Dreaming of moving to Southern Missouri from out of state?
My family and I did just that in 2021, escaping the post-pandemic madness of California.
Self-styled ‘political refugees’, seeking asylum somewhere we could homestead, attend a CHURCH (not a 501c3 tax shelter imitating one, and closing doors whenever someone sneezed), and be part of a community of like-minded people seeking similar things and living more simply.
We found all that and more moving to the Ozarks, and couldn’t be happier. But our Journey here was not without trials and learning experiences. I’d like to share this short blog in hopes of helping others avoid some of the mistakes we made along the way.
Downsize!
We moved almost 2000 miles, from Chico, CA to Mountain Grove, MO.
We got rid of lots of things before our move. We sold things. We gave away things. In true Wiltse family tradition, we burned some things. After all that we still managed to completely fill a 26 foot truck, and both of our vehicles.
Fast Forward almost 3 years later to present, and another move to a new home down the road about 20 minutes, and a LOT of that stuff is still in the same boxes it made its way here in from California! I couldn’t even tell you what’s in half of them, but they have moved twice now, and never been opened.
Point is, we often hold on to more things than we really need; save time, money, and energy by downsizing before your move. Here is a link to an article about just that I wish I would have read: https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/moving-services/downsizing-before-a-move/
With the high cost of moving, my wife and I both agree if we were ever to do it again we would pack only sentimental items, sell everything else, and use that money and that saved not hiring movers to just buy new things once in the new home.
Hire Legitimate Movers!
Don’t hire these guys.
As moving day approached and boxes began piling up, so did the stress. I had a U-haul reserved, but was getting worried about driving something that big across the country, towing the additional vehicle, etc. So I googled moving companies again and filled out a few forms on different websites, and ultimately found a quote that was just a little more expensive than doing it myself. Relieved, I booked their services.
A crew of 3 guys showed up on the day scheduled, in an unmarked truck, and loaded up everything we owned that didn’t fit into my ford ranger or my wife’s nissan. They literally did almost everything in this article: https://www.moving.com/tips/warning-signs-that-you-are-dealing-with-a-fake-mover/
Once the truck was full, they asked for a large ‘deposit’, more than half of the agreed on payment. This was not discussed prior, but the stuff was already completely loaded, and we were ready and eager to hit the road. After raising a bit of a fuss, I finally acquiesced, paid them, and they left, assuring us they would be there when we planned to be arrive, allowing ourselves 4 days to make the 2000 mile trek. With California in the rear-view mirror, and the Southern Missouri Ozarks on the horizon, all seemed well…
Except it became clear very soon that it wasn’t.
Once out of our driveway, all communication ended with these scammers. We had fallen prey to a fraudulent moving company. They had thousands of our money already and all of our things. We were at a rest stop somewhere in Wyoming on Day 3 when it became really apparent. We filed a police report, and that was when we found out how common this had become, and were given very little hope of ever seeing our things again.
Many tears later, a wonderful lawyer friend, search warrants, and God’s Grace, 12 storage units in San Jose, CA were found under the same name as the person who had rented the truck. Our stuff, and that of many others, was found marked for sale among these dozen units. After much time and the help of many people, our stuff was sorted and delivered to us, unloaded under police supervision.
We were one of the lucky ones! Most people never get their stuff back. Remember, you usually get what you pay for! Due your diligence if you decide to hire movers.
God is Good
We would go through it all again if that’s what it took, but hopefully your journey can be more peaceful than ours.
Strangers in a strange land, people heard our story and organized donations of clothing, money, etc. during the long period of waiting for all this to unfold. The outreach and support was overwhelming, and an absolute confirmation that we were where we were supposed to be, and that we had found the community we had been hoping for.
Years have passed now and we still feel the same way. If you are thinking of making the move, motivated by similar reasons or others, the Southern Missouri Ozarks are truly a wonderful place to be, and we couldn’t recommend it more. If you are considering making the move, reach out! We have since had the privilege of helping many other families make the Journey! If we can help you find a place, or just share our testimony in hopes of inspiring a move, please reach out! I’d love to talk with you