One of our commenters on the last post expressed shock regarding the lengthy time it takes to deliver our household goods. It seems the answer to her question about WHY that happens might even be useful to other people who find themselves getting moved by a company. So here is a heads up about why we might opt to just pay to transport and move ourselves next time:
When Avery (and any large corporation) moves employees, they contract with a vanline to transport household goods. Thus, an 18 wheeler is used to transport the employee's goods--and we share that truck space with a dozen or more other families. So the truck does not just drive straight from Utah to Massachusetts, but rather travels across North America like a city bus, making stops all along the way, while gradually dropping off stuff at each stop. And apparently the vanline misjudged how much stuff we would have based on averages, so that is why their original time estimate changed (since we have less stuff than the average family, it means our assigned 18 wheeler truck is able to squeeze in more goods from more families, which adds more loading and dropping off time, if that makes sense).
Neither of us Tams have ever done a major move--our parents pretty much picked a place to live and stuck with it for our whole growing up years. Even the several moves we did after leaving our parents' homes were minimal, either because we had so little goods to relocate or the distances were generally shorter. So this whole deal has been a full of surprises.
In thinking ahead, it seems impossible to go several weeks or more without regular supplies while simultaneously having children underfoot. Since the rotational program will move us another couple times before we settle down, we are already planning what it would take for us to just load up a U-haul and drive ourselves across the country next time. Assuming it would be better to drive a couple thousand miles with an infant rather than fly to our destination quickly, but then have no supplies for a month after we arrive. Hmmm...quandry. Guess we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it.
Anyway, this move has been a huge learning experience, which we are glad to have had sooner rather than later, because if we had gone through the "big move" for the first time after already having children, our naivete would have invited more complex challenges.
1 comment:
Thanks for the explanation! I've heard of moves like that with the 18-wheeler, but I didn't realize it could take SO long to get your things! It has actually never occurred to me to move without driving your car. But I have moved across the country a couple times now, so I guess I have learned a few lessons myself. My suggestion for next time is this: you & baby fly to destination and Jerry (& possibly a friend) drives the U-haul to where you're going. That's what we just did (except Martin drove alone), and it worked great! Then the unpacking is the main stressful thing.
Post a Comment