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Joined: Jan 2011
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Hey All, I realize this isn't really AC-related, but all of our prior moves have been covered by the Army, as have most of our friends' moves, so I'm kind of a neophyte in this area. We'll be moving our stuff from Minnesota to Miami for long-term storage while we're on AC this year, getting things going etc. Has anyone had very good experiences with any particular national moving company? There are so many, I was hoping for some direction from people who've had positive stories about their movers. Thanks!


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Hello KJoe.....Our parents went back to Wisconsin from California to visit their other grandchildren....Then they called to say they sold their house and would like us to pack up their things and send them to Teaupeloux Wisconsin.....(Not sure if that is spelled correctly)...Nonetheless we called Allied Moving and Storage. They did the whole thing from California for about $7,000 USD. They had a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home, 1 car, several storage sheds and lots of fun Hobbie materials.....Give them a call hopefully they can help....I used my contact through Rotary for a discount.....


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I dont particularly recommend a Mayflower agent who did our move, but they probably are all different.
What I do want to suggest to avoid extra charges later, is to have your items that you want to eventually shipped to Belize to be packed and shipped for International shipping the first time. Each item needs to go on an inventory and numbered with the corresponding number and value (you can use yard sale level values) on the inventory....box by box. It has to be done this way to be eventually assessed for customs and duty. And they do check every item.
When it arrives in Belize you need a good Customs agent to represent you. I can highly recommend Mike (Miguel) Torres in Belize City, when you get to that point....he saved me a lot of money.

Joined: Jan 2011
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Thanks Judyann, I appreciate the help! grin


The Immortal Words Of Socrates: I Drank What?
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Thanks Gwen. We can't have the items packed for international shipping on this move, as we'll be making the final decisions on which stuff will eventually be coming to the Island and which stuff will stay in Stateside storage only once the house is built, or at least well underway. I really appreciate the Customs Agent contact, we'll definitely need him! smile


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He made sure I didn't over value my stuff, got the wood furniture permit, and got the shipment released. I still use him when I have things shipped like cetol varnish we use on the house trim.

Joined: Dec 2009
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We have used different movers each time (our last trip being from MN to TN). Best advice I can give you is watch how they load and unload you possessions. The last company we used first delivered the wrong van full of furniture and when they final found ours and delivered we had several things damaged and had to be repaired or replaced. Which they did(buy the insurance) since we had the insurance. Without inspecting what came off the truck as it came off it would have been a disaster.

Last edited by fordshouse; 04/15/11 08:37 AM.
Joined: Jan 2011
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Thanks fh, which carrier/local agent did you use when leaving MN? it seems that the more research I do the more horror stories I find for every carrier, depending on the broker/agent and location! crazy


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I would consider the option of packing it yourself in several "POD" type deals and storing it in their facilities. There seems to be many more of these type businesses around now. That way you know in which pod certain things are. If you have the time yourself to pack your stuff it would be done much more conveniently and way more less expensive, in my opinion. I recently was involved ( watching ) my daughter get moved from one location in west L.A. to another location near by. They lived in a 1500 sq.ft, mother, father, baby, two cats. Fully insured move and I'm sure it was over $4,000 and have been too polite to ask. First day two guys come and pack everything and get it ready to move. The next day two trucks and a crew of 5 pack it up and move it 20 minute drive. They bring all the stuff in and place the big things where you tell them and leave all the stuff in the boxes where you tell them. They will unpack it if you pay them more to do that and they will take all the packing paper and boxes with them. Daughter didn't have that done. They charge for every box and if you return they you get 1/2 back. I unpacked the boxes with my daughter one at a time. They used great gobs of paper to wrap every thing. A little tiny plastic salt shaker was the size of a big coffee pot. A coffee pot was the size micro wave. Get the idea? In stead of putting the salt shaker in the coffee pot with a lot of other little things and then putting the coffee pot in the micro-wave to save space the don't care. Fully insured. We wound up with about 22 contractor size garbage bags with compacted warping paper. Had to call foe a bulk pick up for that. Half of a small bedroom is flattened moving boxes of various sizes. Cut the packing tape with a razor knife to fold them. They will pick up the boxes for $80. I don't know how much the boxes cost but I think about $5 or so each. So I think it would be better to pack it yourself tight and compact because storage costs are not cheap. Good luck and I hope this will add some insight.

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Just for what it's worth you would spend your time better by focusing on which broker in Belize you use. If you think that duty is anything like that for bringing things into the US you are in for a big shock. I would go so far as to say that a lot of stuff you probably shouldn't bring in as the duty on it will be as much or more than you can buy it for in the US. Unless things have changed they also charge duty using CIF method which means they charge you not only the value of the item (and that is what their books says it is not what you think it is) but also they charge you for the insurance costs associated with the shipping but the shipping costs as well.

I am certainly not trying to discourage you but you have to pay a lot of attention to details in doing something like this so you don't end with a good portion of your belongings stored at the port waiting for you to find the money to get them out. Of course there will also be a fair amount of your goods that are likely to go missing or be disallowed entry in to the country.

Get a good broker in Belize!


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