U-Pack.com

DubaiSis · #1 10-16-2013, 06:08 PM

Has anyone had any experience with them? I'm getting closer to my move and trying to figure out the nuts and bolts of getting it done. U-Pack seems to be less expensive than the containers U-Haul has (once you add in actual door to door delivery) and WAY less expensive than PODS. Those people are crazy! I could have Allied or one of the big moving companies come pack me, load it, deliver it, and unload for less than what PODS wants.

IUHoosiergirl88 · #2 10-18-2013, 05:18 PM

Yes, I've actually used upack, it's through ABF! I used them for my move from Indiana to DC and had some mixed results. Are you looking at doing the pod type container or the actual truck? I did the actual truck, and trust me...it's work.

1. The actual delivery/pickup of the container is somewhat loose, ie they give you a window and sometimes don't show up until after or before. If you live in a city, make sure your apartment complex will allow them to drop it somewhere overnight because ABF doesn't guarantee it'll get picked up the same day you finish unloading it. Same token, make sure if you need parking variations for it that you get them

2. I'd recommend having professionals actually load the truck. It's pretty tall so it's hard to utilize that space yourself, especially if you have heavy furniture. In addition, it's hard to secure any of the furniture to the walls of the truck, so I'd also recommend having professionals use blankets to wrap anything you don't want damaged. That being said, you'll probably STILL come out with some damage. I have some pretty deep scratches/dings/scrapes on my coffee tables and my dressers and some of the boxes got wet. Unlike with a regular moving company the insurance is pretty lax.

3. If you do decide to pack it yourself: wrap wrap wrap your furniture in plastic and blankets as much as possible. My couches/furniture came out very dusty and dirty. Also, get some solid rope to try and secure things as much as possible and secure them in layers...ie don't just rope the very front as things definitely do move.

It's cheap, but there's a TON of work involved and some decent risk to your stuff

AOII Angel · #3 10-18-2013, 05:37 PM

Good advice. We got a pod to store our furniture for a month because we had to get out of a rental, and we hadn't closed on our condo yet. My husband got movers to help him pack it, but he didn't have any pads and all of my dining chairs ended up all scratched up. I wanted to cry when we got unpacked in the condo. We eventually sold that furniture to the guy that bought our place so I don't have to be reminded of it anymore.

DubaiSis · #4 10-18-2013, 05:39 PM

Thanks. Actually, I'm doing a cube/pod. I'm not moving any furniture so the only breakables will be kitchen stuff. Most of my stuff has made it from the Midwest to Dubai to California, so I think it can handle one more move. I've seen how stuff gets wrapped, so I think I can do it on my own. On my last move, interestingly nothing arrived broken EXCEPT for some plastic bins that I hold fabric in. A couple of those got pretty squshed and the corners broken. But not the flat screen TV, the dishes, framed pictures, etc. I think the stuff they took care with survived just fine. The non-breakables, not so much.

They're supposed to deliver the cube on October 31st which gives me plenty of time to load even if they're significantly off on their schedule. And they said I don't have to be there when they take it away. My husband will just have to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't stay on the street so long it runs into street cleaning day/towing.

But starting on the fourth, I get to be Louise to my friend's Thelma as we cross through Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Albuquerque and Oklahoma City. I finally have all the hotels booked, so now that I have a week "off" hopefully I can plan for some fun stops. We will have to miss the world's largest ball of twine because we're not going through western Kansas. But there is a UFO landing site, a psychic center, and plenty of other little nuggets to enjoy en route. I'm open to suggestions if anyone has can't miss things to do following that route. In short, it's the 15 to the 40 and then HUNDREDS of miles on the 40 to I-35.

amIblue? · #5 10-18-2013, 08:35 PM

Best of luck with your move, and have a great trip!

DaffyKD · #6 10-18-2013, 08:58 PM

I must have missed a message or two. Where are you moving?

Albuquerque-- take the tram to the top of the Sandia Mountains. Beautiful!
Not sure if the balloon festival will still be going on, but if it is, you should try to go.

DaffyKD

DubaiSis · #7 10-18-2013, 09:13 PM

Sorry if I didn't share the memo. As part of my upcoming divorce, I have 1-lost 50 pounds (sadly, I still have a long way to go) 2-quit my job (I have another lined up) and 3-am moving from Newport Beach to Kansas City. Checked off the list today was confirming the move method (I chose U-Pack, which is like PODS but way cheaper) and bought boxes and bubble wrap and stuff from U-Haul. So if I was a better person, I'd have already started the packing sorting, etc. But it's daunting thinking about having to try on every stitch of clothes before I can pack it. I'm not gonna move stuff that no longer fits, but seriously? I'm too cheap to just throw it out and not enthusiastic enough to actually get in there and start trying stuff on. And then there's the kitchen...

Xidelt · #8 10-18-2013, 10:18 PM

The kitchen is the worst part of the house to pack.

DubaiSis · #9 10-18-2013, 10:37 PM

And making it worse, I'm not packing ALL of the kitchen, just about 2/3rds of it. I do have to leave him a plate and fork or so. Thankfully he doesn't care so I'm taking what I want and leaving him enough to get by. He doesn't cook anyway and barely eats food that goes on a plate or bowl.

adpiucf · #10 10-18-2013, 11:04 PM

How funny that you posted this. I am using a U-Pack cube next month. Everything is already packed up in storage and I'm having movers pack/unpack the cube... I've already moved to another state, so they're getting my stuff out of storage and bringing it up here!

DubaiSis · #11 10-18-2013, 11:10 PM

I'm packing/loading myself. Seriously, I've seen it done well and VERY poorly, so I think I have this down. And I actually started cleaning out, trying on clothes, packing up. At this pace I will be good to go. On about November 1, 2014. I started with a pretty easy one - office stuff. And even that I didn't complete before giving up.

adpiucf · #12 10-19-2013, 10:49 AM

I should go through my closet.... that is a good idea!

DubaiSis · #13 10-19-2013, 05:18 PM

It's very freeing to eliminate the detritus in your life. In my case, it's weight, my husband, a job I didn't like, and underwear. The underwear is the easy part!

pinksequins · #14 10-19-2013, 06:44 PM

LOL, Dubais Sis. That's a lot of freight that is going to the railyard. I can see a new thread on "pitch and ditch" being a success!

PiKA2001 · #15 10-20-2013, 04:07 AM

I used U-Pack when I moved from MI to TX and it was a mixed experience. The ABF office that I dealt with in Detroit was prompt and courteous, the receiving office in Texas was everything but. I guess your experience will depend on the employees of KAnsas City and where ever you live now.

In Detroit my pod was delivered on time and was picked up on time. Had no problems what so ever setting any of it up.

In El Paso my pod sat in God knows where for three days before they actually delivered it to my house. I saw from the tracking that it was in El Paso but the rude ass employee there kept giving the run around on when they could drop it off. When it was finally delivered one afternoon I told the driver that I would have it cleared out that day so they could pick it up in the morning. The pod sat in my driveway for an entire week before it was picked up.