How to move 1600 miles

[ERD50]

Don't move mattresses, box springs, or any upholstered furniture. It's highly likely they are full of dust mites. I forget the numbers, but they are something like a mattress will double its weight in 8 years due to dust mites alone. ...

Here's another tip: Don't spread unfounded rumor as fact. That just doesn't pass the smell test.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mattresses-double-weight-every-10-years/

An article published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on 18 February 2000 may have been the source of the rumors of accumulated debris weighing down mattresses:

....

The "journalist" interviewed Stephen Wasserman, past president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

... I never quoted that statistic. I told [the reporter] that Internet web sites have statistics that try to strike fear in the consumer, thus promoting their products. I gave her a few off the top of my head (two million mites in an average mattress, mattress doubling in weight, etc.) that I read over the years. She asked me if any of these statistics have any scientific merit and I told her that none of them are in the literature. To the layman that is NO!

In fact I asked the Wall Street Journal writer to call an expert on mattresses at the internal sleep products association. She did and was told that the statistic on mattresses doubling in weight was far from the truth. The journalist choose to include it in the story anyway. She liked the statistic because it made her story more interesting.

... Don't move anything you can replace at the dollar store, such as kitchen items like cheese graters and pot holders. Moving costs are roughly $1 or more per pound. ..."

I agree in general, but we like high quality tools in the kitchen. Dollar Store just won't do for some if it. One piece silicone spatulas, quality stainless steel tongs (not the thin, cheap ones).

-ERD50

 

[harllee]

ERD50, mattresses may not double in weight in 10 years but if a mattress is 10 years old I would not pay to move it across country. That mattress needs to be disposed of and replaced with a new mattress. I also would not pay to move a heavy sofa old sofa or chairs across country.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

ERD50, mattresses may not double in weight in 10 years but if a mattress is 10 years old I would not pay to move it across country.

Not saying this is right or wrong, but just a thought on how things have changed over the years. When I was a kid, my mattress was a "hand me down" from an Uncle. My parents used the same mattress for probably 30+ years and never complained. Also, when they passed, it didn't weigh 6,221 pounds like the mattress people would like you to think. The mattress I slept on when I visited was *at least* 20 years old and I slept just fine.

 

[brett]

When we downsized from 3800 sq feet to a PODs it took us three or four passes to get down to it.

We visited a consignment furniture store to see if we could sell some high end furniture. No go. The issue was not the furniture, but the size. We were advised that people are buying smaller, condo style furniture. So, off it went to a women’s shelter resale store. A year later or so later when we went to buy some replacement furniture we found this to be very true and were glad that we got rid of some larger items.

We staged in the garage. POD got delivered and we took five days to fill it to the brim. This worked well for us. Hiring people to unload also worked very well for us. We did not buy PODS insurance. The clerk suggested we check with our home insurer. We did, the cost was 1/3 the cost of the PODS premium and had better coverage.

 

[ivinsfan]

Not saying this is right or wrong, but just a thought on how things have changed over the years. When I was a kid, my mattress was a "hand me down" from an Uncle. My parents used the same mattress for probably 30+ years and never complained. Also, when they passed, it didn't weigh 6,221 pounds like the mattress people would like you to think. The mattress I slept on when I visited was *at least* 20 years old and I slept just fine.

I know for sure mattress don't last for 30 years especially with two people on them. Anyway if you have a used one it's highly likely the cost of moving it will go far toward buying a new one at your new destination..they take up a lot of room in a moving truck...

 

[ivinsfan]

ERD50, mattresses may not double in weight in 10 years but if a mattress is 10 years old I would not pay to move it across country. That mattress needs to be disposed of and replaced with a new mattress. I also would not pay to move a heavy sofa old sofa or chairs across country.

You could make an argument for 5 years unless it's a fairly high end bed. WE had one in our guest room and it seemed fine, but both our adult daughters commented it was shot on their last visits.

 

[harllee]

A new mattress can make a world of difference in how you sleep and how your back feels. I get a new mattress every 10 years, more often if it starts being uncomfortable.

 

[always_learning]

Huh, there's an interesting thought I hadn't worked through: If I were to move during the pandemic, how would I acquire new furniture & stuff at the destination?

I'd probably see if Ikea delivers. Or just do without where I can until I feel it's safe enough to shop used. But I live alone, and I'm probably moving my foam-mattress-bed, my office chair, and a couple of folding tables. I could probably make it a long time with just those.

It's probably different in different locations, but many (most?) places are still delivering. Some have no changes to their pre-COVID rules (other than masking) and others are offering free delivery to a garage with the delivery charge only applying to taking it inside and setting it up. I'm sure the rules vary on a store-by-store basis, but if you know about where you are wanting to 'land' you can check the websites of local stores to get a feel for that area's precautions. Oh, as for choosing furniture, stores in my state are all open with mask rules in place.

Not saying this is right or wrong, but just a thought on how things have changed over the years. When I was a kid, my mattress was a "hand me down" from an Uncle. My parents used the same mattress for probably 30+ years and never complained. Also, when they passed, it didn't weigh 6,221 pounds like the mattress people would like you to think. The mattress I slept on when I visited was *at least* 20 years old and I slept just fine.

Yeah, it's just another example of a decline in quality and/or planned obsolescence . My brother was still sleeping on the bed he had when we were teens while DH and I were on our third as a couple, and really should have been on our fourth. He had the old-style flipable mattress whereas those went out of style years ago in favor of the horrid pillow-top ones.

 

[harllee]

Some places still sale the old style flip mattresses. We got ours from a place called Original Mattress Factory. We flip it every 3 months (the seller sends us an email reminder to flip it). We like it better than the pillow top ones and it will last so much longer.

 

[always_learning]

Some places still sale the old style flip mattresses. We got ours from a place called Original Mattress Factory. We flip it every 3 months (the seller sends us an email reminder to flip it). We like it better than the pillow top ones and it will last so much longer.

Yes, I believe they are one of the only ones left that sells them. I heard about them from Clark Howard several years ago and made note of them, but i admit I forgot about them until I read your post. It's nice to hear a good review!

We are going to try a memory foam mattress this time around, but if we decide to go back to an old-fashioned mattress, I'll be ordering from the Original Mattress Factory.

 

[brett]

PODS was a more expensive option for our year long storage requirement.

But it was a better value for us. We live in a cold climate. We wanted indoor, warm, secure storage that we could access inside the warehouse if necessary (it was not). Plus, we wanted to see the storage area for ourselves. I believe that PODs is a franchise so the storage options may vary by location.

It is a funny feeling when the one a man crew comes to lift all your possessions in the air and on to a flatbed truck and drive them. A lifetime in a fragile 8X8X16 box.