What is the best way for me to move my things from Rochester and Brooklyn, NY to Ann Arbor, MI? Brainstorm with me, please?

Would your dad be willing to drive a Uhaul truck (or trailer if he has a truck he can pull it with) for you to load it up and then unload it in MI? If so, that might be one of the cheapest options since you would be doing it all yourself. Paying movers to do it or renting one of those POD things were you load it, then they deliver it for you, are going to be more expensive.

If your dad is willing to help, maybe he could get the trailer/truck, then get the stuff from his house loaded in, pick up you and your stuff in Brooklyn, and then drive to MI for you. You could ride with him that way you can pay for the gas and help unload the truck/trailer when you get to MI.

I have looked into the U-Haul option. It would cost around $850 + gas. Here are the options for the U-Haul:
1. rent it in Rochester and return it in Rochester, 3 days, about $75.00 plus $.59 per mile.
2. rent it in Brooklyn and return it in Ann Arbor, 3 days, about $825.00 with 775 miles included and (I assume $.59 per mile after that)

The total trip is 1350 miles if you go Roch->BK->AA->Roch and about 950 if you leave off that last Roch.

Another question: from what I described as far as my amount of stuff goes, would it fit into a large pick-up truck? cargo van? or do I need a small U-Haul?

Because of the furniture, I think you need to rent the smallest (14’?) Uhaul truck they’ll rent you. You then grab your dad (or any friend willing to help you by doing the driving) and rent the truck in Rochester, drive to Brooklyn, drive to Ann Arbor, drop the truck on in Ann Arbor (this is Uhaul; it’s all about 1-way rentals), and put your friend on a plane from Detroit to Rochester.

(Make sure you bring along a padlock for the truck. You’ll need to secure the rear door with all the driving you’re doing.)

If you have someone that can pull a trailer, that could work instead of a truck (and would save you some money). Depending on the height of your furniture and how much you can take apart your bed, you probably could go with something smaller. Honestly, if you can take the bed apart and you have a friend with a pick-up, you might be able to fit everything in the pick up as long as you secure it really well.

A bed, chest of drawers and bookshelf / night stand (I’m assuming that you’re furnishing a college dorm or apartment bedroom) are no trick at all to find in Ann Arbor, probably a lot cheaper than moving what you already have, unless the bed is a very expensive one. So I’d rethink the entire packing scenario to what you really do need that can’t be replaced easily or cheaply at the destination and cut down on the load to move. In any case, breaking the bed down probably won’t be so difficult, but the mattress and box spring will take a lot of space. Perhaps you could consider replacing the mattress / box spring in Michigan.

Don’t figure a return of the rental truck to where you rented it. The deadhead mileage costs will eat you alive. UHaul usually figures that their rentals are one-way except for “day” rentals. If your father were going to rent the truck and drive, he’d be better off with a one-way car rental to drive home again.

You could also consider splitting a rental with another UM student going that way. Michigan is a big school, and there are certainly other New Yorkers going that way. I don’t know what kind of social networking sites exist for UM students, but there must be something.

If you decide on the pickup option, which might work when you reduce the load, then you need to consider weather. I’ve made summertime drives between New England and Michigan many times, and it seems that I run into hellacious thunderstorms a little more than half of the time (usually at around the halfway point – for me – as I enter Ohio).

There are several “pod” moving type companies out there. You call them up and they deliver a large “pod” container to your door. You load it up and give them another call when you are done. They will then ship it to the destination, you unload it when you arrive, and then they come back in remove the empty container.

Not sure about the price, but sounds pretty darned convenient to me.

I would just drive a U-Haul there.Road trips are fun.
You will LOVE Ann Arbor :)

@WasCy I didn’t even think about the weather issue. Good point! I am furnishing a one bedroom apt. My mattress/bed set was fairly expensive, but the rest of the stuff wasn’t, so I’ll look into buying new, maybe.

These are all really good options, guys. Keep them coming, please! The more, the merrier.

@lucillelucillelucille From what I’ve seen of it, I already do love AA. Especially the law building. drool.

Also, I should mention that this is the first time I’ve used fluther in well over a year. I thought ‘jeez, I could really use a bit of help with bouncing around some ideas. Aha, fluther!’ Glad it still doesn’t disappoint.

How heavy are the boxes? If they are under 70 lbs each you could send them by UPS or parcel post. If they don’t have sentimental value, sell the bed, bookcase and chest of drawers. Then replace them with new or used when you get to AA.

You should be able to break the bed down into a load that will fit on most pickups, if you don’t want to sell it.

@bezdomnaya: Is learning how to drive and getting your license before you move a possibility?

My son went to grad. school at U Mich. and complained that the terrain was too flat. But he did enjoy cross-country skiing on the Huron.

ABF trucking could do that. You pack, they haul.

@gailcalled I actually do know how to drive, but my license has been expired so long that I have to go through the learner’s process again (at least in the state of NY). I am actually living in Russia right now with my grandparents and won’t be back in the US until July, so I don’t think I’ll have enough time (nor the desire, I hate driving). But I guess I really should look into getting a new driver’s license in the near future.

All good ideas, guys! Any more, please?

When I moved from Phila. to Michigan I used a company called U-Pack.

It’s similar in concept to a POD idea but WAY LESS EXPENSIVE.

That’s because you’re only charged for the amount of space that you actually use.

They deliver the trailer to your home with a retaining wall which is applied once all your stuff is in and they calculate the footage by where it’s placed. That’s what your charge is based on.

At the Mich. end, you call them to deliver it to your home there.

For unloading, I hired some experienced college students with their own small moving and errand business and good references whom I found on Craigslist. I made arrangements with them ahead of time by phone.

I have Upack number somewhere around and as soon as I post this I’ll look through my records and add it in.

I was quite satisfied overall. The main things I liked were the cost effectiveness, not having to drive a Uhaul all that way (those mileage charges really add up) and the fact that I was in charge of my own stuff instead of a bunch of careless movers banging up my stuff.

I’m sure you can figure out the least expensive way to get yourself there. Bus, maybe ?

UPACK. 800— 355–1696