In general, moving is stressful. Moving in NYC is doubly so. Not only are you dealing with the stress of shoving your life into boxes, you also have to deal with horrible traffic, walk up buildings, narrow halls, and more. And that doesn’t even cover finding your new apartment.
While there’s no way that you’ll have a completely stress-free NYC move, there are ways you can reduce your workload so it’s more manageable. Below are some useful tips and tricks for an effective moving strategy.
Figure Out Moving Logistics Early
Are you planning on hiring movers or do you want to go the DIY route. There are pros and cons to both of them. Hiring NYC movers means you don’t have to do any of the heavy lifting, literally. Whether you’re just moving a few boxes or need help with bulkier furniture, professional moving companies have seen and done it all. On top of that, you can always hire them for other services like packing and storage.
The downside, of course, is that it costs you a lot more money than DIY. If you’re only moving a handful of boxes, renting a truck might be a good option since it is cheap. However, consider your own physical fitness, whether you’re moving to or from a walk-up building, and if you have the time to move yourself. Of course, you’ll need a license in order to rent a truck and then you’ll have to deal with NYC traffic.
Regardless of what route you choose to go, you should figure it out at least a month beforehand especially during peak moving season. That way, you won’t be left scrambling for a solution a couple of days before your move. Of course, you might need to make a last minute move, but the more time you have to plan, the better.
Downsize and Create an Inventory
The less stuff you have, the faster your move. Go through all of your things and start sorting them into at least two groups: keep and toss. You can add a few more if you have some things you think you could donate or sell. When decluttering, follow the 5 second rule where you do not let any item touch your hands for longer than 5 seconds. Your brain won’t have enough time to overthink your choices and instead you can quickly separate your belongings into piles. And remember, once you have moved an item to a pil, do NOT touch it again!
Once you’ve downsized everything, you can create an inventory of everything you plan on keeping. When creating your inventory, make sure to write up a description and list the amount you have of each item. For better results, take pictures of your fragile and/or valuable items like dishware, electronics, and so forth to record the starting condition of these objects before your move. That way, if you use professional movers and they end up damaging something, you have proof that the item was in good condition beforehand.
Ask for Help
Even if you’re not going the DIY move route, it’s still a good idea to ask for a friend or family member for support. Depending on the person, you could ask them to help you pack or maybe even just provide some advice on their own moving experience. Heck, you could even ask them for some packing supplies like boxes or tape to reduce your overhead costs. If you are able to enlist some friends to help you pack, host a packing party complete with some snacks and maybe even a bit of wine or beer to keep it fun.
The more people you can enlist, the easier the moving process will be. Even if your friends or family members aren’t able to physically help out, even just chatting with them on the phone while you pack can make the process go that much faster. And, of course, don’t forget to take some time off during the move to go out and unwind! Grab some dinner or drinks with your local friends as a reward to a hard day of packing and/or decluttering.
Pack Smart
Packing is definitely the most time-consuming process of moving, especially when done properly. Ideally, you’ll start packing a couple of weeks before your move date in order to space out the process over a longer period of time. When packing, start with a room or area that is not used often first. Your last day you should pack away your necessities like sheets, pots, pans, etc.
But that’s not all. There’s a right and wrong way to pack. When packing, remember to put heavy items like books in smaller boxes to distribute the weight over several boxes instead of one big box. On the other hand, you can stuff your bedding and pillows in larger boxes. Don’t forget to take advantage of wardrobe box rentals you might get from the NYC moving company you hire. NYC Great Movers offers three free wardrobe box rentals so you can easily put all your hanging clothes into one box. When it comes to packing glassware and dishes, consider purchasing boxes specifically for these items and gently wrap each one in tissue paper or bubble wrap.
While you’re filling up the boxes, don’t forget to label each one so it’s clear what is in each box and where it should be placed. You can also color-code boxes to make it easier to distinguish what boxes should go in which room. And, of course, don’t forget to label all boxes with fragile items so you and/or the NYC movers handle them with care. Once you’ve filled up the boxes, make sure to tape them well. Tape up the center seam twice and always add tape along the bottom edges where the flaps fold in.
Keep an Essentials Box or Bag
Whether you’re handling all the moving logistics yourself or hiring an NYC moving company, it’s important that you have easy access to everything you’ll need the day of your move. That includes things like:
- Moving contract
- Lease information
- Clothes for the next few days
- Any medication
- Toiletries
- Towels
- Bedding
Basically, you want to pack up your essentials box or bag like you would for a 2-3 day hotel stay with the addition of additional items to make your move nice and easy. After all, you don’t want to dig through boxes to find your towels or sheets when you’re about to take a shower or go to bed for the evening. And speaking of necessities, make sure to unpack these first. This includes things like kitchen supplies, additional toiletries, and more. After that, move room by room.
Make Your NYC Move
Moving doesn’t have to be a high stress process. Sure, there will still be things you need to consider and handle, but following these 5 tips can make it a lot easier. For an even easier time, hire NYC Great Movers. We’ll handle all the logistics of moving your stuff and you can even hire us to take the packing and unpacking tasks off your hands, too!
FAQ
How much does an NYC move cost?
Cost depends on how much you are moving and how far you are moving. The more stuff you have and the more distance you need to travel, the more expensive it will be.
What is the best time to move in NYC?
It depends on your timing. Ideally, you would want to move on a Friday or Saturday so you have a few days to settle into your new place and unpack. If possible, move between October-April as you’ll avoid the huge moving rush. That way, you have more options when it comes to moving companies and many might even be running promotions.
What happens if something gets damaged during the move?
If NYC movers damage your belongings, it will be covered by the free partial valuation protection which will pay you $0.60 per pound per damaged or lost item. Of course, if you have more valuable belongings, consider opting for the full-value protection which will cost you money based on the weight of your belongings.
