transit.

Speaking of public transit... unless you're outside a big city, there is no reason to have a car. In most big cities, they offer student bus/subway passes that are way cheaper than what you would pay as a non-student. Here in Chicago, I will only need to pay $86 for a pass (unlimited use) that will cover me for one semester!! That's going to save some cash!

 

[PrisonPsych]

Nice thread. This thread should be super useful over the next several months.

I'll be moving from the Deep South (y'all got to capitalize that) to the Midwest. (I am really disdainful of stereotypes generally, but it's true that you should learn to use the word "y'all" properly. It is a useful word and things will go better for you if you become comfortable with both hearing it and saying it.)

I'll definitely be renting a truck. It's not a huge distance - about a 9 hour drive. I have entirely too much stuff for my car.

My question is how are y'all planning to handle the living arrangements? It's hard to find an apartment in a city you don't live anywhere near and don't know very much about. I realize the school and, especially, current students are a great resource for info on neighborhoods and such and can definitely make suggestions. But you still have to actually go look at the apartment and apply and all that. Would a week be sufficient time to get an apartment? I was thinking about going up for a week in June.

Also, when are y'all actually moving? I need be where I'm going in early September, so I was thinking I want to move late-July/early-August.

I was able to do most of the stuff online, but also sent my girlfriend down to take a look at our "top five" apartments in conjunction with doing some job interviews. We agreed on the top five and then I let her pick where we actually ended up living, which made her feel a lot better about the move and like her input was valid. I think she came down about 30-45 days before we moved?

My program started on 8/31 and we moved down about two and a half weeks before...

 

[TheOverachiever]

This is a great thread. I haven't officially decided on a school yet but I think it's going to be one that's a 3-hour flight away in the Midwest (I'm on the East Coast). I've been thinking about the move & I have no idea how that's going to be. I think driving is like 20 hours so that's not happening...I'm going to look into that Amtrak shipping thing for my bigger things I don't want to have to buy again down there.


EDIT: Called Amtrak about the shipping. They don't ship to the exact town but one close enough so that's good. But...they don't ship electronics. That's the stuff I want to ship (e.g. my tv). I can take the clothes with me on the plane so idk if I will actually end up using them. The prices are great so maybe I will. Anyway, thanks Marissa4usa for mentioning it!

 

[Napoleon4000]

In case you did not know. Anything you spend on the move:
1) truck rental
2) gas (partially reimbursed)
3)lodging

BUT NOT FOOD and other extraneous expenses IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE if you move greater than 50 miles:

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc455.html

Make sure to read the legal rules and you're free to go!

I hope this helps!!!

Prime out!

So, I know many of us are going to be moving some looong distances in order to attend out PhD/PsyD programs....

I personally am going to be moving from DC to the deep south 😱 and I was wondering if anybody had any advice on making such a big move. I've made smaller moves around the DC area, but never such a long distance and it's making me a little nervous.

Any pearls of wisdom to help?

 

[TheOverachiever]

In case you did not know. Anything you spend on the move:
1) truck rental
2) gas (partially reimbursed)
3)lodging

BUT NOT FOOD and other extraneous expenses IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE if you move greater than 50 miles:

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc455.html

Make sure to read the legal rules and you're free to go!

I hope this helps!!!

Prime out!

Oh didn't know that. Thanks!

 

[KillerDiller]

For anyone with too much stuff to fit in a single car, but too little stuff to justify a moving van, you can consider renting a regular sized van from a car rental company. It is cheaper for a one-way rental through Hertz, etc. than it is through U-Haul.

If you do need a moving van, don't bother buying the extra insurance unless you don't have regular auto insurance. Most auto insurance covers rental vehicles automatically, so purchasing more is just a waste of money. Be sure to verify just to be safe, but the last time I moved across the country the mirror on the rental van got smashed in my parking lot. I had purchased extra insurance and, for some reason, it didn't cover the damage. Luckily my regular insurance did. Go figure.

 

[Marissa4usa]

This is a great thread. I haven't officially decided on a school yet but I think it's going to be one that's a 3-hour flight away in the Midwest (I'm on the East Coast). I've been thinking about the move & I have no idea how that's going to be. I think driving is like 20 hours so that's not happening...I'm going to look into that Amtrak shipping thing for my bigger things I don't want to have to buy again down there.


EDIT: Called Amtrak about the shipping. They don't ship to the exact town but one close enough so that's good. But...they don't ship electronics. That's the stuff I want to ship (e.g. my tv). I can take the clothes with me on the plane so idk if I will actually end up using them. The prices are great so maybe I will. Anyway, thanks Marissa4usa for mentioning it!

Yeah, unfortunately, they have some weird restrictions for some things. As mentioned above, I don't have any furniture, however, the "only" thing I have is a huge couch which I love (sectional) and as with all furniture they will lose their value immediately, and since it's in excellent condition, I am going to bring it with me. It doesn't weigh much, so I will just rent a UHaul trailer, load it up as much as I can (weightwise) and send the rest via Amtrak.

@TheOverachiever: Do you have a car? If so, how you are you going to handle that?

 

[ThirdLittleBird]

I have mailed things, parcel post in the past. I use those rubbermaid tubs with 4 screws (one on each side), and some duct tape.

Works great because then you have storage containers already when you move into your new place. Or, instant dressers until you have enough money to buy real ones at your new location.

 

[PsychAndMusic]

I feel the same way. It's going to be my husband and I, both of us have been in the working world for a few years so it's not like our furniture is still college dorm futons I've looked at some U-Haul price and they are not cheap...way to add another expense to this process



This is my problem also! I've looked online at different apartment sites but I know that they're going to look better online than they do in real life or maybe I'm just skeptical, either way if I'm signing a year lease I want to make SURE that I can live in this place....the other thing we've been thinking about it buying a place - to be honest though that just sounds like soooooooo much extra work I don't know that I want to deal with it.



Thanks! Southern Miss, it's in Hattiesburg, MS. You?

university of alabama, tuscaloosa! best of luck to you!! 🙂

 

[PsychApps2009]

In case you did not know. Anything you spend on the move:
1) truck rental
2) gas (partially reimbursed)
3)lodging

BUT NOT FOOD and other extraneous expenses IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE if you move greater than 50 miles:

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc455.html

Make sure to read the legal rules and you're free to go!

I hope this helps!!!

Prime out!

Are you sure about this? I was under the impression that this was only for jobs/business related moves... and, although we might, I don't think full-time graduate study falls under the category of a job (or at least for me it probably wouldn't because I'm on a fellowship). [Plus, it seems there is a full-time job requirement aspect to be met, and most graduate assistantship positions are 20 hrs I believe].

Of course if one has a spouse and they get a job at the new place (and move with you)...maybe that would make it count?

 

[Napoleon4000]

=)

 

[OneAtATime]

Shortened version: if you're going to drive, make it a fun trip.Do some research first, and bring at least one buddy.

Clearly, your trip did not involve a dog who gets carsick. 😱

(Mostly kidding - it's a great suggestion for people without, say, dogs who get carsick. 😀 I'm not looking forward to putting my poor dog through a two-day move; just the thought of it makes *me* sick to my stomach. Poor thing.)

 

[AgapeBlue]

Clearly, your trip did not involve a dog who gets carsick. 😱

(Mostly kidding - it's a great suggestion for people without, say, dogs who get carsick. 😀 I'm not looking forward to putting my poor dog through a two-day move; just the thought of it makes *me* sick to my stomach. Poor thing.)

That might put a damper on the cross-country moving adventure!

Poor puppy, and poor OneAtATime!

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I was able to do most of the stuff online, but also sent my girlfriend down to take a look at our "top five" apartments in conjunction with doing some job interviews. We agreed on the top five and then I let her pick where we actually ended up living, which made her feel a lot better about the move and like her input was valid. I think she came down about 30-45 days before we moved?

My program started on 8/31 and we moved down about two and a half weeks before...

I took things a step further and actually completed all of my apartment hunting and booking long-distance (via phone and internet). The first time I had seen the apartment was when my friends and I drove the Uhaul truck up and started unpacking. I definitely lucked out, as the complex and staff were both great; I'd say checking things out in person first is always preferrable. A week would be enough time to handle all of this assuming you could make the exploration trip in that span, I would think.

In terms of expenses, if I'm remembering correctly, I believe my truck + car trailer combo (with gas) ended up costing perhaps $500-700 for a three-day, 550-mile, one-way rental. Not exactly cheap, but considering I was able to con friends into helping with the actual driving and moving, it wasn't too bad an experience.

 

[postitnote]

Clearly, your trip did not involve a dog who gets carsick. 😱

(Mostly kidding - it's a great suggestion for people without, say, dogs who get carsick. 😀 I'm not looking forward to putting my poor dog through a two-day move; just the thought of it makes *me* sick to my stomach. Poor thing.)

I rarely post on here but couldn't resist. I have a puppy who gets car sick and is neurotic. And basically made moving ridiculous. I found solace in this blog post (hyperbole & a half is amazing):

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html

 

[PsychDreams]

I rarely post on here but couldn't resist. I have a puppy who gets car sick and is neurotic. And basically made moving ridiculous. I found solace in this blog post (hyperbole & a half is amazing):

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html

I also have a puppy who gets car sick and starts whining when he starts to feel that you're focusing too much attention on driving and not enough attention on him.

This was one of the funniest things I've ever read online. Thank you, a million times thank you, for posting this. My life is complete.

 

[Marissa4usa]

I just found another great way to move cheaply across country. It even seems as you'd be able to ship furniture this way

http://www.busfreighter.com/index.html

 

[PsychApps2009]

"This is FACT!"

Sorry to be a stickler about this, but you cannot claim moving expenses for non-business/job related moves. So if you have a spouse who relocated and got a new full-time job, perhaps one could claim the deduction. However, moving for graduate school does not qualify.

 

[TheOverachiever]

Yeah, unfortunately, they have some weird restrictions for some things. As mentioned above, I don't have any furniture, however, the "only" thing I have is a huge couch which I love (sectional) and as with all furniture they will lose their value immediately, and since it's in excellent condition, I am going to bring it with me. It doesn't weigh much, so I will just rent a UHaul trailer, load it up as much as I can (weightwise) and send the rest via Amtrak.

@TheOverachiever: Do you have a car? If so, how you are you going to handle that?

I don't have a car yet but plan on getting on soon. And that's the other thing, trying to figure out if I should wait till I get there to buy a car. Since I am going to be a new driver and as someone who is terrified of the whole driving thing I will not be willing to drive my car down for the 20 hour trip...but I am also worried about car shopping in an area I'm not familiar with.

Definitely going to have to move there almost a month early to get myself situated.

 

[busybusybusy]

I know this is kinda an old thread, but we're getting close to move time (one week for me😱) so I figured I'd resurrect it.

I discovered that by using spacebags to pack clothes you save a ton of space. Anybody else get great moving revelations?

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

"Cube" moving companies can be a good deal, though shop around bc pricing can really vary. PODS was pricey, but some of their competitors were a good deal.

ps. hyperbole & a half is one of my all-time fav. websites. 😀

 

[G Costanza]

-Check to see if your moving truck company insures the items inside the vehicle. If not, see if your CC will cover the items and pay with it.
-Call your truck rental company the day before to confirm they indeed have your truck ready to go.
-Make sure you log/take pictures of all the damage existing on the truck before you take posession of it. Do it in front of a manager and be methodical.
-If you plan on spending the night somewhere along the way, buy a nice padlock for the liftgate of the truck and back it up against a wall if possible overnight.
-Label your boxes
-Pack the truck up with the stuff going in the far rooms of your new place near the liftgate and the stuff that's close to the entrance of your house at the back of the truck. That way you're not constantly walking through boxes that you already unloaded.
-Buy a dolly and don't forget to bring your dolly 🙂
-Buy quality pizza for your friends that help you move. They are taking time out of thier lives to do a job no one wants to do.
-Save all your receipts
-If you are moving any firearms, make sure you check local laws and register them if necessary
-For $1, USPS will forward your mail for 1 year after you move
-Depending on the circumstance, it might be helpful to leave your new address and phone number with the person moving into your old place
-It's always a good idea to donate anything your not taking or selling that has value

 

[PerhapsMaybeOk]

So, I know many of us are going to be moving some looong distances in order to attend out PhD/PsyD programs....

I personally am going to be moving from DC to the deep south 😱 and I was wondering if anybody had any advice on making such a big move. I've made smaller moves around the DC area, but never such a long distance and it's making me a little nervous.

Any pearls of wisdom to help?

get a license to carry a gun lol; everyone else has a concealed carry permit in the south i've heard.

 

[mperkel]

🙂