The Ultimate Guide to Moving to Manhattan

At any given time, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people moving to Manhattan. Even if you have made a Manhattan move a few times before, it can still be overwhelming and stressful. As one of the most sought after locations to live in, you’ll have competition for almost everything moving related whether it’s locking down a lease for your apartment or finding a professional moving company. Luckily, this handy guide can make your Manhattan move easy.

Choose Your Neighborhood

Before you even start looking for apartments you should figure out which Manhattan neighborhood matches your needs and budgets. You might want to live in the West Village, but can you afford the rent and/or find a roommate who can split the rent with you? And cheap rent isn’t everything. You definitely want to factor in things like safety and commute time when deciding where you want to live. 

Some factors you should consider when deciding where to live includes:

• Cost of living
• Proximity to work and/or school
• Lifestyle preferences 
• Amenities
• Access to public transportation
• Crime and safety

While you’re at it, research each neighborhood and create a list of pros and cons for each before making a decision.

Find and Apartment

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to a few neighborhoods, it’s time to start apartment hunting. This process is both exciting and stressful as you get to imagine yourself living in all these great places, but you also have to act fast as competition is fierce! On top of all that, you have to stay alert as you don’t want to fall for an apartment scam.

When looking for an apartment, you can use online sites like Streeteasy or Zillow to filter apartments in your price range, property type, pet policy, and number of bedrooms. You can get granular with these searches to find the exact apartment that suits your needs. If you already live in Manhattan or the other boroughs, always set up a time to view the apartment whether it’s setting up a private viewing or open house. 

If you plan on living with a roommate, make sure you both discuss your budget, lifestyle habits, and preferences. Encourage open and honest communication. One or both of you might have to compromise on something, but don’t be afraid to discuss deal breakers. If you’re looking for a roommate, turn to your network first to see if a friend, family member, or even coworker can recommend someone. If that doesn’t work, go online and use one of the many roommate search sites to find potential matches. Even if you end up with someone a friend recommended, make sure you have a long discussion about what you and the roommate expects when it comes to chores, splitting the rent, bills, etc. Once you’ve found a compatible roommate, start looking for a place that matches your needs.

Hire Professional Manhattan Movers

Moving in Manhattan is an art. The narrow streets, traffic, park logistics, and general craziness makes even the most experienced drivers stressed. There’s a reason why so many New Yorkers choose to hire professional Manhattan movers instead of renting a truck. Choosing the right moving company makes the transition smoother as it relieves you of the logistics of actually getting your stuff to your new apartment.

When looking for a moving company in Manhattan, start by getting recommendations from friends, family, or colleagues who you know have moved recently. Once you have your list, check their site to see what kinds of services they offer, what’s included in their basic move, and their Department of Transportation (DOT) Number. All professional movers have to register with the DOT in order to legally operate as a moving company. After that, you can contact the movers to get their proposed rates to see which one matches your budget and needs.

Plan Your Move

Getting movers is not the last step in your move. There’s still a lot of logistics you need to coordinate including notifying your current and new building management about your move out/in dates. Many buildings, especially those with elevators, have specific moving hours and need advance notice. If you are moving from or to a high rise you’ll need to reserve a freight elevator time. Many high rise buildings will require a certificate of insurance from the moving company to reserve the freight elevator, so make sure you let the movers know beforehand!

Besides that, make sure you know the physical layout and dimensions of your new apartment. You can ask the landlord or building management for a copy of the floor plan. If they don’t have one, see if you can take the measurements yourself and create a scaled down version. You can then use this to figure out if the furniture you own will even fit through the doors. 

Speaking of which, make sure to pay attention to the area outside of your apartment, too. Even if the couch fits in your new apartment, what happens if the hall or stairs leading to your apartment are too narrow? Make sure you notify the movers of these narrow spaces so they can plan accordingly. And don’t forget to mention any stairs the movers will have to climb up or down. Not only is it good manners, you can also avoid any surprise fees at the end of the move as all professional movers charge stair fees based on how many flights they have to climb. If you provide the information ahead of time, it will be included in your initial quote.

Create a Checklist

There are dozens of smaller tasks that make up the moving process and it’s easy to forget one when you’re trying to manage other aspects of your life. To keep yourself organized, create a checklist to make sure you get everything done. Some tasks to consider:

• Schedule your move-in day and coordinate with building management if necessary
• Get a certificate of insurance and reserve the elevator if you live in a high-rise
• Update your address
• Get packing supplies – boxes, tape, markers, packing paper, bubble wrap, etc.
• Clean your old apartment and make sure you paint it and patch up any holes

Declutter and Pack

It might be tempting to bring everything to your new apartment, but the simpler your move, the faster and cheaper it will be. Try to whittle your belongings down to the absolute essentials and either sell, donate, or throw out the rest. If you can get rid of some furniture, do it! You can always get a new bookcase or table that will match your new apartment layout later on. 

When it comes to deciding what to keep, use the six month rule. If you haven’t used an item at least once in the past six months, you probably don’t need it. For seasonal items, expand this to a year. Go through every single item in your apartment and remove anything that doesn’t fit the criteria. It’s tough, but if you haven’t worn a sweater in years do you really need it? 

Once you’ve decluttered, it’s time to pack. Take your time with this step! Create a detailed inventory of all your items, complete with descriptions and pictures, and don’t forget to label your boxes. Take extra care when packing fragile items to make sure they don’t get damaged during transit. If you don’t have the time or ability to pack, many professional movers can provide this service at an additional cost. For many people, it’s worth the extra money.

Moving Day and Onwards

Once the moving day has arrived, you should always double-check to make sure everything is packed properly. Your assigned movers should let you know when they plan on arriving beforehand so you can prepare. While you won’t need to lift a finger, you should still be present to supervise the loading to make sure they don’t forget any boxes or items. Once they arrive at your new apartment, make sure to provide directions on where to place the furniture and boxes. After everything is unloaded, double check to make sure you have all the boxes and then sign off on the final bill. 

Once the movers are gone, it’s time to unpack! Focus on getting the essentials out of the box first. Get as much done as you can on the first day, but don’t forget to eat and relax! Once you’ve finished unpacking, dispose of boxes and then take some time to explore your new neighborhood and direct surroundings. It’s also a good idea to introduce yourself to your new neighbors!

Make Your Manhattan Move Easy

There’s no reason you need to be stressed out for your Manhattan move. Give NYC Great Movers a call and we can help walk you through the process. Our highly trained team knows all the quirks of moving in Manhattan whether that’s navigating narrow streets or staircases. So reach out today and we’ll get back to you with information.

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