Moving is such a pain.

[westtexas]

Warning - this is just a rant because I am bored out of my mind waiting on the movers (again) and I'm getting frustrated.

Got a better job back east where I am from a few months back and was just waiting to finish out my contract in west Texas before I could move. The company is paying for everything - packing, shipping, all that stuff - and honestly it seemed like such a great deal. If my father wasn't getting up there in years, and thus in no condition to be moving heavy furniture and boxes up and down three flights of stairs, I would have said moving myself would have been better.

They came to pack on Friday. The person who did the estimate quoted about 1/4 the amount of boxes and packing supplies they needed. So instead of taking 2 hours to pack it took 6.5. The truck driver was supposed to come at 10 a.m. to load everything (good thing he didn't!) but rather showed up at 4 p.m. and then couldn't get the semi into the apartment complex because everyone was home from work and he couldn't get around all the jacked up F350s and Rams in the parking lot. Didn't like the way they loaded my stuff either - sat on some of the VERY FRAGILE boxes (well marked by the packers) and nearly dropped my piano coming down the stairs.

Here I am now in the destination city Sunday night - said he'd call for delivery Monday. Didn't hear from him until yesterday afternoon at 3. Said he'd be be here this morning between 8-9 and would call last night to confirm. No phone call. Called this morning at 8:30 and said he was delayed (I've been up since 7 getting ready already). It's 10 now.

My poor kitties are living behind the toilet right now and barely ever come out the big empty echoing apartment freaks them out so much.

I just want this all over with. I don't know why I'm getting so worked up. It's like waiting for a plane at the airport - delays happen, but eventually you'll get on one so no need to worry. But at the same time... I'm ready to unpack and hang pictures and check on my things and get my first good night's sleep in almost 2 weeks.

Sigh.

Thanks for letting me get it all out.

[indysteel]

Ugh; that's awful. I've never used a moving company for anything but a relatively local move--and that's stressful enough. I feel for you and your pets. It will soon be behind you though. I hope things start looking up for you soon!

[Irulan]

When DH was in oil, we were moved by the company once a year. I never had a bad experience, myself. The worst was that they'll pack EVERYTHING including the trash, unless you really watch them. Plus stuff gets labeled so generically : "Kitchen". So is that your everyday silverware, or the cake platter? Grr. I did learn a lot about packing from watching them.

Slightly OT. Most movers have a "u-pack' option where they just load/unload boxes and furniture, and the homeowner does all the packing. This can save a lot of money if you have the time or inclination. On our last move,(non company, cross country) they underestimated our weight by about 10,000 lbs but we didn't have to pay for it because of the fixed coast estimate/contract.

[breeze]

Ugh, moving can be such a hassle. When we were moving to west Texas, our stuff was diverted for almost two weeks. We were sitting on lawn chairs in our empty living room, sleeping on an air mattress, and it seemed like a horrible decision.

I have to say that having someone else carry all of the furniture, boxes, etc up and down the stairs in the Texas heat was worth it, though. Moving back east without movers was an incredible pain. Hope your stuff arrives safely today, and that you don't have any more delays!

[Crankin]

Wow, I've never had a bad experience moving, including one across the country. We always pack ourselves; DH is a packing machine. We also don't have "junk," so when we move, it's either packed, donated, or thrown away.

[lph]

Oh, I hate moving. As in, loathe moving. As in, I put off moving when I actually want to because it's such a hassle. We have junk. It's certainly not because I like keeping stuff, but between a growing kid, multiple gear-craving hobbies, a penchant for repairing stuff ourselves and my dh who is a pack rat, the donating/selling/throwing away business is a chore never finished.

I don't really mind the effort of getting rid of stuff, it's a great feeling, it's just that I'd always rather be doing something else with my life than shifting belongings.

Poor kitties. An empty house is a scary place!

[westtexas]

I don't have junk either. I got rid of practically everything that wasn't essential or truly sentimental/valuable. During my last move (to west Texas), I packed myself and just hired a local company to move/carry the boxes and furniture. This time since it was all paid for I couldn't resist letting someone else do all the work.

We're now on hour 5 of being late for the delivery. Luckily the main company has contacted me and I have explained the situation. Hopefully this will speed things along.

[marni]

after 16 moves (12 of them internationally) in 39 years I share your pain. We never had any real problems but it is a stressful situation no matter how perfectly and timely it is done, especially if you are dealing with kids, pets or aging parent-0 been through all three.

On the other hand if you can pretend that unpacking is likie opening presents on Christmas day-" hm I wonder what's in this box? Surprise! it's the set of china that belongs downstairs, 8 trips up and down the stairs= cardio workout for the day." sometimes works.

So does just amking generic piles and dealing with one at a time. Congrats on your new job. Where are you now? I hope when you get settled in, that the biking is good.

[shootingstar]

Best of luck westtexas.

I've never used movers myself but have only heard of decent experiences from others.

Marni: I couldn't move a household as often as you have. Or maybe some were not the whole home. I'm amazed by your resilincency..

I'm not a complete homebody but 3 major moves across Canada is enough for me so far. Who knows there could be another one one day.

[Koronin]

I'm another that doesn't like to move. Two years ago we moved across state then last year moved from the townhouse we were renting to a house we bought. I don't mind the local move nearly as much as the long distance move.

[goldfinch]

I remember reading somewhere about how moving companies are one of the lowest rated services around.

So West, are you going to change your user name no that you have moved?

[VeganBikeChick]

Ugh, westtexas. I'm planning on moving to Colorado August 2013 and am already dreading the thought of packing up my very small studio apartment. I've moved a lot but it never gets any easier, and the more I do it, the more I dislike it. Hope everything arrives safe and sound.

[kajero]

I wish I could be like my son. He works internationally and moves every few years. He lives in apartment and accumulates nothing. So when he moves, it is so easy!

[jessmarimba]

Moving would be much easier for me if my mother hadn't given me all of the toys and collectibles she saved for my imaginary future children. I appreciate her concern and I really hope these kids magically exist at some point, but right now it's not looking like it'll happen anytime soon. At least I won't have to buy presents for the first 10 years of her life if I have a girl.

[SheFly]

The thought of moving now terrifies me. Who would have thought, given that by the time I was 28, I had moved 30 times? It used to be that because I moved so often I didn't accumulate anything, but that has changed since I have been in our current house for 16 years (which is 13 years longer than anywhere else - EVER).

And no, I am not an army brat. :D Fourteen schools between Kindergarten and 8th grade!

The worst experience I remember though was a move from Toronto to Calgary. The movers had our household plus another on the truck and rolled over in northern Ontario :eek:. We lost A LOT of our belongings. My mom remembers removing splinters from my dad's underwear (it was packed in the bureau drawers) afterwards :D.

Good luck! Moving is a pain.

SheFly

[Crankin]

Geez, SheFly, I didn't realize you had moved so much! And that story made me laugh, although I am sure your dad wasn't laughing. How did you survive moving every year as a kid? One move out of state almost killed me and I didn't talk to my dad for a long time. But, all my other moves were very planned. Still, when I talk to people around here, I always feel like I've moved a lot, compared to others.
Once, we were in a meeting for my older son, when he was in high school. They were going through his developmental history and the way they stated, "and then the family moved again," like we were some kind of transients! Yes, I moved here from another state and then we lived in one town until we could afford to move again to put the kids in your highly rated school system...

[malkin]

Moving sucks.

We have stuff.
We have junk.
We have-- well, you name it, we probably have it.

We have gotten rid of tons of it, but now there is a garden and chickens and we laugh about owning huge trees. At least we won't be taking those new things with us if we ever move!

[westtexas]

Haha thanks for all the commiseration!

The truck FINALLY arrived 6 hours late. But everything got off and into the apartment just fine, and so far everything is in good shape. I've got all but 10 boxes of books unpacked (my bookshelves are at my parents - yay for free furniture!) and most of the stuff hidden away somewhere. The smoothest part of this whole thing was my sofa getting delivered from the factory yesterday - they said between 10-1 and they showed up at 9:45. I was so impressed and so relieved to finally have something go right!

And, since someone asked, no I won't be changing my username. I'm still in Texas afterall. Houston is super overwhelming right now (I'm originally from Katy which was a small suburb on the west side of Houston but is now a ginormous suburb) and navigating around inside the city is nothing like the wide open spaces of west Texas. But I'll make it. Work is only a few miles away and I can walk to about 15 restaurants from my apartment and more are in biking distance.

And last night I slept for 10 hours - the most sleep I've had in almost 2 weeks. I was getting about 5-6 due to stress and now I feel so much better.

[marni]

west texas I am in Katy=Cinco Ranch- Once you get settled in let's go for a ride!

[GLC1968]

Congrats on finally getting settled (or started on it!) and a good night sleep!

I'm like Shefly - tons of moving before I'd even gotten to college. And it didn't stop there. Right now, we've been in our current house for 4 years (next month) and it is, by far, the longest I've ever lived anywhere.

We still haven't made the decision about whether or not we'll sell, but not having to move AGAIN would certainly be a pro for the 'stay' side of the argument. Moving really is a pain!

[westtexas]

west texas I am in Katy=Cinco Ranch- Once you get settled in let's go for a ride!

That's where my folks live now. They're closing on a house out in Fulshear in one week, but I would love to go for a ride with you! Now, mind you, I'm approaching 4 weeks off the bike... Do you ride with any groups out there? It looked like Bike Barn had some good group rides.

[breeze]

Haha thanks for all the commiseration!
Houston is super overwhelming right now (I'm originally from Katy which was a small suburb on the west side of Houston but is now a ginormous suburb) and navigating around inside the city is nothing like the wide open spaces of west Texas.

Leaving Lubbock was such a strange thing for me-- after living in such a wide open space, being back in an East Coast city was really different. Also-- tricked-out Lone Star-sized pickup trucks aren't normal business around here. Seeing one is a novelty!

Glad to hear that things are settling down for you, and that the moving stuff was resolved!

[marni]

I don't normally ride with a group as I ride mostly during the week but I love the area between Cinco Ranch, Fulshear, Brookshire, Wallis and Richmond Rosenburg/Sugarland. There are some nice rides.

The last time I rode with a bike barn ride, which was just after I started riding, I was thoroughly dropped at the first SAG stop, as in everybody had come and gone and come and gone again before I got there, and the SAG was rolling out for home. I know I was slow, but if they say it is a no drop ride, they need to explain how no drop it is. That being said, I do like the local bike barn and the guys and gals there so no doubt things have changed mightily in five years. I'm not riding this week as I just got back from riding the Mississippi (1800 miles in 32 days) and am waiting for my bike to come home and for my weariness to subside a bit but will be ready to go next week.

Look me up in the phone book under Philip C Harang.