Please help me - how do I move this stuff?

ignore me - I totally lost the plot there for a minute!

Hee hee!  I did go & look & then I was confused...

I recommend UPakWeShip.  They have great prices and will take shipments of items that are less than 40 cubic feet.  I am shipping about 45 cubic feet with them and it is $450.  They handle all the customs things and such.  Lots of people on the forum have used them, which is how I found them.

I have emailed them for a quote, to see what they come up with -- what they will/won't do, etc.  I would rather not have a 2-3 hour drive to Jacksonville & back to fit in.

Part of my problem is that I am here & my stuff is there, I don't rightly remember/know how much I have by volume/weight (I may decide to just give some of it away there -- if I've not needed it for 3 years...), and I'm not going to be there until when I need to get it immediately sorted (in November).  So I'm not going to be able to get an exact-ish quote.

The more I think about it -- maybe I'll try some of the professional international removals companies to see what they say.  I'm hoping my stuff is not too little for them to mess with?  (How have I gotten that idea?)  If I could just pay someone to come in, pack it properly, deal with the paperwork/customs, etc -- it would be worth it, in a way, because my time is going to be at a premium.  Plus, I'd feel sick if I pay all this money to ship it over & it just ends up broken anyway -- could have tossed in a US dumpster for a whole lot less.

Yeah, your tight timeline might make it tough, but, see what they say.  They will have someone pick it up and take it to the dock for you.  It costs a bit more, but, not loads more.  I am delivering my stuff to the place in Boston and then DH and I will pick it up when it arrives UK side.

It can't hurt to contact the shipping companies to find out their minimum shipment.  Most I contacted had 100 cf for a minimum, but at least one had one about half that.

http://www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3987

Thanks Moggs.  If you don't mind my asking, which company was the one that was willing to take about half 100 cf?

I have been on that website you gave - very helpful & I've submitted online quote requests to Stevens, Ranier, Southern Winds & Robinson.  Also thinking about trying Rinkens which I've seen someone else on here mention.  Now just waiting on them (and upakweship) to get back to me.

I know - online (or telephone) estimate is not the best idea, but I'm not there to let them see the stuff in advance, so it's the best I can do.

IIRC, it was Stevens.  Sterling definitely has a 100 cf/1000 pound minimum.  One of them (either Ranier or the wind one) didn't contact me at all.  Turns out they are in such demand, they turn people away.

I threw out all the quote emails except Sterling.  Wish I saved them now.

ETA: If you explain the situation, they would understand not being able to do an in person estimate before the move.  I didn't have an in person estimate until last week and they are coming on Monday to pick the stuff up.  They mainly want to see it because people grossly underestimate what they have, and to protect you.  But if you are 100% sure that it would be under the minimum, just go by the minimum quote.

And I agree about the "Complete Idiot's Guide to International Moving".  Totally needed.  I am still worried that I am going to be leaving on the 4th and have half my stuff still here because I screwed something up.

Cool - hopefully I'll get a response from Stevens.  I didn't ask Sterling for a quote because Florida wasn't on their state selection list (drop down menu) on the 'request quote' form, so I guess they don't serve that area.

Carolyn, we did UPS as well. The paperwork really isn't that bad, I promise! I had made a list of absolutely everything that went in the boxes as we packed them, and they just attached the list to the forms instead of giving descriptions on the forms. The only hiccup we had was getting a call after the stuff had arrived in the UK saying that we needed to fill out some form or other. I told them we had and that it was in the paperwork attached to the box, and they went and found it. 

Out of ten boxes, only three things broke. (Well, aside from some unimportant plastic containers, which must have frozen and then shattered.) If you decide do it yourself, PM me if you want packing tips--I'm quite a pro by now.

Oy vey!  I'm still trying to sort this out...blah!

I've got a UPakWeShip quote for $1200 -- I pack it, take it to their warehouse in Tampa & delivery to my door in Leeds.  Which really isn't very competitive compared to...

Another quote for $1400 that includes all packing, collection there & shipment to my door here.

If I had a good way to get to Eccles (Manchester) & pick up the stuff myself, the UPakWeShip would be better (about $675 unless I have more than what I think) -- but we have a tiny car & I'm not sure how we'd do that without multiple trips to & fro.  I don't drive here (yet), and Steve once crashed a work van he was tasked with driving so I know he's not keen on renting/driving anything bigger than our tiny car.  Phooey!

I may just end up doing the UPS thing -- sending you a PM, Elynor.

If you don't have a whole lot of extra stuff you might take it as excess luggage on the plane with you.
I took the largest size boxes our airline allowed - they were huge, I used an oversized toybox as one piece - 2 for me and 2 for the boy. We got loads in but imagine how annoyed I was when a woman in front of me in line brought 2 excess luggage boxes and wasn't even charged for them as the plane wasn't full! Should've brought more... it would've been about $100 per piece.

Thanks for the tip, caligurl - but I think we will have more than that.  Plus with books, it'll be quite heavy too.

A good website to get an idea of good vs bad moving companies is : www.movingscam.com  This site can give you an idea of companies that others have used and had good/bad experiences.  Your best bet is to contact national companies in the US and talk to their international section.  They can give you a better idea of costs and how long it will take.  You can put you stuff with others and share the expenses.  They will just load your things in a container and wait til it's full and then put it on a boat.  There are US companies that work with foreign shippers.  We moved back from the UK this summer and used Robinsons - they were great.  Then on the US side, Graebel took over and completed the move.  All went very well.  Good luck.

Not trying to be funny, but if some of the books are replaceable have you thought of selling them to a used bookstore (like Half Price Books) and then re-buying them once you get back over here?  I did that with a lot of my books as it was just cheaper to do that than try and get 'em over...

I know it makes it hard to estimate shipping, but you probably have a good idea of what's in storage and what'll definitely need to be shipped over, but if its all small bits and stuff you may want to consider extra luggage for more important items and then just shipping the rest visa UPS?     Just an idea.

Good luck getting the precious cargo home!   

Steve once crashed a work van he was tasked with driving so I know he's not keen on renting/driving anything bigger than our tiny car.  Phooey!

Sometimes, Mr Steve...  we have to do things we're not keen on, for the greater good. 

Wish i lived closer... i'd drive you to Eccles!

I was wrong -- it was a mini-bus he bashed up a bit, and in a narrow tight alley.  He's agreed to drive a van or truck to Eccles if need be!

Now, to try & determine if I have more than or less than 35 cu ft.

I am planning (sadly) to do a ruthless weeding out of the books & well - everything.  Taking the discards to a used book store first and/or charity shop dropoff second.

I was wrong -- it was a mini-bus he bashed up a bit, and in a narrow tight alley.  He's agreed to drive a van or truck to Eccles if need be!

Yay!!
Tell me... it was my lecture that swayed him, right?