Moving in New York City. What an utterly crazy, but sometimes necessary, undertaking. To make sure that you have a smooth, stress-free hop from one apartment to another, check out these 10 tips from FlatRate Moving.
Board Your Pet for Moving Day
Find one of the those doggie day cares in your neighborhood. You know you have one. Any sort of place that will take your pet for the day will do. Your puppy or cat or iguana needs to be out from under foot. Plus, they will get to chill with all their friends while you are moving.
Try to Keep the Weather in Mind
Super hot days are not the greatest time to be slogging boxes up and down multiple flights of stairs. Try to keep July and August off the moving calendar if at all possible. Of course, if you’re planning to hire a reliable moving company to help you with the process, you won’t have to worry that much.
If your lease terms throw a wrench into those plans, just make sure to hydrate. And pick up some hydration for your hard-working moving crew. They might show their appreciation with extra care.
Move In Days
Be sure to find out how your new building handles moves. In New York, they almost certainly have some sort of weekday-only policy or special elevator restrictions.
Keep Your Boxes Movable
You might feel tempted to put your Dutch oven, cast-iron skillet, slow cooker and all the rest of your pots and pans in one box. Don’t. According to experts at movedaymovers.com, even if you get movers, you are going to want all your boxes to be movable by one set of hands. Makes things more efficient.
Pack Early
Get all the supplies you need as early as possible. Packing tape, Sharpies, a label maker, a clipboard. Start the process at least a month out. It may be annoying to live in a cardboard kingdom in the weeks leading up to relocation, but it will make the day of so much easier.
Sell, Sell, Sell
Take advantage of Craigslist. That LP collection you lugged up to your 5th floor walk up five years ago? Make some money by unloading that on some sentimental music lover.
Use Your Luggage
Fill up whatever suitcases, backpacks, duffel bags and computer bags you have lying around. You can probably fit all your shoes and a good portion of your wardrobe in your suitcases. Any kind of receptacle you have that can transport your stuff safely will help you save some cash on cardboard boxes.
The Big Stuff
Consider leaving large furniture items, like your bed or sofa, behind. See if the incoming tenants want to purchase it. Negotiate with your super/landlord, also include the average rent in NYC, which can be pretty high depending on the season. At least asking the questions could save you lots of time and hassle moving your large items.
Celebrate the Savings
With all the cash you’ll save using FlatRate Moving, you should be able to pop a bottle at Babbo or Del Posto.
Have a Move-In Party
Even if you are not all set up, have a few close friends over for a wine, cheese and unpacking party. They will have some fun going through your more, ahem, personal items, like those wild photo albums from college. Plus, you can divide the labor of picking through all those boxes. Just be sure to spring for some really good wine and nice appetizers so you won’t feel quite as guilty about getting your friends to unpack for you.
Photos: FlatRate Moving, luggage by Les Haines, champagne by Deon Odendaal
The co-founder and editor-at-large at offMetro, Lauren is a sustainable travel specialist and freelance journalist with frequent bylines in National Geographic, Bicycling Magazine and Shape. Follow Lauren’s adventures at @laurenmati.
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