Today I’m sharing an update about our move to Colorado. The decision came together quickly, and now we’re in the thick of planning and packing. I’m amazed at how fast everything is progressing and very excited for this next chapter.
Of all the moves we’ve made, this one is by far the biggest. We’ve moved several times before, but those were generally short-distance and relatively inexpensive. Over the last five years we’ve accumulated a lot more belongings—collecting, keeping, and buying things—which makes this relocation more complex than previous ones, even if it were just across town.
This will be our longest and most costly move to date. I’ve heard stories of people spending upward of $10,000 on moves, and that’s a figure we were determined to avoid. Below I’ll outline our moving expenses, what choices we considered, and what remains on our moving checklist.
Related:
- 75+ Ways To Make Money Each Month
- 30+ Ways To Save Money Each Month
- 8 Things To Sell To Make Money
Moving supply costs
Surprisingly, moving supplies cost less than I expected. Prices vary widely, so it pays to compare options. Many moving companies charge around $5 per box, while home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s often sell boxes for $1 to $1.50 each. Buying moving box kits can also be more economical than single boxes.
We purchased bubble wrap and a lot of packing tape, and our total spent on supplies was about $100. That said, we could have avoided most of those costs by sourcing free boxes from Craigslist, local stores, or community groups. We considered that, but because the move happened quickly I admit we didn’t pursue free supplies as much as we could have.
The cost of moving to Colorado
Until recently we planned to rent a moving truck and make the drive ourselves, but logistical challenges made that option impractical. We have two cars to relocate in addition to all our belongings and only two people to handle the move. While towing one car behind a moving truck is possible, the long drive—over a thousand miles and through steep mountain terrain—made that idea unappealing and potentially risky.
Wes’s father mentioned that his employer uses UPack for employee relocations, so I researched their services. After comparing options, we decided to use UPack. They were the most convenient and cost-effective solution given our circumstances.
UPack drops a trailer at your home, you load it at your pace, they pick it up and transport it to your new address. Since they handle the long-haul portion, we avoid driving a large rental truck and the added complexity of towing a car. That means fewer stops, less stress, and no separate car-shipping arrangements.
Price-wise, UPack was similar to renting a truck once you add all the extra costs of a DIY truck move—lodging, higher fuel consumption for a rental truck, additional insurance, and the effort of transporting a second vehicle. A U-Haul rental for our move would have been roughly $2,500 after estimating vehicle rental, insurance, and fuel, but when you add extra hotel nights and transporting the second car, total costs could easily approach $3,000–$3,500. UPack quoted $3,000 for the route from St. Louis to Fruita, which felt like a fair trade for less hassle and a safer, more predictable move.
My moving checklist
So far, the move hasn’t been as overwhelming as I expected. Many items on our checklist are complete, and the remaining tasks are manageable. If you want a comprehensive checklist, UPack provides a useful one that helped us stay organized.
Remaining items on our moving checklist:
- Arrange the trailer drop-off and pickup at the new house. This is critical so our belongings arrive when we do.
- Cancel internet at our Missouri home. We’ve already cut cable.
- Confirm arrival time with the unloading crew at the new house. Since it’s just me and Wes—and I’m not strong—we’ll need help moving heavy furniture inside.
- Schedule Charter internet installation at the new home. Getting internet set up quickly is a priority so I can continue working as soon as possible after we arrive.
- Notify companies of our address change. We still need to inform our car insurance, bank, and a few other providers.
- Do a final walkthrough of the house. We’ll make sure nothing is left behind and that the property is clean for the sale.
- Obtain new driver’s licenses and register our cars in Colorado.
- Switch health insurance plans. Our current coverage is limited to certain Missouri providers, so we need new coverage that works in Colorado.
How much did your last move cost? What steps did you take to save money? Does moving to Colorado on short notice sound crazy to you? Is there anything else I should add to this checklist?