PODS moving is inexpensive if it’s a whole houseful of furniture and belonging, but expensive for just a few things. You pay by the pod, not weight. You pay by the time you have it (drop off, fill up, transport, unpack or storage). I moved about 1000 miles and it was about $2000 (this was about 5 years ago) but the pod did hold all our household belonging for 3 people - beds, sofa, clothing, dishes, kids bikes, bookshelves. Lots of stuff. Much cheaper than a moving van because when I was corporate moved about 2 years later, the cost was about $14k for basically the same stuff. I actually really liked the ‘PODS moving experience.’
In this case, a moving van may be cheaper. They’ll move your stuff with someone else’s, with a small load, you’ll have to be flexible with the dates. I don’t think it will be cheap, and you’ll probably make out better by just giving it away, but if you have enough stuff that you really want, professional moving will be cheaper than the pods.
We put 3 rooms worth of furniture in a pod while remodeling that part of our house. My memory is that there was more than 1 size available. I was very happy with the service and found it quite reasonable. I know that competitors have entered the market since then so I encourage you to look into it.
I am trying out Uship. You list the stuff you want to ship, pick up and drop location. Shippers put in their bids and you pick the one you want to work with. I am shipping a large armoire to 200+ miles away for less than $200.
D2 is graduating this summer. I told her not to bring anything back, except her clothes and pictures. I just bought her a nice mattress topper and a humidifier, they are not coming back.
I shipped pallets when I was in charge of distributing household items from an estate. It was very reasonable (all things considered) but you need a pretty good packer on one end, and someone who is home on the other to receive the pallet (the price is low because it’s how commercial and industrial shippers move heavy or bulky stuff and since most residences won’t have a loading dock, someone needs to be there to sign for it). The entire thing gets lifted up on a trucks carrier so you can’t have loose stuff hanging off it- it needs to be a perfect cube which is why you need mad packing skills. I paid a guy from the local Home Depot to pack and wrap for me.
It’s a cheap way to move a cross country- but I can’t imagine going to that trouble for a kids lousy furniture though… this was vintage china, furniture, some artwork and other household stuff dating from the 1920’s so if not quite antique (those I shipped with hand delivery) at least the stuff had value.
Wouldn’t you benefit more from getting a truck from Goodwill to come and give you a tax receipt? Or shelters for families fleeing domestic violence usually take towels, pots and pans, etc.
I don’t see why it’s critical that the move- in and move- out dates match. With Craigslist, that’s the buyer’s problem. I would also think that if you hung up a flyer in the student union, you’d get nibbles.
One of my kids listed all of the for sale items, with pictures, on his FB page…to his friends only. Almost everything sold within a few days…either to friends…or friends of friends.
The kid is a senior in college. Probably 22 or 23 years old. Surrounded by thousands of people doing the exact same thing. Can’t he/she figure out what to do on his/her own?
I especially groan at the suggestion that mom can call ResLife and find out what options are for their 22 year old grown adult…
Sorry to be Debbie downer but I do think that adults with college degrees should be expected to take care of their themselves…