So, you consulted our list of tips and tricks for finding a house, and you LASTLY discovered a home in New York City. Regrettably, apartment or condo hunting is just half the battle. Actually moving your things to the new location is next, and it's about as enjoyable as preparing for the L Train shutdown while stuck in an escape space without any A/C in August, only to re-emerge into a dystopian hellscape where boozy breakfast is banned. That is, it's nobody's favorite weekend.
That's why we're here to make the entire process a little less nuts. Below, you'll find an extensive guide: services, hacks, and suggestions (consisting of some notes crowd-sourced from buddies) for moving as efficiently and cheaply as possible. Welcome home.
You can change your mailing address online here-- it takes 10 days to process.
Contact all entities that harass you for money monthly
Credit card business, student loans, Con Edison, and your cable television company need to know you're moving. Log onto your Con Ed account and click "Solutions and Outages" to change your address and shut off service at your old apartment. A great idea? Alert doctors, banks, and HR at your workplace.
Be Wi-Fi-enabled on Day 1
" If you prepare on getting internet/cable in your new house, learn who the service provider in the building is ahead of time and set up the installation for the afternoon you relocate," Jamie R. states. "When the Time Warner person is two hours late, you'll still be there putting together that dresser from Ikea anyway. Now at least you can complete it while seeing the brand-new season of Jailed Advancement on Netflix."
Procedure the doors and areas of your brand-new apartment or condo
Some doorways in NYC houses are insanely small, and you'll wish to make certain your sectional couch will fit through the door, and in the real living space, prior to you carry it up five flights.
boxes
Purge your apartment or condo of everything you haven't used in the last six months
It's time to be discerning. You probably don't need the cumbersome armchair in the corner that nobody rests on ... ever. And you certainly don't need that record player that appears like a travel suitcase that you got at Urban Outfitters. Rather of throwing them away, contribute them, offer them on an app, or set up flyers in your building and have an excellent old-fashioned stoop sale. The less things you need to move, the less expensive and less time-consuming moving day will be.
Safe and secure packaging materials ...
For new and dependably strong boxes, City Moving Boxes sells brand-new boxes and leas recyclable ones with totally free same-day delivery. Buy/rent boxes and bins by the piece or in entire packages, based upon how much you're moving. (Example: a one-room kit expenses $72.90 and includes two XL boxes, five big boxes, six medium boxes, six little boxes, 50 feet of bubble wrap, 3 rolls of tape, and a marker.) Recyclable plastic boxes are arranged the exact same way.
With Bin It, a mini-storage system, a set of stackable plastic bins will be dropped off at your location, and got at your brand-new pad after your relocation two to four weeks later on. U-Haul likewise offers cardboard moving kits/boxes by the piece.
... But do not ignore the "Free" section of Craigslist
Boxes discovered through a fast search of "moving boxes" certainly might (read: will) break down, but they will be free. If they think they're getting an excellent deal, the complimentary section is also exceptional for getting rid of old furniture-- the majority of individuals are happy to handle select up.
Scavenge for boxes
Establishments that get major deliveries on the reg will likely have a big supply of cardboard that they're looking to dump. Try the closest grocery store/liquor store/furniture shop and let them know you're looking for shipping boxes.
pals moving
" If you go with this choice, stock the refrigerator with beer and red wine PRIOR TO moving your stuff in so it has time to get cold," James H. says. "Absolutely nothing is worse than the 'are the beers cold?' check every 5 minutes." Solid recommendations, James H. Solid suggestions.
Ask your proprietor for the keys a couple of days before your lease start date
This method you can use the train or cab to bring things to the brand-new place over a couple of days, which will eliminate the bulk of the deal with the actual day. Even if you need to spend for the extra days, it's typically worth it, particularly if it allows you to get a better deal on a truck/movers.
Usage Zipcar for small moves
And take smaller products over in shifts. Zipcars run from either $9.25/ hour or $89 for the day (plus a $25 application cost and an annual charge of $70 if you're brand-new), so be sure of the number of trips you require to make. Remember though, many cars and trucks won't be big enough to fit a bed mattress!
Rent a U-Haul for the big things
Pickup trucks and 9-foot vans start at $20 a day plus mileage. Rates differ by postal code, but 10-foot trucks will run you about $150. Bear in mind: anything bigger than a van is considered a truck, so make certain to map out a truck lane route if you move between districts.
Install your A/C before you move anything
Trust us if you're moving in the summertime.
Make certain you have someone on truck-watch while you bring stuff in
Explain the job you need done-- aid packing, aid with one big item, or someone to move your whole home (van included)-- and the website discovers local "taskers." Each tasker has their own hourly rate, in addition to user evaluations and suggestions. Depending upon what you require, prices differ from about $40 to $100 per hour.
movers
There's a billions of these guys around, a few of suspicious credibility, but Guy With a Van or NYcityVAN are excellent places to start. Unlike moving companies, whose rates fluctuate depending on several aspects (square video, distance moved, items to be moved, and stairs or elevator), man with a van costs are quite fixed and more affordable total.
Bite the bullet and hire real movers
It's the simplest (read: most costly) method to move-- you most likely won't get away with spending less than $400, including suggestion. Simply bear in mind, the majority of companies require you to send a comprehensive stock or perhaps set up a house call to get an idea of your space and how much they're moving previously providing you a quote.
For a little studio with very little furnishings, Bunny Movers will probably run you close to $400. Clearly if everything in your apartment is large West Elm pieces, the price will reflect that.
Some companies like to show up get more info and screw you by charging extra for each little thing. Dumbo Moving is not one of them.
Tidy Cut Moving breaks pricing down by apartment or condo size. A barebones studio home relocation will begin at around $300, and a two-bedroom will go run about $600. Extreme Movers is known to have similar rates, and FlatRate Moving starts at around $500.
Move on an "off day"
If you do decide to use professionals movers, they're typically busiest at the beginning and end of the month, and weekends. Negotiate a discount rate by moving mid-week or mid-month.
Idea your movers
Five percent per mover is market requirement-- to put it simply, the least quantity of loan you can get away with. That's just $20 per individual if you were fortunate adequate to score an expert relocation for simply $400. Wouldn't it feel nice to double that amount? Or even make it a good, crisp, $50 per person? You 'd still have moved with pros like some type of Rockefeller for under $500. If they were on time, efficient, here and didn't break anything, no one's gon na balk if you provide them a little extra.