My Last-Minute Seattle to Chicago Move with SMARTBOX
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Seattle, WA → Chicago, IL
$3,466
2-bedroom, ~1,000 sq ft, two containers
$3,880
+$414 for unloading help
2,100 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I compared four quotes before I hired SMARTBOX for my Washington to Illinois move.
- My final bill landed $414 over the container quote, because our new place had three flights of stairs and we hired Two Men and a Truck to help unload.
- I shared all of it, my quotes, my bills, and my ratings, as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
See what your move really costs before a mover tells you.
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This account is based on a conversation with Marilyn L., who moved from Seattle, Washington, to Chicago, Illinois, in July 2022 using SMARTBOX. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from Washington to Illinois
My husband found out about a new job opportunity in Chicago less than a month before his start date. Since we’d moved before, we knew that planning was the key to making our move as painless and affordable as possible. I focused on companies that offered flexible moving solutions and easy online quotes because there just wasn’t time for in-home surveys or long-winded sales pitches.
I found our moving company in just one day. After preparing a preliminary budget using moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator, I got quotes from full-service movers and moving container companies to compare my options.
I used moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to build a preliminary budget before I started collecting real quotes.
My SMARTBOX experience at a glance
Here’s what stood out most about moving with SMARTBOX, good and bad.
- Communication: SMARTBOX communicated adequately throughout my move, and I loved being able to handle nearly everything online.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: SMARTBOX’s quote for two moving containers was right on the money.
- Professionalism: I was impressed by my delivery drivers’ patience and professionalism from start to finish.
- Timeliness: My containers arrived in Chicago just ten days after leaving Seattle, a fast turnaround on a 2,100-mile move during peak moving season.
- Loss and damage: Nothing was lost or damaged on my move.
- Would I use SMARTBOX again? Yes. I had a great experience and would recommend them to anyone planning a similar move.
over my original SMARTBOX quote
Find out what a move from Washington → Illinois actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose SMARTBOX
I relied on Yelp and moveBuddha to find service providers. With SMARTBOX, I only had to fill out a brief questionnaire before getting a quote, and I could handle nearly everything online from there. SMARTBOX was more expensive than U-Pack, but the quote included $10,000 of insurance and SMARTBOX had more service dates available than any other option I found, including Sundays.
With my husband’s start date rapidly approaching, that availability made all the difference. SMARTBOX also ranks on moveBuddha’s best moving container companies list, which gave me added confidence. My husband and I were pleased to find a top-notch container company with reasonable prices. The customer service from SMARTBOX wasn’t great after I booked, but I found helpful information on the company’s website. We were still concerned about our artwork, a 65-inch flat-screen television, and a jewelry mirror that would need special attention.
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my relocation, including what I was quoted and what I actually paid for my Washington to Illinois move.
| Move date | July 22, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Moved from | Seattle, WA |
| Moved to | Chicago, IL |
| Distance | About 2,100 miles |
| Move size | Two bedrooms, approximately 1,000 square feet |
| Moving company | SMARTBOX |
| Moving quote | $3,466 for two moving containers |
| Actual cost | $3,880 (including $414 for a crew from Two Men and a Truck to help with unloading in Chicago) |
According to moveBuddha, users who compare movers with the moving cost calculator save more than 30% on average versus taking the first quote they receive.
Quotes I compared
Here’s how my four quotes broke down.
| Moving company | Move type | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan River Moving and Storage | Full-service | $5,756 |
| Move Happy | Full-service | $3,600 |
| SMARTBOX | Moving container | $3,466 |
| U-Pack | Moving container | $2,601 |
Getting ready for moving day
With a quote I could afford from a company I felt comfortable with, I didn’t wait to reserve our dates and containers. My husband and I stayed organized by sourcing boxes, paper, and tape, and packing a few cartons at a time.
Most of our items fit in standard cartons, but we wrapped the flat screen in bubble wrap and bed sheets and packed it in a sturdy television box from U-Haul. We protected our artwork by wrapping each piece individually and then bundling them together.
My husband and I were willing to do the packing ourselves, but we weren’t thrilled about carrying boxes and heavy furniture. Luckily, we were able to round up enough friends to help with loading in Seattle. We decided to hire movers in Chicago because there were multiple flights of stairs leading up to our new place. Two Men and a Truck provided a quote for between $351 and $591 depending on how long the crew worked. Their customer service representative put us at ease with clear, detailed answers.
Pickup day
I was impressed that my empty moving containers showed up exactly when SMARTBOX said they would. My husband, our helpers, and I knocked out loading in about six hours. The process went smoothly but took slightly longer than expected.
In hindsight, I wish we’d hired movers to help with loading too. Neither of us is as young as we used to be, and six hours of physical labor wore us out.
Pro tip: Consider hiring a loading crew even if you have friends willing to help. Our guide to the best moving container companies covers which ones offer loading help as an add-on.
Delivery day
SMARTBOX didn’t communicate proactively while my containers were en route, but I contacted their customer service department regularly to get updates. In the end, my containers arrived in Chicago just ten days after leaving Seattle. That’s a surprisingly quick turnaround on a 2,100-mile move during peak moving season.
I also liked that the containers could be dropped off and picked back up on the same day, since our new place was on a narrow street. The movers from Two Men and a Truck showed up earlier than scheduled and waited 90 minutes for the containers to arrive, but I wasn’t charged for that wait time.
When the SMARTBOX driver arrived, he parked his semi a few blocks away and moved the containers into place with a forklift. The crew worked efficiently while my husband and I prepared refreshments, drank coffee, and directed them on where to put everything. Despite three flights of stairs, unloading took just 90 minutes. When the containers were empty, the driver hauled them away.
My container costs came in exactly at the quoted price. The final bill from Two Men and a Truck came to $414. I paid via credit card and gave the crew a cash tip for a job well done. Two Men and a Truck followed up with a post-move phone call and email survey, but SMARTBOX didn’t reach out to see how things went.
Final thoughts
My husband and I got top-notch service from both of our service providers. SMARTBOX and Two Men and a Truck came through with easy communication, quick and transparent pricing, professionalism and flexibility, and on-time service.
We were pleasantly surprised that everything turned out so well given the timing and last-minute nature of our move, and we’d definitely consider using both companies again.
My one frustration was the multi-hour delivery windows from both SMARTBOX and Two Men and a Truck, which made it difficult to multitask and coordinate their services. That said, I know this is largely unavoidable because moving and container companies have to juggle commitments from multiple customers each day.
If you’re planning a long-distance move, use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to compare quotes and build a realistic budget before you book.
My ratings
Here’s how I rated SMARTBOX’s performance on a scale of one to five.
- Communication: 4/5. SMARTBOX handled everything I needed online, but they weren’t proactive about updates while my containers were in transit. I had to call for status checks.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: 5/5. My $3,466 quote for two containers matched my final bill exactly. The $414 add-on was for a separate service, not a change to SMARTBOX’s number.
- Timeliness: 5/5. My containers reached Chicago in just ten days, a fast turnaround for a 2,100-mile move during peak season.
- Overall experience: 5/5. Between the accurate quote, the flexible service dates, and the careful drivers, SMARTBOX delivered exactly what I needed on a tight timeline.
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Marilyn L.’s experience:
- Work with companies that provide easy online quotes with no hidden fees: This saves time and lets you compare options without sitting through long sales pitches or in-home surveys.
- Vet and book service providers well in advance: Marilyn didn’t have this luxury on her move, which added stress to an already tight timeline.
- Hire labor for loading and unloading if you can afford it: Six hours of loading wore Marilyn and her husband out. Professional help is worth the cost, especially on a long-distance move.
- Declutter and donate things you no longer need before you move: Reducing what you’re shipping lowers costs and makes packing and unpacking much more manageable. Many donation organizations will even pick items up from your home.
- Use a one-stop-shop like moveBuddha to compare service options quickly: It cuts research time and makes it easier to spot the best value for your specific route and move size.
- Use a “hide my email” feature and omit your phone number when requesting online quotes: This cuts down on annoying follow-up communication from companies you didn’t choose.
Moving soon? We’ll pay you $500 to tell it like Marilyn L. did.
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