I Shared Details of My Ohio to South Carolina Move for $500
Fact Checked by: 
Columbus, OH → Easley, SC
$5,200
After a $1,315 military discount
$5,147
$53 under, with a $150 stair carry
541 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I compared quotes from four companies for my Ohio to South Carolina move, and the ones I got back ranged from $5,200 to $7,400.
- My final bill came to $5,147, slightly under my quote, even after a $150 stair carry charge at the destination.
- I shared all of it, my quotes, my bills, and my ratings, as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
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This account is based on a conversation with Irena, who moved from Columbus, Ohio, to Easley, South Carolina, in January 2023 using Mayzlin Relocation. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from Ohio to South Carolina
After years in the military, my husband and I were ready to leave Ohio and retire in South Carolina. We decided on the move about a year in advance, which gave me time to be thorough about who we hired.
Our house was six rooms and 1,865 square feet, and the shipment was smaller than that suggests: about 40 boxes and furniture, roughly 5,000 pounds. Two things needed real care, a grandfather clock and a vintage arcade game. I never seriously considered renting a truck or using moving containers, because I wanted a full-service company that would pack and handle everything.
Multiple military moves had taught me how much can go wrong on a long-distance relocation. Price mattered, and so did finding a company that would communicate well, handle my things carefully, and do what it said it would do.
I compared pre-vetted companies from moveBuddha’s best interstate movers list and used the moving cost calculator to set a budget. According to moveBuddha, users who compare movers this way save more than 30% versus taking the first quote they get.
My Mayzlin Relocation experience at a glance
Here’s what stood out most about moving with Mayzlin Relocation, good and bad.
- Communication: Strong from the first phone call through delivery. I gave them a 4 rather than a 5 because nobody told me the pickup crew was running late, and once I raised it, the driver and my coordinator handled it well.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: I was quoted $5,200 and paid $5,147, slightly under, even with a $150 stair carry at the destination. The quote included a $1,315 military discount.
- Professionalism: High marks for the coordinators, the movers, and the drivers. They wrapped my grandfather clock in quilted blankets and then boxed cardboard around the glass without me asking.
- Timeliness: Pickup and delivery both happened on time, and total transit was 12 days.
- Loss and damage: Nothing was lost. A few minor dings and one broken wine glass across the whole shipment.
- Would I use Mayzlin Relocation again? Yes. I rated the overall experience a 5, and I’d hire them again without hesitating.
under my original Mayzlin quote
Find out what a move from Ohio → South Carolina actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose Mayzlin Relocation
Mayzlin’s sales representative called quickly after I submitted my request, introduced himself, went through my move details, and emailed a formal estimate. Of everyone I spoke to, he’s the one I got the best feeling from, and the company’s online reviews backed that up.
Their $5,200 covered full packing, door-to-door transportation, all applicable charges, and basic released-value coverage at 60 cents per pound per item. I declined additional moving insurance. The number also reflected a $1,315 military discount, which is a substantial share of what I’d otherwise have paid and worth asking about if you’re eligible.
One condition came with it. Because my shipment was small and crossing state lines, Mayzlin asked for a two-day pickup window so they could coordinate with other shipments. I’d have preferred a guaranteed single day, and given the size of my move it was a fair ask. A few days out, my rep called again to re-check the inventory, go through the details, and lock a firm pickup date.
rating
- Family-owned, with locations covering the East Coast
- Full refund if you cancel within 7 days of your move
- Hands-on customer service
- 24/7 support
- Price-matching policy
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my relocation, including what I was quoted and what I actually paid for my Ohio to South Carolina move.
| Moved from | Columbus, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Moved to | Easley, South Carolina |
| Distance | 541 miles |
| Move date | January 31, 2023 |
| Move size | Six rooms (1,865 square feet, about 40 boxes) |
| Moving company | Mayzlin Relocation |
| Moving quote | $5,200 |
| Actual cost | $5,147 |
We found that when you use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator, you can save 30% on moving costs compared to customers who go with the first quote they receive.
Quotes I compared
We settled on the move a year ahead and I gathered every quote I needed inside about two weeks. Here’s how they came back, cheapest first. What surprised me most was that my highest and lowest were thousands of dollars apart for the same shipment.
| Company | Estimated volume and weight | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mayzlin Relocation | 730 cubic feet / 5,110 pounds | $5,200 |
| Eagle Moving Group | 821 cubic feet / 5,747 pounds | $5,400 |
| Safeway Moving | 966 cubic feet / 6,762 pounds | $7,400 |
| American Van Lines | Not provided | No estimate provided |
Look at the volume column and the reason for the spread becomes obvious. Three companies sized the same six rooms at anywhere from 730 to 966 cubic feet. The $2,200 gap between my lowest and highest quote is mostly a disagreement about how much stuff I owned, not about the price of moving it.
Pickup day
In the run-up, my husband and I packed boxes whenever we had time, set aside the personal items we’d carry ourselves, stayed on top of housing issues as they came up, and spent a lot of time decluttering.
The crew arrived at 1:30 in the afternoon on January 31, a few hours later than I’d expected. My complaint isn’t that they were late, it’s that nobody told me. Once I raised it, the driver and my customer service rep both responded the way I’d want them to.
After introducing themselves and walking through the house, they inventoried everything, padded and protected the loose items and furniture, and started loading. The grandfather clock got quilted moving blankets and then a layer of cardboard around the outside to protect the glass, which is exactly the care I’d hoped for. I was impressed by how professional and detail-oriented they were, and my husband and I spent the day tidying, answering questions, packing last-minute things, and staying out of the way.
They worked for seven hours with only short breaks and finished close to nine at night, then faced a three-hour drive back to the warehouse. They needed one more person. The packing took longer than they’d planned for, and they were rushing by the end.
Delivery day
Mayzlin and I had agreed a delivery window weeks before the move, and I didn’t know which day inside it the truck would show up. All they could tell me was that I’d get at least 24 hours’ notice. That’s standard on state-to-state moves, and worth understanding before you start planning your week around a date.
Total transit came to 12 days. The driver went through my moving documents, collected the balance, and then he and his helper set up the walk board and started unloading. Everything went where we wanted it, and when we changed our minds they moved it again without a word of complaint.
Nearly everything arrived in perfect condition. A few minor dings and one broken wine glass out of 40 boxes, and I paid slightly less than expected even with a $150 stair carry charge at the new house.
Final thoughts
Here’s how I rated Mayzlin on a scale of 1 to 5: communication 4, timeliness 5, quote accuracy 5, and overall experience 5.
Four words I’d use for this company and its people: responsive, courteous, hard-working, honest. My move went pretty much as expected. They were easy to work with, transparent, professional on the phone, and quick to answer messages.
Two things I’d change. I wish they’d arrived earlier for pickup and brought another person, because the pack-out ran long and the crew was rushed at the end with a three-hour drive still ahead of them. And I wish I’d had a visual confirmation of what needed packing. The quality assurance department called for a final check and I’d assumed it would be a video walkthrough. It was a phone call confirming the original inventory. A virtual walk-through would have given them a truer picture of the volume, and I think that’s the single change that would have fixed the crew-size problem.
My advice to anyone in a similar spot: ask a lot of questions and make sure you fully understand the process before you sign.
Planning a long-distance move? Use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator to see what vetted movers are charging on routes like yours before you start making calls.
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Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Irena’s experience:
- Ask for a video walkthrough, not a phone confirmation: Irena’s quality assurance call re-read the original inventory instead of showing the crew her house. That’s why the pack-out ran seven hours with one person too few. Insist on a visual survey if the company offers one.
- Ask about a military discount: Irena’s quote included $1,315 off. Military, veteran, senior, and union discounts are common and rarely volunteered, so raise it before you get a number.
- Compare the volume estimates, not just the prices: Three companies sized Irena’s six rooms at 730 to 966 cubic feet, and that disagreement is most of the $2,200 spread in her quotes. A high number usually means a high guess.
- Expect a delivery window, not a delivery date: Irena got 24 hours’ notice inside an agreed window, which is standard on interstate moves. Plan around the window and don’t book anything that depends on a specific day.
- Flag a late crew early: Irena’s movers arrived a few hours behind with no heads-up, and once she raised it, both the driver and her coordinator responded well. Call your coordinator rather than waiting it out.
- Point out the fragile pieces before loading starts: Irena’s grandfather clock got quilted blankets and a cardboard shell around the glass. Tell the crew what worries you during the walkthrough, while there’s still time to wrap it properly.
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