I Miss Megacorp...

[Midpack]

Not really!

But we're selling our home, buying a new one 700 miles away, and loading up all our personal belongings in a moving van - in the space of two weeks. I've moved many times, state to state and even country to country - but the US Army then Megacorp basically made all the arrangements for us.

This time we're having to do everything for ourselves. Makes me realize how much they did for us all those times before, those relocation professionals sure made buying, selling and moving seem much easier.

 

[Big_Hitter]

This time we're having to do everything for ourselves. Makes me realize how much they did for us all those times before, those relocation professionals sure made buying, selling and moving seem much easier.

Even though we had a moving allowance from Mega, we had to make all of the arrangements last time we moved (8 years ago), but it was a job change

 

[Bamaman]

Selling a home, buying a new home, organizing and moving a home can be a very high anxiety situation. It's almost like a completely new job--until a few months after the move.

We found the most difficult tasks are getting rid of "stuff" that is never used. I'm talking furniture, household goods, pictures, kitchen appliances, etc. If we had the time and motivation, I would think our move would be half that of what we moved 12 years ago. I'm not about to give up my cabinet shop, for example.

Good luck to you on the move. You'll find it healthy to move to new cities/regions into retirement, however.

 

[kcowan]

We care moving out of our condo next month and into temporary space until the new one is finished. Lots of things to arrange. Not rocket science but somewhat irritating.

 

[timo2]

Selling a home, buying a new home, organizing and moving a home can be a very high anxiety situation. It's almost like a completely new job--until a few months after the move.

We found the most difficult tasks are getting rid of "stuff" that is never used. I'm talking furniture, household goods, pictures, kitchen appliances, etc. If we had the time and motivation, I would think our move would be half that of what we moved 12 years ago. I'm not about to give up my cabinet shop, for example.

Good luck to you on the move. You'll find it healthy to move to new cities/regions into retirement, however.

+1

We moved the month I retired. It was the most stress of any move ever. Because of the complexity. I also moved a lot for work ( 35 separate moves), but this was different. And it took me two years to get over it.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have moved 30 times and hope to never move again. We moved to our retirement home 7 years ago.

 

[Dtail]

Moving is a royal pain plus cost 17k to move 1100 miles south.

 

[timo2]

I have moved 30 times and hope to never move again. We moved to our retirement home 7 years ago.

We are going straight from our retirement house to assisted living when the time comes. When we moved 35 times while I was working the deal was DW would get to decide where we retired. I wanted to move to a retirement apartment typ e place, but DW wanted dogs and a house. So that's what we have.

 

[timo2]

Moving is a royal pain plus cost 17k to move 1100 miles south.

As soon as we finished moving after retirement and figured up the costs, I realized how much money the folks that retired where they already lived had saved. Not to mention the stress.

 

[Souschef]

My move was easy I got on the train, got off 5 stops later. We combined 2 households, and everything DW had was better than mine. Furniture, large and small appliances, etc.
So with Craig's Free list, Salvation Army , people at work, and my condo neighbors, I cleared the entire house so I could rent it out.

 

[Scuba]

Midpack, where did you decide to move?

 

[DrRoy]

+1

Haven't moved on my own yet.

 

[ponyboy]

Why was the title of your thread "I miss megacorp?" What does that have to do with moving?

 

[nobody]

I'm down to 15 days for my move, more stressed about this then work the last year. I told DGF I wish a tornado would come along pick my house up in KC and set it down in Colorado Springs.

 

[Gumby]

Our last move was 27 years ago (and that was only from one end of town to the other). I hope to go another 27 years before I have to move again.

 

[ckelly78z]

Lots of soul searching, and downsizing occurs on a big move like you doing. I recall moving ourselves 30 miles, and how many trips with a van, and a 16' trailer that we made...lots of work.

 

[ckelly78z]

Why was the title of your thread "I miss megacorp?" What does that have to do with moving?

Because of all the work, and effort that professional movers saved the OP when MegaCorp paid for it all....read the last line of the original post.

 

[street]

I don't see a move in my future. The last time I had to move, my belongings all fit in the Honda Civic. Lol If I had to move today I would just hire someone to help with the process.

 

[38Chevy454]

Midpack, I can sympathize with you. I sold my house, then rented back for 1 month, retired and that day moved 1500 miles cross country. I used movers for the main house stuff, but did a lot of moving myself with all my garage stuff and old cars to move. I made 5 trips from old location to new location in the 5 months prior to the actual move date.


Yes it was sure a lot easier when company paid for the moves in previous working career. Lot less money out of pocket as well.


This is our retirement house and no plans to move out of here unless medically required, or by the coroner.

 

[jIMOh]

Having moved a few times, I echo the comments of others that doing packing is work and cleaning/downsizing before really helps.

Here are tips from my moves (8) since 1997.

1) Boxes which are the same size stack better than boxes of varying sizes
2) Boxes move better than loose things
3) Label every box. DATE the box was sealed
3a) if the same box has not been opened in 2 years, it is safe to suggest you don't need to move it the next time
4) Uhaul has a way to hire movers to help after you rent truck- I have used this service a few times and think it is a great idea.
5) I found the company moves to be rigid processes without room for interpretation or exception- for example they unpacked my labeled boxes and messed up my moving system. The movers had to pack the boxes themselves.
6) Buy movers lunch and have donuts/coffee for them in the morning.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Why was the title of your thread "I miss megacorp?" What does that have to do with moving?

The OP said that he missed MC paying for/orchestrating the moves. First post.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

The Air Force moved us a number of times and although we didn't have to pay for it, there were challenges that were difficult. Our last move (not AF paid for) was expensive, but since we were running the show (to a point) it was a lot better to get things done the way we wanted it done. I think unless you can afford to spend many, MANY thousands of dollars and be completely hands-free of it, moving is a pain in the arse.

 

[Cobra9777]

Megacorp moved us overseas and back, including a few moves to different Asian countries while over there. They used an international relocation company, which handled everything beautifully... not just logistics but residence visas, apartment rental, personal transportation, and an English-speaking "handler" for the duration of the assignment.

Aside from the expat stuff, we only really moved once on our own nickel. This was 15 years ago and we just moved to a new house in the same town about 15 minutes away. The kids were 12 and 15 so they helped quite a bit. We had packed and moved a lot of stuff ourselves. The rest got moved by 3 guys and a 25-foot truck for $600.

We purged a LOT of junk in the process. That was a healthy process. The kids have been out of the house for 10-ish years now and we still haven't purged all their junk. I'll just have to do it when DW isn't supervising.

 

[braumeister]

The Air Force moved us a number of times and although we didn't have to pay for it, there were challenges that were difficult.

They moved me way, way too many times. Like 13 or 14 times in 21 years. Didn't cost me directly, but when I was new on active duty a commander's wife made a statement based on her long experience with military moves that proved very true. "Every move you make will have at least 10% of your household goods either broken or stolen."

I was able to verify her prediction every single time. The low-bidder outfits contracted by the base transportation office were sometimes little short of incredible. Frustrating in the extreme, but no choice in the matter.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

They moved me way, way too many times. Like 13 or 14 times in 21 years. Didn't cost me directly, but when I was new on active duty a commander's wife made a statement based on her long experience with military moves that proved very true. "Every move you make will have at least 10% of your household goods either broken or stolen."

I was able to verify her prediction every single time. The low-bidder outfits contracted by the base transportation office were sometimes little short of incredible. Frustrating in the extreme, but no choice in the matter.

Oddly enough, we have had very few items damaged by DoD contract movers. But our last move, we had a lot damaged including a cabinet that was identified as "exceptional" and with higher insurance coverage. And, we didn't go w/ the lowest bidder...we went with the one with best reviews on multiple sites.