Does anyone have any experience with shipping items cross country. I am an American expat who went to school in GA for a year and have transferred to a school in the NE and need advice about shipping some of the stuff in my dorm. Does anyone have any similar experience or advice?
We used the FedEx store. Shipped from PA to CA. They can pack it to ship for you. Rates were a bit expensive, but not unexpected.
It really depends on how much stuff you have and whether it can be packed into a box. UPS, Zippybox, etc. have small containers that you can fill and ship if you have odd shaped things. Otherwise, shipping boxes, as suggested, will probably be your best bet. If you have enough to fill a pallet, you may be able to ship via freight rather than individual boxes.
Usually, books can be sent most cheaply by using the postal service book rate. Some things cost more than they’re worth to ship.
What @dmd77 said… books and printed material can be shipped for dirt cheap via USPS (book rate). Other stuff… if it is IKEA, it is cheaper to get new than to ship. Clothes and personal artifacts… Fly Southwest. You can haul 100 lb. for free in your 2 free checked bags.
FedEx Ground charged about $50 to move a 50 lb medium size mover box across the country. It’s slow (5 or 6 days) but inexpensive.
What are you shipping?
Is it worth shipping…or would it be better to sell and buy again on the other coast?
Id like to clarify, I am trying to ship a bunch of clothes. As said, I am an expat so I do not make a lot of trips home and I am at University with many different seasons.
@Dlkny321 - I seem to recall hearing that FexEx has shipped full suitcases. It had to go ground and it took at least a week. Might be working checking to see if they still offer this option.
Do make sure the college you are sending to will hold your packages until you arrive as not all will offer this perk.
Check out Greyhound Shipping. Their rates are very reasonable as I recall.
http://www.shipgreyhound.com/e/pages/Home.aspx
They also have student discounts.
You can fit a lot of clothing into a large box. Home Depot and Lowes have lots of choices for moving boxes if you can’t find free ones the size you need. Stack your clothes in a pile and measure it to get a notion of how many boxes you need, and what dimensions can work.
You can get cost estimates from UPS and FedEx. There are calculators right on their websites. Often they have boxes for sale, and at some locations they will pack things dor you.
@BunsenBurner makes a good point about flying Southwest. You can pack 100 pounds of clothing into two large boxes and check it as (free) baggage.
When my D was in school in NYC we shipped items from California using FedEx Ground and I was able to use my company rate at the time so it was very inexpensive. She always flew Southwest because of the free bags.