How We Relocated Across the Country & Lessons Learned...

Elizabeth Leonard
Jan 25
8 min read

In the Fall of 2019, we relocated and moved across the country from coast to coast - from California to North Carolina.

By "we" I mean my husband, our 18 month old daughter, and our 13 year old labrador retriever. And me. In an SUV. Packed from floor to roof.

2,663 miles total. 39 hours in all.

No, we definitely did not drive nonstop or that would most certainly be lesson learned number 1.

Let me take a moment to say if you missed our blog posts about WHY we moved, go there and check it out sometime. If you're in the same shoes now that we were then or just curious and have some questions, please contact us.

We LOVE working with clients like you.

Now to the HOW.

So many people have the desire to move but can't wrap their mind around the logistics. It's too overwhelming. But that's where we can help and if our story eases your mind, we are thrilled.

We quoted several moving companies from the full-service to the shipping pods to shipping boxes or ....selling practically everything we owned.

Full service companies were insanely expensive but handled every aspect start to finish.

Shipping pods were the most affordable but required us to be more hands on and handle more complex logistics.

Shipping boxes was also expensive, labor intensive, and would require us to sell a majority of our larger items or furniture.

We chose ABF freight and here's why:

Cost
Timing
Control

Let's break this down for those interested in the nitty gritty:

First off, the COST was more affordable and anytime you're moving, cost is top-of-mind.

Even after paying a crew to load the shipping container in CA and another crew to unload the shipping container in NC, the cost for ABF freight was more affordable than full-service companies AND other shipping container companies.

*This was back in 2019 so please do your own research and cost comparison (or call us and we can help you). Cost for us was $5,400 and that was the largest container at 28 feet long.

Second, the TIMING worked out perfectly.

ABF Freight gives you a window of time to load the container. The window is very reasonable and they're very flexible to extend the time or pick it up early depending on availability. This worked well for us on the back end after arriving in NC also; it gave us peace of mind that if we had any delays in our closing or something changed along the way, we could call ABF and they would adjust. Other companies seemed to have more penalties for changes than ABF did.

Timing worked great for us also in terms of the number of days the container would be traveling across the country (in this case it was 6-8 days and this timing lined up with our planned road trip in the SUV). We happened to take longer on our road trip but ABF allowed us to store the container in their regional center until we were ready.

Lastly, the CONTROL we could retain was perfect for this control freak (that'd be me....).

Yes I liked having the control over every single aspect. For those who may want to be less involved in the logistics, hey, that's what we're here for - to help your relocation run smooth! I'd be happy to handle the details for you so you can focus on the move itself.

With ABF freight I could control the timing which was key. Additionally, they only charge you for the amount of feet you actually use in the container. They allow you to control when the container is picked up and delivered, also allowing for changes along the way.

Overall I felt more at ease having this level of control over the move rather than leaving it to a full-service moving company that does everything from packing for you to driving the truck across the country. I needed to be more involved than that.

Alright, onto more logistics. Meet Max. That's our dog - the 13 year old labrador retriever. What a guy.

See his face? Very unsure of this plan. Happy to get out of the heat of central valley California with all that thick fur but his face says it all. "You're doing what now? Driving across the country? With me? No, no, no....... "

But you know what? Other than thinking we needed to find an emergency vet after our very first stop in the journey because the ol' dog thought he could leap out of the trunk and instead landed flat on the pavement like a belly flop in the pool.... it really went smooth. John also got a lot of hot stinky dog breath steam in his ear for much of the trip but it adds character. All good. Much fun.

And the baby? Our sweet sweet 18 month old baby? This is the reason we took the LONG way on our road trip. We decided to take only 4 hours of drive time per day. Yes, that means it took us 9 days of drive time.

Stop 1: Barstow, CA

Stop 2: Flagstaff, AZ

Stop 3: Albuquerque, NM

Stop 4: Amarillo, TX

Stop 5: Oklahoma City, OK

Stop 6: Maumelle, AR

Stop 7: Nashville, TN

Stop 8: Asheville, NC

Stop 9: New Home!

But we would do it all over again the exact same way and it was so worth it. Every day we would...

get up,
have hotel breakfast,
drive for 2 hours,
have lunch along the way,
drive for another 2 hours,
and then stretch the legs,
have dinner,
sleep,
and do it all over again.

We stopped SO many times in between (because.... toddler and senior dog....) so the 4 hours of drive time was realistic for us.

We didn't get burned out and it was manageable. One day at a time. One state at a time.

You may be thinking 9 days on the road sounds dreadful. But hey when you're from California you think there's no other states out there in the rest of the country so heck, it was nice to see them! (just a little west coast humor for you....)

In seriousness, it's all about what works best for you and your positive attitude. Anything is possible. We had a great time seeing the country and made it work. Many decide to ship their car and fly the distance.

All a matter of personal preference.

Final Thoughts...

You know the "light at the end of the tunnel" metaphor? OH WOW. The feeling when we finally traveled through beautiful Tennessee and we are oh so close to our final destination state. The gorgeous towering trees. Almost there.

Remember it was the FALL season so we are stunned with beauty winding through the peaceful Blue Ridge Parkway mountains.

Jaws dropped. Stunning. Not in Kansas anymore Toto.

And then we see it. WELCOME TO NORTH CAROLINA. We made it.

Ok so it actually said "North Carolina State Line" here in the picture but the next one said Welcome.

The feeling was really indescribable.

Highly recommend it. 10 out of 10.

I couldn't safely get photos of this views as we drove. Probably a good thing. We just took it in. We have our memories - the plain ol' fashioned ones. Up in the ol' noggin. We will never forget it.

So what was our road trip like?

Absolutely exhausting.

At times completely depleting.

Often very frustrating.

But on the positive?

We saw states we may never see again.

We dined in restaurants we may never go to again.

We saw cultures we may never be exposed to again.

You never know. Maybe you will, maybe you won't. It was a wonderful experience we wouldn't trade or do over any differently.

And our bond definitely deepened as you hope is the case anytime you experience some difficult or challenging experiences together.

Max approved. After a very long sleep on the cold hardwood floor of Wake Forest, NC. Our first night we made good use of our blow up mattress right there alongside him with the ABF Freight container parked in the driveway with all our belongings. It was all part of the fun!

Home at last.... what a journey. What a blessing.

Call us or schedule a free, no-obligation consultation if you have questions about a potential move, need assistance with logistics for your relocation, or want to chat about the possibilities.

One of the main reasons we got into this business is to help people like you. Exactly like you. We want to help make your dream move a reality, even if it seems completely daunting or overwhelming.

You absolutely can do it.

We'd be happy to help you.

Let's get started!

Lessons Learned From A Cross Country Move:

You're mood matters. One step at a time. Lean on supports.

If you're in a good mood with a positive attitude, everyone else's stress level lowers too.
To help with that cause, take one step at a time. Know what's manageable for you.
Even if it seems impossible, let that challenge fuel you. It's possible and you can do it.
Connect with experts and support systems for help. If we can be that for you, let us know.
Research thoroughly the old fashioned way. Process the information pen to paper. Make lists, create pro vs. con diagrams, compare prices or options. Sit with the information for a bit and let that time inform your next move. Your brain will thank you. We can't stress enough - if you need support, see lesson learned number 4: connect with experts and supports. We would not be living where we are without trusted, local realtors who gave us the knowledge we did not have at the time.

Logistically, a few random tips...

Try your best to sell or donate as much as possible, especially large furniture items. Make sure the items will fit in your new home (otherwise you've paid to move the item with no ability to keep it once there). If you know the item won't fit but you can't part ways, locate and secure a storage unit ahead of time.
Decide where you will stop along the trip and reach that goal daily. Make reservations ahead of time and choose hotels with flexible cancellation policies in case anything changes. If you can't commit, have a list handy of 3 options so you're not trying to find lodging when you're tired or stressed.
If you're traveling with children or pets, plan on lots of stops along the way. If you try to push through past limits, everyone in the car will suffer.
Hangry (hungry + angry) is bad. Have plenty of snacks, stay hydrated, and stay along the major highways where you'll have frequent access to gas stations, convenience stores and restaurants.
If you're able to budget for this, plan on the trip and move costing more than expected. Have a small stash of funds to help you get through an unexpected expenses. It goes without saying though, while traveling be sure to lock up belongings and don't travel with a lot of excess cash or expensive items.
ENJOY the journey!!! You may never cross country again like this, so live it up! Find some good music and have fun!