Transporting 130 short boxes across the country 5 5

[jdraheim]

I'm looking for some advice or recommendations.  In a few months I'm moving from Southern CA to Raleigh, NC.  I have over 14,000 comics in 130 Short Boxes (mostly raw comics in bags and boards).  Does anyone have any experience moving this many comics?  Any recommendations for Movers who are better suited to handling comics, collectibles, etc?  I'm hoping to find one company that can move our furniture and the comics.  I don't have the desire or energy to rent a U-Haul and move them myself so I'm looking for the best moving company that will handle and transport the boxes with the care they need.  Thanks for any advice!

[stormflora]

If you don't take care of it yourself, you're subjecting yourself to the mercy of any mover you hire. And there will never be any sort of guarantee of safe and proper handling of goods regardless of reputation. If anything, I'd wager that bigger companies are more likely to rush things/be careless for the sake of getting more jobs done.

You sure you can't just hire a family member/friend/local mom-and-pop mover?

[ThothAmon]

On 12/10/2023 at 8:19 PM, jdraheim said:

I'm looking for some advice or recommendations.  In a few months I'm moving from Southern CA to Raleigh, NC.  I have over 14,000 comics in 130 Short Boxes (mostly raw comics in bags and boards).  Does anyone have any experience moving this many comics?  Any recommendations for Movers who are better suited to handling comics, collectibles, etc?  I'm hoping to find one company that can move our furniture and the comics.  I don't have the desire or energy to rent a U-Haul and move them myself so I'm looking for the best moving company that will handle and transport the boxes with the care they need.  Thanks for any advice!

Any National mover can move them as part of your overall move. I moved about double that amount with a large mover in 2003. Comics added about $7k to cost then. Can only imagine now. Would have moved them myself but it was a paid for by others move.  As you’ll likely be driving anyhow I’m sure a mid sized enclosed u haul rental trailer would hold them all. Lay a large waterproof tarp first and then cover as they can leak.  Moved some large collections myself that way. Easy peasy.

[stormflora]

On 12/10/2023 at 9:27 PM, ThothAmon said:

Any National mover can move them as part of your overall move. I moved about double that amount with a large mover in 2003. Comics added about $7k to cost then. Can only imagine now. Would have moved them myself but it was a paid for by others move.  As you’ll likely be driving anyhow I’m sure a mid sized enclosed u haul rental trailer would hold them all. Lay a large waterproof tarp first and then cover as they can leak.  Moved some large collections myself that way. Easy peasy.

Yeah, I feel like OP should just rent a truck and move the comics over themself. It's the safest way.

[Lightning55]

I can't give you any moving advice, but it might be time to cull the collection. Some comics, on a per book basis, may cost more to move than they are worth.

If you sell off the more common stuff locally, you could take that money plus the money you saved on the mover to repurchase at your new location. 

It's similar to moving large appliances. Cheaper to dump what you have and buy new, rather than pay the cost of moving them great distances. 

[1Cool]

May want to consider moving them over into 65 long boxes (roughly) which will allow you to move them in a large moving van which will save you the hassle of renting a large truck.  I moved a 60 - 70 long box collection that way a decade ago and it was hard work but nothing crazy time consuming.  You could try it with short boxes but I think they take up more space so they may not fit in the van I'm thinking of.  

Edited December 11, 2023 by 1Cool

[shadroch]

When I moved from NYC to Vegas, I took my thirty or forty most expensive books, and the movers took the rest. It was around 100 short boxes and maybe a dozen long boxes.  I have no advice on a moving company, but I wrapped each box in a plastic garbage bag and taped the hell out of it.  No one could get at the insides without it being very obvious.  It was nerve-wracking, waiting for them.  It took them almost two weeks to make it to me after I was told five to six days. 

If your movers will take pallets, it would make it easier.

[stormflora]

On 12/10/2023 at 10:04 PM, Lightning55 said:

I can't give you any moving advice, but it might be time to cull the collection. Some comics, on a per book basis, may cost more to move than they are worth.

If you sell off the more common stuff locally, you could take that money plus the money you saved on the mover to repurchase at your new location. 

It's similar to moving large appliances. Cheaper to dump what you have and buy new, rather than pay the cost of moving them great distances. 

Yeah, as someone who leases out units in a residential building, my experience has been that newcomers (especially temporary visitors) tend to just ditch stuff they don't absolutely need before leaving. That would typically be clothing, but I've seen other regular daily use items being discarded as well, as well as electronics like laptops in some cases. Moral of the story is, sometimes you gotta Marie Kondo large collections of stuff and only keep what brings you real joy.

On 12/11/2023 at 9:58 AM, shadroch said:

When I moved from NYC to Vegas, I took my thirty or forty most expensive books, and the movers took the rest. It was around 100 short boxes and maybe a dozen long boxes.  I have no advice on a moving company, but I wrapped each box in a plastic garbage bag and taped the hell out of it.  No one could get at the insides without it being very obvious.  It was nerve-wracking, waiting for them.  It took them almost two weeks to make it to me after I was told five to six days. 

If your movers will take pallets, it would make it easier.

Yikes, scary. Hired a bad company. Glad to hear that they eventually arrived safe and sound.

[seanlinc]

I'd feel sketchy leaving that up to movers. I know you said you didn't want to do it yourself but maybe try to find someone to do it with a cargo van or such? Anyway welcome to town I've lived in the Raleigh area my whole life, Unfortunately not alot of good comic shops around though.

[BA773]

On 12/11/2023 at 2:19 AM, jdraheim said:

I'm looking for some advice or recommendations.  In a few months I'm moving from Southern CA to Raleigh, NC.  I have over 14,000 comics in 130 Short Boxes (mostly raw comics in bags and boards).  Does anyone have any experience moving this many comics?  Any recommendations for Movers who are better suited to handling comics, collectibles, etc?  I'm hoping to find one company that can move our furniture and the comics.  I don't have the desire or energy to rent a U-Haul and move them myself so I'm looking for the best moving company that will handle and transport the boxes with the care they need.  Thanks for any advice!

Im interested to take some for free and pay the shipping if you want  i try to do my best to reach my goals... probably that this proposant was a bit excessive however i have an other one, if you are interested to liberate yourself from a good quantity of books for an honnest price im here. There is for sure things that i look for into a collection of 14k. 

[BA773]

On 12/11/2023 at 3:58 PM, shadroch said:

When I moved from NYC to Vegas, I took my thirty or forty most expensive books, and the movers took the rest. It was around 100 short boxes and maybe a dozen long boxes.  I have no advice on a moving company, but I wrapped each box in a plastic garbage bag and taped the hell out of it.  No one could get at the insides without it being very obvious.  It was nerve-wracking, waiting for them.  It took them almost two weeks to make it to me after I was told five to six days. 

If your movers will take pallets, it would make it easier.

So you have 100 short boxes and you criticize me with my collection of not even 1000 books? 

[Juno Beach]

I moved from coast to coast with a collection probably the same size as you, all long boxes at that time. Used Allied movers and had no problems. No idea of cost since it was a military move and the government picked up the tab

[universal soldier]

I moved about 40 LB and a dozen SB last year when I sold my house. It was only a 20 mile move that I did myself in my SUV and it really  ballz. I had to touch each box 8 times coming from the second floor to the basement/garage and then up to the second floor of my new location. I probably should have paid someone to do it  but when my collection was a little smaller in 2013, I paid mover's to do it. I think it was about 25+ LB at that time and it may have cost me an extra $700? but can't recall exactly. They did drop one box and I noticed some corner crunch on about 20 books but it was too late after the move to say anything. Given the distance and size likely you only option unless you have a large group of friends that are willing to slog all those boxes to a moving truck for you. If you do use a moving company, do your research and make sure they are reputable.

[CAHokie]

When I moved from CA to VA, I took the keys with me. The rest of the long and short boxes went into the “PODS.”  The good thing about the PODS is that you pack them so you can make them as padded and secure as you want. Heck, you could build a wall around them if you wanted.

[Lightning55]

I like the PODS idea. You pack it like you wish to, and lock it. Nobody touches your stuff.

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 12/11/2023 at 4:01 PM, Lightning55 said:

I like the PODS idea. You pack it like you wish to, and lock it. Nobody touches your stuff.

Yup

 

 

[Telegan]

On 12/10/2023 at 7:19 PM, jdraheim said:

I'm looking for some advice or recommendations.  In a few months I'm moving from Southern CA to Raleigh, NC.  I have over 14,000 comics in 130 Short Boxes (mostly raw comics in bags and boards).  Does anyone have any experience moving this many comics?  Any recommendations for Movers who are better suited to handling comics, collectibles, etc?  I'm hoping to find one company that can move our furniture and the comics.  I don't have the desire or energy to rent a U-Haul and move them myself so I'm looking for the best moving company that will handle and transport the boxes with the care they need.  Thanks for any advice!

If you're driving, I'd suggest taking the most valuable ones with you and the rest in something like PODS or whatever other method.

[Krydel4]

Go East Young Man...

[Lightning55]

On 12/11/2023 at 11:32 PM, Krydel4 said:

Go East Young Man...

A depiction of the very first PODS shipment.

[1950's war comics]

On 12/11/2023 at 11:32 PM, Krydel4 said:

Go East Young Man...

there might be roadblocks if you take that mode of transportation !