We made our 1400 mile move last month with this 15 cu ft soft-sided roof bag on our Honda CR-V’s bare roof and it went off without a hitch. We used the included no-slip mat, packed it heavy and the thing didn’t move a millimeter the entire trip. We lost 4-5 MPG in gas mileage between extra vehicle weight and wind resistance, which I thought was very reasonable. I’ve heard the loss is even smaller for cars.
We fit everything shown here, including the moving dolly, into that bag. The moving boxes were laid on their sides. Pretty impressive if you ask me.
We just did a cross country move. Partner took the dog in the moving truck, we packed up my small suv with our two cats. Put this divider up between the front seat and back, with the back seats down flat and put their beds and a disposable litter box. They were able to look out the windows and roam since I didn’t want to stress them out in a carrier the whole time. Just make sure to put child lock on the windows! Pet Barrier
Well, a SITE that I like to use is called TravelMath. It lets you plan these things out and is handy. A popular app is called TripIt, but I don't know how good it is personally. Another popular one is RoadTripper. Both should be found in the app stores.
12 hours a day seems to be a bit much for driving. If you can do it you are a machine. Just don't fall asleep and die. :-)
Oh yeah, I've gone the garbage bag route before too and it's definitely more bulky.
These are the ones I got. After the 5% discount and added tax it was $23.11. And they really are jumbo. You can reuse these bags over and over too. They have a decent thickness but if you accidentally poked a hole in it duct tape should handle it so you can continue to use them. I was in a hurry when I purchased them so I didn't research every choice so there might be better deals/options that I didn't see.
For small earrings you could get something like this to keep them separate.
5 Gram Cosmetic Containers 50pcs Sample Jars Tiny Makeup Sample Containers with lids https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076X4CLWD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_NA693GG5VJJVX633DGKA
I literally just moved this past weekend (granted not as far as you but still had to figure out the best way to pack) and found that clothes were best stored in suitcases and vaccum seal bags I found on Amazon very cheap. The vaccum seal bags were great for keeping clothes from wrinkling and saved a ton of space.
12 Travel Storage Bags for Clothes - Compression Bags for Travel - No Vacuum or Pump Sacks-Save Space in your Luggage Accessories https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WGTNF6Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_iTC2CbJ7YMFDQ
As for shoes, we bought some heavy duty cardboard boxes from home depot and stored in there. Much easier to pack than in bags.
Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car, these will also be good to hold a litter box/toys/food too while traveling.
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with animals:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.
And for long drives that require overnight stays, there are quite a few hotel chains that accept pets. Red Roof Inn is one, Motel 6 I heard takes pets as well, I know there are more. AirBnB's can also be a great option with pets.
Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car, these will also be good to hold a litter box/toys/food too while traveling. And if you do 2 cars like you mentioned it'd be very doable.
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with animals:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.
edit: And for such a long drive there are quite a few hotel chains that accept pets. Red Roof Inn is one, I know there are more
I don't know anything about traveling with pets on airlines, but if you have the option of renting a car and having a nice drive, Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car, these will also be good to hold a litter box/toys/food too while traveling:
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with the cats:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.
Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car, these will also be good to hold a litter box too while traveling:
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with the cats:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Easy. Use this mattress bag, the best quality and worth paying for. Has so many handles that will be useful. it's heavy duty too. It's not going to hold up in heavy rain but you could put one of the thin bags inside it to help or put another piece of tarp over it tied well. The brand is Troverr. Good service.
https://www.amazon.com/MATTRESS-BAG-FOR-MOVING-STORAGE/dp/B09NC22V2R?maas=maas\_adg\_FB17C44342D8A73D3EA751B4766D5571\_afap\_abs&ref\_=aa\_maas&tag=maas
You absolutely can do that. You are correct, you will need a wifi router to take the place of the router that Spectrum charges $5/month to rent. [This](https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-AC1000-Router-Ethernet-R6080/dp/B071J24FNY) would do the job just fine and at $39.95, would pay for itself in 8 months. One thing I do like like about Spectrum is they don't charge cable modem rental fees, so you can continue to use their cable modem.
Get a mattress on Amazon and order it base on when it would be delivered. I bought this $300 mattress a year ago and it’s comparable to the mattress that Mattress Firm listed for $3k. If I buy it again I will get a thinner one, because I like adding a 3” topper. Another option would be a quick trip to Ikea but that’s location dependent.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NH0XWNU
I would recommend starting with something like this, which straps to the roof of your car. We drove 1400 miles with it and it worked flawlessly. This is what we were able to fit into ours. There are some additional items behind the boxes that don't really show in the pic but let's just say it increased our available space a lot. It works best when packed heavy (up to 150 lbs). If you still don't have enough room, you could ship some of the boxes via UPS. Good luck.
Nice! Bro if you do a lot of moving do yourself a favor and get a good magliner hand truck. They're worth their weight in gold. And get one with the "no hassle" tires.
Magliner HMK15AG2C Aluminum Hand Truck, Vertical Loop Handle, 18" x 9" Aluminum Extruded Nose Plate, 500 lb Capacity
What kind of car do you have? Could you strap it them on the top of your car instead with a cargo bag? FIVKLEMNZ Car Cargo Carrier Bag, 20 Cubic Feet Waterproof Hitch Tray Cargo Carrier with 6 Reinforced Straps Suitable for All Vehicle with Steel Cargo Basket (59" 23" 23") https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087Q8TBVH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NXBM7RHP9R2GFXSKXPSF?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I use this harness and its surprisingly easy to get it on the cat, you definitively don't want them springing out of the car unexpectedly
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OBFHXU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is an example of a round padlock.
They are popular because they have a short shank and are harder to get bolt cutters through to cut open.
Understood.
They make pop up crates out of nylon that work well because they flex a bit, if the width isn’t quite right against the dash. It will give you a bit of error room, also allows you to slide the passenger seat forward to snug it against the dashboard.
You might be able to go to a Penske location and ask if you can measure the dimensions of the front seat.
If they aren’t escape artists. This style may work.
https://www.amazon.com/Zampa-Pet-Portable-Crate-Carrying/dp/B07Q184TTC/
My car doesn’t either. I got a bag that attaches with straps. This is like the one I got. I vacuum sealed my clothes and bedding mostly in there.
Waterproof Car Roof Top Cargo Carrier Bag with 8 Heavy-Duty Straps and Buckles | Weatherproof Luggage Roofbag for Rooftop Racks | Car Topper Bag for Sedan, SUV, Vans & More (15 Cubic Feet) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LB6WTF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_30MW65T50VY1NE9RSCG4
Some tips for driving with pets, you can get pet kennels that you can buckle into car seats and hold your pets safely. Amazon has a huge selection like this:
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with animals:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving'.
Also it's good to harness the pets to the carrier or something similar so they don't bolt out of the car unexpectedly, And for long drives that require overnight stays, there are quite a few hotel chains that accept pets. Red Roof Inn is one, Motel 6 I heard takes pets as well, I know there are more. AirBnB's can also be a great option with pets.
I've found the HotPads app really good. It gathers info from several sources including Craigslist and Zillow.
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hotpads-com/id345957475 android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hotpads.mobile
Some tips for driving with pets, you can get pet kennels that you can buckle into car seats and hold your pets safely. Amazon of course has a lot of options, this link has options between $25 and $120
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with animals:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving'.
Also it's good to harness the pets to the carrier or something similar so they don't bolt out of the car unexpectedly, And for long drives that require overnight stays, there are quite a few hotel chains that accept pets. Red Roof Inn is one, Motel 6 I heard takes pets as well, I know there are more. AirBnB's can also be a great option with pets.
I have moved long distance a few times with cats.
The thing that worked best was this: I got this soft pen and put it in the back of my car (my seats fold down, but you could just put is on the backseat). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076MD53NT/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_TJFY9V0J5H04CCRVQKTM
I even had a small Tupperware like container that I used as a litter box inside the pen. It is big enough that the cat is comfortable, and way less scary than a pet carrier.
mazon sells large pet carriers that attach to the backseat, large enough to hold food and even a covered litter box, here are 2 examples:
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with animals:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.
And for long drives that require overnight stays, there are quite a few hotel chains that accept pets. Red Roof Inn is one, Motel 6 I heard takes pets as well, I know there are more. AirBnB's can also be a great option with pets.
Amazon sells large pet carriers that attach to the backseat, large enough to hold food and even a covered litter box.
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with animals:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.
And for long drives that require overnight stays, there are quite a few hotel chains that accept pets. Red Roof Inn is one, Motel 6 I heard takes pets as well, I know there are more. AirBnB's can also be a great option with pets.
3M all-in-one repair kit. . It's inexpensive and works well. I used it to cover nail/screw holes in our 2 bedroom apartment last month, and the bottle is still half full.
Tips for driving with Cats:
Amazon sells large pet carriers that attach to the backseat, large enough to hold food and even a covered litter box.
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with animals:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.
And for long drives that require overnight stays, there are quite a few hotel chains that accept pets. Red Roof Inn is one, Motel 6 I heard takes pets as well, I know there are more. AirBnB's can also be a great option with pets.
I personally would choose the washer and dryer over an extra bedroom especially since you thought that one was cuter. but if you could put a washer and dryer in the two-bedroom, then it's a no-brainer. One option you can do in the two-bedroom if there's no hookups is use a portable washer and portable dryer they can be quite effective, portable washers hook up to the sink for example this one on Amazon and the portable dryers can vent out a window.
We just did an 18 hour move with two cats- one who is terrified of nearly everything. We laid down the back seats to make a flat area, put down beds, put a disposable litter box out and got q pet divider (similar to this to put between the driving area and them. Easy peasy.
Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car, these will also be good to hold a litter box/toys/food too while traveling:
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with the cats:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.
I don't know anything about AirAnimal, I personally would rather my cat be safe with me.
Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car, these will also be good to hold a litter box/toys/food too while traveling:
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with the cats:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.'
Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car, these will also be good to hold a litter box/toys/food too while traveling:
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with the cats:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.'
Personally I would rather spend money on new furniture than spend it on moving it and the hassle of packing it up/getting it there. Depends on your furniture though.
For moving with pets, if you rent a car/van/truck:
Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car, these will also be good to hold a litter box/toys/food too while traveling:
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with the cats:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Another great tip I read:
'We had harnesses for our cats that had a leash on them that buckled into our back seat. They could move around, had access to food and water and could use their litter box. The vet gave us a mild sedative for our older cat with cat trauma. It really helped her be calm in the beginning (and was pretty cheap to buy, around 30/40$) but by the third day she didn’t even need it and was looking out the window as we drove. We also started taking our cats to the car to eat dinner and hang out in there about a week before leaving.'
I saw your other reply about the train 7 hour time limit, maybe you could get special permission if you take special precautions or steps for your journey or pay extra?
Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car, these could work on a train too, if you are open to driving it could be a good option, these will also be good to hold a litter box too while traveling if you have any cats:
If you can have a friend drive with you, make it a fun adventure and buy their plane ticket back home. Or maybe instead of the price of the train, pay someone to drive you and you can be a passenger.
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with the cats:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'
Good luck, I hope you find a way to bring your little kitty friend or find a home for him where someone will love him as much as you, he will be heartbroken to lose you.
Some other options to consider for transportation, if you can rent a large passenger van to hold a couple kennels, Amazon sells large kennels that attach to the backseat of a car or van, if you are open to driving it could be a good option, these will also be good to hold a litter box too while traveling if you have any cats:
If you can have a friend drive with you, make it a fun adventure and buy their plane ticket back home
I read this review on Amazon with some great tips for traveling with the cats, would work for dogs too I imagine:
'We recently moved from California to Texas, and while we had our personal possessions shipped we took our cat, a spry 18 year-old kitty on our road trip with us. We ordered the carrier early, put a small blanket that smelled like her family in it, and placed it in the sunlight in one of her favorite spots to lay, in place of her bed. In under 3 days she was going in and out of the carrier like it was her bed. We made the trip across the western states from roadside attraction to roadside attraction, and she made the trip with ease.'f
and also for the drive research pet-friendly hotels.
These linenspa bags on amazon say they have room for a mattress with 16 inches of depth: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0ON0FT/ref=psdc_10671066011_t3_B00KQWXTGO?th=1 I glanced at the user reviews and some said they even fit 18 inches.
I don't think you'll have a problem storing a mattress in a bag for a long time, after all, they tend to spend a long time sitting in a warehouse that way. Don't really think it matters how it's stored either as long as it's not bent. Not that being bent would necessarily damage it (I've done it to transport one in a small car), but I think you run the risk of damaging springs if you do that.
I HIGHLY recommend something like this:
I've had a super similar experience (having to move out of a second floor, and the 180˚ turn on the stairs was murder), and I don't know how we'd have done it without the lifting harnesses. Get the ones that are full harnesses (like I've linked to), not the ones that just go over your forearms.
Would this be a fine substitute for that wrapping?
No Walmarts where I live unfortunately.