Small Moves San Diego

What Small Moves From San Diego Usually Look Like

San Diego has one of the largest military populations in the country, and its universities and research campuses bring people in and send them out every year. Between them, they produce a steady stream of moves that are too big for the car and too small to fill a moving van.

Military Families on PCS Orders

Sailors at Naval Base San Diego and Naval Base Coronado, Marines at Camp Pendleton and aviation units at MCAS Miramar often ship only part of a household. It might be the furniture that will not fit in housing at the next duty station, or the pieces a spouse wants waiting at a family home while the service member reports in. Because the bill follows packed weight, a partial shipment costs only what it weighs.

If you plan a Personally Procured Move, talk to your installation’s transportation office before you book any carrier, since its rules decide what gets reimbursed. Ship Smart is licensed, bonded and insured (MC-381032, DOT 2226241), and you hire us directly.

Students, Researchers and New Jobs

UC San Diego runs on quarters, so its spring term ends in June, while SDSU and USD wrap up their spring semesters in May. A graduate student leaving La Jolla might ship a desk, a bed frame and a dozen boxes of books. Staff at the labs and biotech firms in Sorrento Valley and Torrey Pines who accept a job in another state can send a one-bedroom’s worth ahead and fly.

Downsizing and Family Estates

Longtime owners in La Jolla, Coronado and Rancho Santa Fe who sell the house may keep a few rooms of furniture and pass the rest to children out of state. On our published San Diego routes, a medium load of about 1,200 lbs is estimated at $1,750 to $2,950. The online estimator gives the exact price for your load.

Planning Your San Diego Pickup by Building Type

Pickup is scheduled 2 to 10 business days after you book, and the estimate covers white glove pickup from the first floor. What the crew needs to know beyond that depends on the kind of place you are leaving.

Towers in Downtown, Little Italy and East Village

Condo and apartment towers near the waterfront and Petco Park usually ask for a reserved freight elevator, a loading dock slot and a certificate of insurance from the mover. Request the building’s move-out form as soon as you have a date. Call (866) 333-8018 to check access at your building before you book.

Garden Apartments in Clairemont, Mira Mesa and University City

Much of the rental housing on the mesas is two or three stories, with outdoor stairs and covered carport parking. If your unit is upstairs, say so when you book. Ask the leasing office to hold a space near your building for the truck.

Base Housing

A pickup inside a base gate depends on the driver getting through, and that follows the installation’s visitor rules, so call (866) 333-8018 before you book an on-base pickup. Military family housing outside a gate is handled like any other street address.

Dates That Book Up First

May and June bring semester and quarter endings, and PCS moves run heavy through the summer. The last few days of any month are crowded too, because that is when many San Diego leases end. If your move-out date is fixed, book at least 10 days ahead; same-week pickup is often possible, though extra fees may apply.