I'm in the middle of unpacking all my stuff that arrived from California. I had two storage units (Pretty large ones) filled with personal effects from my home near Los Angeles. Once the house was sold last year, everything was put in there instead of being shipped to Dallas due to personal matters that have long since been resolved.

Now that I'm here in Seattle, I was able to get the money together to get all my stuff shipped here. Here's the kicker... Microsoft is paying for professional movers to move my things from Dallas to Seattle. Supposedly a first class operation, but NOOO. The moving company they use, Graebel movers, are a bunch of incompetent loons. First, they send me an email saying they are ready to inspect my home in Dallas. They then don't talk to me for over 3 weeks, and then they call their office in San Antonio to do the move. Uh, I'm in Dallas? Then they are angry at ME for it being a rush job once they finally get the Dallas office involved. Well, they knew about the move for 3 WEEKS and didn't do squat. No wonder it's rushed now. When they loaded things on the truck, they refused to take my ceramic casting table and other effects because "They weren't told about them". Uh, yes they were. How can you miss a 8 foot by 3 foot casting table? Hello?!? A water cooler, a table, water bottles... I'm still having to fight with them about how they are shipping the things they left behind. That casting table isn't something I can toss in the trunk of a car and bring it as a carry on bag on the plane.

The stuff from California? I used ABF which goes by the name http://www.upack.com which just drops off a trailer, you fill it, they drop it off in Seattle. No muss, no fuss. I had friends and family in Los Angeles get together and we got everything in the trailer. It arrived in Seattle over the weekend and with the help of two uhaul moving men, we got it all unloaded in 3 hours.

I'm certain I got my stuff from Los Angeles at a fraction of the cost Graebel is charging Microsoft, and I didn't have anything left behind.

One thing is for sure. I am NOT using Graebel movers nor will I recommend them to anyone. ABF on the other hand, is great if you're on a budget and don't mind getting your hands dirty. I've used them twice and have been happy both times.

Sometime this week, my stuff from Dallas is supposed to arrive sans the things they abandoned. I'm dreading what else they are going to screw up.