Cheapest way to move a few boxes and furniture cross country
Full-service movers and rental trucks are far too expensive when you only have a few small pieces of furniture and a handful of boxes. Freight shipping and container services often don't fit small loads or service rural areas, leaving people stuck overpaying for unused truck space just to move sentimental items.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
Cheapest way to move a few boxes and furniture cross country
- 1Shipping individual totes through the Post Office or UPS.Did this help you?
- 2Installing a tow hitch and using a cargo carrier or roof rack on the carDid this help you?
- 3Using shipping containers like U-Haul U-Box or PODSDid this help you?
- 4Renting a full-size pickup truck or van with a tow hitch instead of a box truckDid this help you?
- 5Selling the furniture before moving and buying new items upon arrivalDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Looking for up to date recommendations on companies that do freight shipping cross country from rural northern California to Maryland.”source ↗
“I don't have furniture but I do have around 10 black 27" totes, some sewing machines, and a sewing machine table.”source ↗
“I'm not able to drive it myself, PODS doesn't service my area.”source ↗
“I could fit every single box in my car, but my furniture (bed frame, mattress, small dresser, small nightstand) obviously can’t go in the car. But should I really get a giant 12 foot truck for fifteen or so boxes, a few bags, clothes, and those furniture items?”source ↗
“It just seems like a truck and towing are so expensive for like just needing them for the furniture!”source ↗
“I know people say to get rid of the furniture and buy new, but my furniture is hand made and passed down and that’s not really an option I want to choose.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3Cheapest way to move out of state with a car
- 3How do you stop losing things during a cross-country move?
- 2How to move out of state by the next business day
- 4Why is it so expensive to rent a van one way internationally?
- 5How to decide what to keep when moving abroad
- 4How to move with a puppy without stressing them out