Military life has its ups and downs, but sometimes the adventure can outweigh the adversity. Take moving, for example. Frequently pulling up roots is part of the job, but sometimes service members can hit the jackpot with an exotic locale. For many, the ideal duty station can be found in the tropical isles of Hawaii.
PCSing to Hawaii sounds like a dream assignment for many, but when the orders arrive, some families can feel overwhelmed with questions about moving to the islands and island living.
Before the surfing, snorkeling, hiking and volcano exploring can begin, the service family has to find a way to move all their belongings across the ocean. Many opt for the military’s full-service option, paid entirely by the military. Some, however, can’t resist the urge to pocket some of the payout by going the route of a DITY move (do-it-yourself, obviously).
But how do you drive a moving truck over the ocean? Simple answer, you don’t. U-Pack offers a great solution for DITY moving for a PCS to Hawaii, and it’s called the ReloCube. U-Pack even offers storage in Hawaii with ReloCube moves. As an alternative, U-Pack can also complete your DITY move on ocean containers.
With direct service to all seven active military bases in Hawaii, we can also provide certified weight tickets. We understand the importance of weight ticket accuracy, and that is why we have a specialist dedicated to reviewing all military moves.
Whether you’re going with the military full-service option or making a DITY move, planning a PCS to Hawaii still involves plenty of planning.
Getting everyone there
Check with your Personnel Office to ensure that all family members’ names are on the PCS orders. If not, you could lose some travel and housing benefits. Once confirmed, gather important documents and plan to hand-carry those as you travel to Hawaii. These include orders, leave forms, marriage and birth certificates and prescriptions, among others.
Moving four-legged furry family members to the islands? Make sure to check out Hawaii’s animal quarantine law. Hawaii is rabies-free, and they intend to stay that way. With plenty of planning, a long quarantine period may not be necessary.
If you have any questions about a DITY move to Hawaii, contact our move specialists at 800-413-4799. Ask for a free moving quote with U-Pack’s military moving discount.
Not to brag, because this doesn’t happen very often, and I definitely don’t want to jinx it, but Arkansas is experiencing some amazing (granted unseasonal) spring-like weather. It’s January and today’s high is 68° and it’s supposed to be in the 70’s by the end of the week! This time last year we were about to experience record-breaking snow falls in the area. We’ll take it!
But, I know that “real” winter is coming, and some parts of the country are already experiencing it in full-force (namely Alaska). While I prefer sunshine over snow any day of the week, there’s something to say about wintertime fun. In fact, the cities mentioned in this U-Pack infographic – Quirky Winter Events – look like tons of fun to visit. If you’re moving to or from areas that might take you through Anchorage, Alaska; Booneville, New York; Cedarburg, Wisconsin; or Chicago, Illinois, check out some of these events and tell us what you think!
Miki Markovich of Ground, Path, and Fruition used U-Pack for her personal move a few years back and had a great experience. So when it came time for Miki to help move her 86-year-old grandmother more than 2,200 miles across the United States, Miki knew U-Pack was the moving company she would trust once more. Here's the awesome part: because U-Pack does the driving, Miki and her grandmother Regina were able to take the road trip of a lifetime without worrying about their household goods. Miki and crew were able to visit some of the most famous landmarks and popular hotspots in America! Read on as Miki introduces us to her moving situation and details the first leg of their cross country move.
I admit that the loading of my grandmother's 86-years-worth of stuff was totally exhausting. A full apartment plus three storage units is a lot of belongings to pack, lift, and stack like the ultimate Tetris game. But, here's the thing: ABF U-Pack Moving made it so much easier than I could have imagined. They delivered two ReloCubes to the apartment complex and two to our storage facility, giving me the ability to forego the need to ask friends to borrow a truck (so, I asked them to help load instead!).
After loading for about 18-hours straight, I can't imagine driving a big truck. There's a reason that I have a sports sedan; namely, it's small with four doors (great for groceries but not a living room set). The stress of driving a big truck like that would just do me in. However, with U-Pack, I have none of these concerns. I'm leaving the driving up to them and my grandmother and I are taking a cross country vacation.
We only made it from Memphis, TN to Cape Girardeau, MO the first night. But, we hadn't stopped loading until 3:00 A.M.! So we checked into my favorite hotel and one of my former students brought over a pile of pizza. What did we do? We had an impromptu pizza party by the pool area, of course. It was a nice way to celebrate our accomplishments and spend a day resting up.
After our stay in the Cape area, we headed to St. Louis to visit family plots, visit the Gateway Arch, and get some yummy Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. The weather was so sunny and bright. Some friends drove in to visit and see us off, and then we were on our way to Texas!
So you have orders to PCS to Alaska, the “Last Frontier.” Sounds like an exciting new adventure. You start thinking about your options for getting all your household goods 4,000 miles north.
You could go with a full-service military move with all arrangements made by the TMO office. Seems convenient, but the goods may not arrive for 6-8 weeks. And, in peak moving season, you could be faced with movers who over-schedule and fail to show up on the scheduled loading date.
Or you could PCS to Alaska with U-Pack.
If you don’t mind earning some extra money (and doing a little extra work), that is. With a DITY move, you make all arrangements and receive reimbursement based on the weight of your goods.
A DITY move to Alaska may seem like a colossal task – out of the question. For many, the thought of a DITY always includes driving a rental truck. If you’re anything like me, driving a huge rental truck across the Alaska-Canadian Highway (ALCAN) sounds about as fun as sticking my finger in a light socket…just something I’d rather not do if I have a choice.
U-Pack is a great alternative to driving a rental truck for a PCS to Alaska. We can take care of your household goods, freeing you up to travel to your new home in the Land of the Midnight Sun at your own pace. And, we can get your goods to Alaska in about two weeks.
If you decide to drive the ALCAN, you won’t have to rent a car when you arrive in Alaska. Many who have traveled this path enjoy the wildlife and views along the way. They also recommend a guide titled “The Milepost,” which provides mile-by-mile details about available lodging, dining, shopping and automotive services. You can also transport your vehicle to Alaska via ferry on the Alaska Marine Highway sailing out of Bellingham, WA. Service for this three-day trip may be limited in the winter, so make plans well in advance if this is your route of choice. Visit the State of Alaska’s Marine Highway System for more information on ferry travel.
And, if you want to make the trip in hours rather than days, you can opt to fly. Note that in the winter, airlines may not allow your furry friends to make the trip.
If you need extra time to settle into your new surroundings (waiting on base housing or looking for a home off base), U-Pack can provide secure storage of your goods. We can hold your shipment at the ABF service center closest to your origin, or we can ship your goods to our facility in Tacoma for storage. From Tacoma, transportation takes only about a week for delivery to Anchorage.
Explore your DITY options to Alaska with a free moving quote from U-Pack. Our team is also available to answer your questions. Give us a call at 800-413-4799 Monday through Friday 7am-8pm Central.
Safe travels, and thank you for your service to our country!
If you’ve ever wondered where people are moving, the most popular times they move, and how far in advance they start getting moving quotes, now’s your chance to check it out.
I’ll go ahead and give a little spoiler – what state would you guess topped the list of the most inbound moves in 2011 (that’s the “moving to” location)? Here’s a hint: It’s as far west as you can get in the U.S., and it’s not Oregon or Washington...
If you need rates for shipping household goods long distance, U-Pack is a great place to start – especially if you’re hoping to avoid the high prices many full-service movers charge, and you really don’t want to drive a rental truck across the country. (Because who does, right?)
So here’s how U-Pack shipping rates are calculated:
It’s easy. Rather than trying to estimate the weight of your household goods, your U-Pack rate is based on the linear footage your shipment occupies in the moving trailer or the number of ReloCubes you need (I’ll explain the equipment in a bit). For your initial quote, you can use the simple space estimator to figure out how much space (or how many Cubes) you’ll likely need, or you can get much more detailed by using the Room-By-Room Space Estimator.
So let’s say you’re trying to get shipping rates for moving a three-bedroom home that’s about 1,800 square feet. Based on the simple estimator, we think you’ll need somewhere around 21 linear feet of an ABF trailer (which is equivalent to a 26 ft. rental truck). Your moving quote would include the rate for 21 linear feet, along with a per-foot adjustment rate that’s added or subtracted if you need more or less space in the trailer. That means if you need more space, it’s always available, and if you can fit into less, you pay less. It’s a win, win.
Now, let’s say you need shipping rates for a 600 square foot, one-bedroom apartment, and you prefer a ReloCube because of parking restrictions. We estimate you need two ReloCubes. On moving day you decide you can live without much of your furniture. Voilà! Everything fits into just one Cube! You guessed it...that means you only pay for one Cube.
That’s why so many customers love U-Pack.
U-Pack Household Goods Shipping Options
Like I mentioned, your two options for shipping with U-Pack are in a trailer or a ReloCube.
The trailer is 28 ft. long, 8 ft. 6 in. wide and 9 ft. tall. That gives you about 2000 cubic feet of loading space. In other words, the loading space for the full trailer is equivalent in size to a 26 ft. rental truck, plus another 10 ft. rental truck (with some space left over). We deliver it to you empty, and it comes with ramps for loading and unloading.
The ReloCube is 6 ft. 3 in. deep, 7 ft. wide and 8 ft. 4 in. tall. That gives you about 370 cubic feet of loading space. It sits flat on the ground for convenient loading and unloading. Just load it, put your padlock on it, and it’s ready to go. You can reserve just one, or as many as you need.
There’s no better way to ship household goods than with U-Pack; it’s easy, and it’s affordable. Call or click today for instant shipping rates!
It’s that time of year again folks, people are starting to plan Spring Break vacays! While tropical locations are probably most popular, many spring breakers plan to head to cold-weather, powder-laden destinations for a little fun in the snow.
This infographic naming the five states with the most ski and snowboard mountains comes at a perfect time for vacationers, but it’s also good info for folks planning to move. How exciting to move to a location where a weekend skiing trip is a short drive away. Check it out!
Oh, and would you believe that the state of New York has 52 mountains to ski and snowboard?
If you’re like me, the idea of packing up a house feels overwhelming (especially one you’ve lived in for a long time). It undoubtedly means sifting through some drawers, cabinets and closets that you haven’t dealt with in a while.
Not so appealing.
Of course, you could just choose a moving service with packing and loading help and let an experienced crew come in and do everything for you—get it all packed up and worry about what you need and don’t need once you get moved into your new home. That’s definitely the easy way, but probably not a great approach if you’re also trying to save a little money.
When you consider that your U-Pack price is based on the amount of space your shipment occupies in the moving trailer (or the number of ReloCubes you use), it makes sense to only move what you intend to use at your new home. And that leads us to the subject of this post: Moving is a great time to donate items you no longer use.
To get you started, we’ve created a list of items you may consider donating, and some of the best places to donate:
Clothing that no longer fits or hasn’t been worn in over a year. Donation centers like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, community women’s shelters and community homeless shelters often need clothing.
Household items like kitchen utensils, dishes, sheets, blankets, towels, etc. Organizations like women’s shelters and homeless shelters often have a need for these types of items.
Toys. Crisis shelters for women and children, and homeless shelters will normally accept both new and used toys.
Non-perishables from the kitchen pantry. You can donate these to your local food closet or homeless shelter. After holiday seasons, many food closets end up bare, so can/boxed items are greatly appreciated.
Electronics. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages you to add old computers and other electronics to your donation list. You can find a local program in your area like EcoSquid, Earth 911, Greener Gadgets, TechSoup and Call 2 Recycle.
Large furniture items like sofas, beds, tables, etc. Letting go of these large items will definitely reduce the size of your load! Typically the Salvation Army and Goodwill will accept these large items—and in most cases will come to your location to pick them up.
If you’re having difficulty finding organizations in your area to accept your donations, check with your local United Way or websites like donationtown.com. There are also nonprofit internet-based groups like Freecycle and FreeShare that will accept most household goods. And one last tip, don’t forget to ask for a receipt for tax purposes—most donations can be used as a deduction.
In an ideal world, if we were moving to another state we would know exactly when and where we’re moving at least 6-8 weeks before the big day. Early on we would start researching moving companies, getting quotes, scheduling the move, gathering packing supplies and packing up rooms one-by-one. Ahhh…sounds simple, doesn’t it?
But we know that doesn’t always happen. It’s not unusual to get one (or five) calls a day from customers in a pickle: They’ve just been told their job will require moving to another state, and they’ll need to report there in one week; the truck they’ve already reserved with a moving company is no longer available, and now they need to find another company to move them; someone made an offer on their house—great news—but now they have to be out in three weeks.
Yikes! Most traditional moving companies require 4 to 6 weeks notice. And, panic ensues.
But it doesn’t have to.
The solution for a quick-notice move to another state
U-Pack is a great solution; known for being flexible and doing what it takes to get the job done.
Of course, it’s best to reserve your move with as much notice as possible, simply because equipment, drivers, and delivery appointment times are always based on availability. But if you’re in a situation where you need to move to another state on quick notice, call 800-413-4799 and U-Pack will almost always find a way to help.
U-Pack’s transportation provider, ABF Freight System, Inc., offers one of the most efficient transportation systems in the industry; that means faster transit times—an added bonus when you’re trying to get moved in quickly. Where many full-service moving companies can take 15 + days for delivery, U-Pack transit times average 2-5 business days. And, if you need to speed up delivery, or know the exact day your shipment will arrive, you can choose U-Pack Guaranteed. When you choose this option for moving to another state, you’re guaranteed 100% customer satisfaction. What does that mean? If your shipment fails to arrive on the guaranteed day, U-Pack can reduce your charges by up to 100%! Customers who need to move on quick notice often choose this option. Just ask your U-Pack representative about guaranteed transit when you call.
If you’re in a situation where you need to move to another state on quick notice, simply give us a call at 800-413-4799. We’ll be happy to provide a moving quote and help you get going in the right direction!
Go Ahead, Compare Truck Rental Rates to U-Pack… (We’re certain you’ll like what you find when you do!)
If you’re making a long distance or cross-country move, I strongly encourage you to do some research before you land on a specific moving truck rental company (likely that’s exactly what you’re doing since you’re visiting the blog). While truck rental services and U-Pack differ slightly (because you don’t drive the moving truck with U-Pack), they’re still in the same self-moving category. And they both offer low-cost moving solutions. The difference is, U-Pack is the easier, more convenient solution. Here’s why:
The top reasons U-Pack beats truck rental rates almost every time:
While truck rental companies like U-haul and Penske offer “unbeatable prices,” keep in mind that their truck rental rates rarely include the soft costs of moving; including fuel, insurance, taxes and road tolls (not to mention hotel stays and food along the way). It’s good to know that there are no additional soft costs with U-Pack. All taxes, tolls, fuel and the driver are included in your price.
If you choose U-Pack for your do-it-yourself move (particularly if you’re moving long distance) you’ll see you get a lot more bang for your buck. U-Pack prices are already comparable to other truck rental rates, but you get the added bonus of professional ABF drivers moving your belongings from point A to point B. Really, who wants to drive a large, unfamiliar rental truck long distance—especially if the rates are comparable?
Did you know that most rental truck companies recommend staying under 55 mph—even if you’re driving on interstates where the traffic around you is going 70-75 + mph? If you’re moving cross-country, that can add days onto your move, which in turn adds more meal tickets and overnight hotel stays. That translates to more costs being added to your overall truck rental rate. U-Pack transit times average 2-5 business days. You get to drive in your own vehicle at your own pace; a time and money saver.
With U-Pack, you pay only for the space you use on the moving trailer or the number of ReloCubes you use. How does that benefit you? If there is room left over, you aren’t stuck paying for space you didn’t need or use. When you choose other truck rental companies, you pay for the space whether you use it or not. If you run out of room, you’re left to decide whether to leave it behind or pay additional fees to have it shipped another way.
We think U-Pack does moving better at a price that makes sense. What do you think? Getting a free moving quote is easy. Call one of our helpful moving coordinators at 800-413-4799 or simply complete the quote form on the right sidebar. Then, compare your U-Pack service offerings and rates to truck rental rates and see what best fits your needs.
