I really, really need specific advice about how exactly to ship a mattress and box spring cross-country (Nashville to Portland, OR.) Greyhound Freight sounded like such a great idea and it would be about $100 per piece, but it is literally not possible to get information from anybody at the actual Nashville location, and it’s widely known as one of the worst Greyhound stations anywhere. I don’t know if I would trust it to get on the bus. Are there ANY other options for two 60 x 79.5 packages weighing 100 lbs and 50lbs for that price??
I tried the UPS web site and got the message that “Package exceeds the maximum size total constraints of 165 inches (length + girth, where girth is 2 x width plus 2 x height).” I assume a thickness of 10".
I just googled “Freight companies” and it seems there are companies who will put you in touch w/ various freight carriers. I didn’t go far, but here’s an example http://www.thefreightrateco.com
UPS and FedEx both have freight svcs, too. However, unless it’s a fancy new mattress, it’s probably logistically easier and cheaper to purchase a new one.
I just don’t see that it would be worth it to replace these. The set cost $700.00 new and after sleeping on it for a year, I do not want to EVER go back to a lower quality mattress and box spring set. A mattress is basically the one major-purchase thing that I just flat out refuse to even try to buy used (and if y’all had worked where I did and seen what happens to used mattresses, you wouldn’t do it either!) The Freight Rate Co quoted $177.50, and I left a phone message.
I’m getting rid of a LOT!! of stuff for this move and fitting everything into a 5 x 8 trailer, but there does come a point where it isn’t worth it to get rid of certain things… it just costs even more to replace them.
Try posting on uShip. You might find someone with a partial load going that way. If so, the price should be reasonable. The more flexible you can be with dates, the better your chances of finding someone.
Being in the transportation business, and echoing earlier sentiments, the dimensions of a mattress set in relation to the value of same make shipping it impractical.
The few times I’ve bought something that size online, it came by truck freight. Roadway seems to be the most common. But it will cost hundreds of dollars.
Have you thought about shipping your car and driving a U-haul truck yourself? (Or tow the car with the U-haul truck. ) That may turn out to be cheaper, if it lets you keep more things that you’d otherwise have to buy new at the destination.
Or forget the trailer and get one of those fill-it-yourself storage containers, where they deliver it to your house, you fill it and then they deliver it to the new house.
Yes, UPS, Fedex, etc will do freight, and UPS will typically do it for 50% off for the first time you use them (for freight).
Check freightquote.com , and check your local shipping stores as they sometimes have resources for this.
With any freight company, get them to give you a firm price, and there are horror stories about freight companies quoting a weight-based rate, then charging tons more when it gets to the destination, claiming that it was a bit over the quoted rate.
Some freight companies will ask for the mattresses to be properly boxed, etc.
I’ve moved quite a bit and usually not found the POD-type services to be worth the price. Personally, I’d get a slightly larger trailer and take it with me. But I’ve learned to throw away lots of things every time I move. I think of it as a push to purge my life of unnecessary junk.
OHhh… no. That option is $1,400 MORE than towing a trailer, for the smallest truck that provides almost no more room* than *the smallest trailer. (Where’s that smilie with its jaw dropping down…) Yes. Not $1400 in total; one thousand and four hundred dollars more. I think it’s because we’re driving so far. I am very nervous about towing a larger trailer with this van, and my mechanic agrees. I am already getting rid of 90% of my belongings. And between paying $700 for the same replacement mattress and box springs and shipping it for less than $200, shipping is going to win out. (Y’all, please don’t ever get a used mattress. I’ve seen things you would not believe, and you just don’t want to know…) That’s why I’m just looking for shipping options.
The advice to get a firm quote is very good. I agree about the POD services too; the prices seem just ridiculous and a lot of places do much better. I will check everything out!
Be careful here. There is one well known fill-it-yourself storage containers company that has several accusations against it where the containers end up in a holding area for several days instead of a direct shipment. Since the container is effectively “in storage” and not “in transit,” additional storage fees apply. The accusations continue that the minimum storage payment is 30 days. So while a direct in transit could be, for example, seven days, it actually takes 10 days and you are charged an additional 30-day storage fee for those three days it deliberately sits somewhere.
