Help with how to move

I have never moved with a company or a long distance.

-Could anyone tell me how it is done and/or refer me to a good resource? Please keep in mind that we are both disabled and can't be as independent as we would love to be. We aren't lazy, we NEED the help that we need.

-I don't suppose there is a real helpful procedure that is also economical?!
 
-Like how do I time everything, how do I deal with the movers (what to expect, what to make clear etc.).

-Will they ship it over and then I tell them when I am in our new home and they will bring it?

-Since we don't have to sell or rent this house right away, could I have friends ship boxes (that I would already have packed) if I keep them under 40 pounds as I want/need them to arrive?

-Has anyone had experience using the USPS "G" mail bags (I think they are called) for media? It sounds a good way to send all of our books and DVDs. What other items are allowed to ship in those?

-How many boxes can we take when we fly that can go in cargo? There are just some things we will need right away.

We are only taking 4 large-ish pieces of furniture and several smaller pieces.

Should I have broken this down into separate posts?! Sorry but I need guidance as it is daunting for me. Thank you in advance.

To find a good moving company, I used this forum: www.movingscam.com.

They list reputable companies by state. And people have given reviews of companies they've used so you get first hand accounts.

I think it's 'M' bags from USPS and no I have no experience with them, but you could probably search on here for info.

To give you an idea, we are shipping just under 100cubic feet of belongings. Only 1 piece of furniture. Most of it is breakables, items that we have collected and don't want to part with, and some books and some kitchen items. Our quote is a little over $2k without adding in the insurance.

-I don't suppose there is a real helpful procedure that is also economical?!

You suppose correctly. This is a fairly costly process, and will make you think about what you think you need versus what you actually need. I've made so many trips to Goodwill already.

-Like how do I time everything, how do I deal with the movers (what to expect, what to make clear etc.).

-Will they ship it over and then I tell them when I am in our new home and they will bring it?

There are many companies who will come to your home and box up your belongings for you. Some companies do not. A company like Ranier, which is one of moving scam's endorsed (and more expensive) companies, sends a rep to your home to give you an estimate. And in order for them to give you insurance, they have to have seen what is in the boxes, hence why a lot of them will pack for you.

On your part it will just involve a lot of organization, I imagine. I've started boxing things (but not taping them up) and writing a rough inventory on the side of each box. This will give us a good idea of how much we are going to need to ship. To give you an idea on size, most companies have a minimum of 100 cubic feet. A medium size box is 3 cubic feet, a book box is 1.5, so that gives you an idea of how much you can send.

Depending on the company you choose, they will come pack and pick up your belongings and then in 6-8 weeks deliver them to your doorstep. If you have to change your delivery address for any reason, that's really easy to do. If you want to do it cheaper, some companies (like U Pak We Ship) will allow you to drop it off and pick up yourself. But that doesn't sound like your cuppa.

To answer your other questions, we haven't completely ruled out sending a few boxes by USPS first - especially with the flat rate thing they have going on. But I don't really think this is the most efficient use of my time or money. I would, in your case, just make a visit (or a phone call) to a local Mail Box Store type place that has all sorts of shipping options. They can likely give you an idea of cost for various companies.

And a note about DVDs... you may have already heard this, and I don't want to overstep, however the UK is a different region (2) and also broadcasts in PAL, not NTSC like here. So unless you are bringing a DVD player with you, of which make sure to check the voltage to see if it will work (although it should do with a step down converter) I wouldn't bother with the DVDs. We brought a few PAL DVDs we thought we couldn't live without (we had a portable region free DVD player) when we moved from the UK to US and they've sat in a box ever since. They are actually coming back to the UK with us to go to a charity shop.

I would definitely recommend just research research research! And beware the scams. Just because it is cheaper does not make it better.

Thanks. All info is more than I knew before.

So let me see if I understand a few points:

I shouldn't tape up any boxes because any company I go with want to know how to insure?

I can ship stuff by UPS but shipping too much that way isn't the most economical?

Am I suppose to get a mover that is close to me?

I think we have a Mail Box type store near. They can tell me about USPS, FedX, UPS etc.?

So that forum will tell which companies break up your things and how prompt and if they do as they say?

Thanks and keep any info coming my way if you think it will help me learn.

I shouldn't tape up any boxes because any company I go with want to know how to insure?

The company that you hire will give you instructions. I was just relaying personal experience from what we are going through at the moment. The idea is that they may not insure what they did not pack up themselves. This may vary by company.

I can ship stuff by UPS but shipping too much that way isn't the most economical?

In my opinion, yes. But shopping around may ease your mind about this.

Am I suppose to get a mover that is close to me?

That would be ideal, if you have that option where you are located. The reputable companies will have ships at multiple ports or will, like Ranier, be a broker that works with myriad other shipping companies.

And yes, that scam site will tell you the goodies from the baddies. But I cannot emphasise enough to make some calls and get the professional opinion.

Thank you, this is helping me learn. I checked out the web site and it is going to be very helpful too. I live in a university town so would think there is a local company for international moving.

I don't quite get how local real estate agents would know good companies (as mentioned on the site). But I am sleepy so who knows what it said!