Moving in New York City comes with challenges you won’t experience everywhere else. Before moving day, you may need to reserve a freight elevator, confirm apartment building rules, and figure out where the moving truck can park. Once the move begins, narrow hallways, stairs, and tight entrances can add another layer of difficulty to the equation.
A successful NYC move comes down to planning. Give yourself enough time, understand the costs, check the rules at both buildings, and hire movers who know how the city works.
Big John’s Moving has helped New Yorkers move since 1977. After more than 45 years of navigating NYC apartments, buildings, and streets, we know what makes moving day easier. Here are our tips for keeping your next move on track.
Plan Your NYC Move 8 to 10 Weeks Ahead
If you have the time, begin planning about eight to 10 weeks before your move. NYC moves have a lot of moving parts, and some of them depend on other people’s schedules.
Create a master timeline with your moving date at the end. Then work backward. Give yourself deadlines for hiring movers, contacting your buildings, reserving elevators, packing, and taking care of utilities.
Breaking the process into weekly goals makes a big move feel much more manageable. You might spend one week sorting belongings and the next packing items you rarely use. Save everyday necessities for the final days.
Reserve your moving company early, especially if you’re moving during a busy time of year. You should also contact both buildings about elevator availability. Waiting until the last minute could leave you with movers booked for 9 a.m. and an elevator that isn’t available until noon.
If more than one person is involved in the move, choose one person to communicate with movers, building management, and other vendors. Having one point of contact reduces crossed wires and makes it easier to keep track of changing details.
Build a Realistic Moving Budget
Knowing what you can spend is important, but a useful moving budget needs to account for more than the price of the truck.
Moving costs can include labor, transportation, packing services, packing materials, specialty handling, and storage. The size of your home and the amount of furniture you own also affect the final cost. Long carries, stairs, and other access issues may affect the work involved as well.
Moving companies generally charge either by the hour or offer a flat-rate price. With hourly pricing, your final cost depends on how long the move takes. With flat-rate pricing, the mover quotes one price based on factors such as your inventory, distance, and the work required.
Whichever pricing structure applies, ask for a written estimate and understand what it covers. A low number doesn’t mean much if important services have been left out.
Leave some breathing room in your budget, too. Even with careful planning, unexpected expenses can come up.
Costs That Are Easy to Overlook
Building-related charges are particularly easy to miss. Some properties charge fees to reserve elevators or require deposits associated with a move. Ask management about these expenses before setting your budget.
You should also understand what happens if your move runs longer than expected. Ask your mover how additional time is handled and whether overtime or other charges could apply. Delays caused by elevator access, building restrictions, or heavy traffic can all affect the schedule, so it helps to know how extra time is billed.
Then look beyond the move itself. Setting up utilities, paying building amenity fees, or replacing small household essentials can add to your expenses. Accounting for these costs early gives you a much more realistic picture of what your move will actually cost.
Choose the Right NYC Moving Company
A moving company is responsible for nearly everything you own for at least part of the day. Price matters, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you consider. Experience, communication, and familiarity with NYC buildings can matter just as much.
First, verify that the company has the appropriate licensing and registration for your move. For moves that fall under federal requirements, you can also verify applicable U.S. Department of Transportation information.
Ask about insurance coverage and get your estimate in writing. When comparing estimates, look at what each company actually includes rather than simply choosing the lowest number. A detailed estimate can also help you spot missing services or unexpected charges before moving day.
It’s also worth asking who will perform the move. Some companies subcontract jobs to other carriers or crews. If that matters to you, find out before you sign anything. You should know who will be handling your belongings and who to contact if questions come up.
Big John’s Moving does not subcontract moves. Our professional movers use our own trucks, so the company you hire is the company that shows up to handle your belongings.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring Movers
A short conversation before booking can tell you a lot about a moving company. Ask questions such as:
- How far in advance should I book? A good mover should give you a realistic timeline based on your moving date and the type of move. Be cautious if a company guarantees last-minute availability without asking for any details.
- How do you handle stairs, narrow hallways, or difficult building access? Experienced NYC movers should be comfortable discussing tight spaces and other access challenges. A vague answer may suggest they haven’t properly considered the logistics.
- What happens if my moving date or schedule changes? Ask about rescheduling policies and any related fees. Look for clear terms rather than an answer that leaves you unsure what a change could cost.
- Do you provide packing materials or packing services? A full-service mover should clearly explain what packing help is available and what it costs. Watch for unclear pricing or uncertainty about who will perform the work.
- Can you accommodate temporary storage if my move-in date changes? A good mover should clearly explain available storage options and how your belongings will be handled. Be wary of companies that can’t tell you where your items will be stored or who will have responsibility for them.
Don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions when something is unclear.
Check Building Rules Before Moving Day
In NYC, hiring the movers is only part of the scheduling process. Your building may have its own rules about when and how a move will take place.
Contact management at both your current and new buildings as early as possible. Ask what paperwork is required and what hours movers are allowed to work. Buildings may restrict moves to certain days or time windows.
Freight elevators deserve special attention. If your building has one, find out whether you need a reservation. Check the available time slots before finalizing the schedule with your movers.
Many NYC buildings also require a Certificate of Insurance, commonly called a COI. The building may have specific coverage or documentation requirements, so get the exact instructions from management and provide them to your moving company.
Parking and loading can create another complication. Check the parking and loading rules at both addresses, along with any relevant NYC Department of Transportation requirements, before moving day. The easier it is for the crew to access the building, the smoother the loading and unloading process can be.
Don’t assume the rules at your old and new buildings are the same. They probably aren’t.
Pack for an NYC Move
Good packing protects your belongings, but it also keeps moving day moving.
Work through your home room by room. Start with things you can live without for several weeks, like decorative pieces, books, or out-of-season items. Leave your everyday essentials for last.
Label every box clearly with its destination room. If something is fragile, write that on the box. This gives your movers useful information during loading and makes it easier to get boxes into the correct rooms at your new home.
It also helps to identify a few “open first” boxes. These boxes should hold any items you’ll need right away.
Avoid making boxes unnecessarily heavy. Large boxes may seem efficient, but once they’re packed with heavy items like books, they can be difficult to carry, especially down several flights of stairs.
If packing an entire apartment is more than you want to take on, Big John’s Moving also offers professional packing services and moving supplies.
Packing and Moving Specialty Items
Artwork, antiques, pianos, and other valuable or unusually shaped belongings require more planning than an ordinary box of household items.
Tell your mover about specialty pieces before moving day. Certain artwork and antiques may require custom crating or additional protection. If you have specific handling instructions for an antique, provide them in writing so the crew knows about them before the item is moved.
The same planning applies when your new home isn’t ready for everything you own. Climate-controlled storage can provide a temporary or longer-term place for belongings that won’t be moving into your new home right away.
Big John’s offers storage through Little John’s Storage, our secure, climate-controlled facility in the Bronx. This can be especially useful when closing dates, renovations, or move-in schedules don’t line up neatly.
Prepare for Moving Day
By moving day, most of the big decisions should already be made. Your job now is to keep the details organized.
Pack a bag or small suitcase with anything you’ll need immediately. Keep identification, important documents, medications, chargers, keys, and other necessities with you rather than putting them on the truck.
If you live in a staffed building, confirm the movers’ arrival time with your doorman or building management. Double-check your elevator reservation as well.
Before loading begins, take photos of your apartment. This gives you a record of its condition before furniture and boxes are moved out.
Stay nearby while the crew works, but give them room to do their jobs. If there are items that shouldn’t be moved, identify them clearly. Confirm the inventory with the crew when needed and speak up if something needs special attention.
At your destination, make sure the movers know where major pieces and labeled boxes should go. Making those decisions while items are coming through the door is much easier than rearranging an entire apartment later.
Settle Into Your New NYC Home
Once the truck leaves, resist the urge to unpack everything in one night.
Handle the essentials first. Make sure your utilities are working and update your address with the organizations that need it. Take care of any local registrations or services that apply to your new home.
Once the basics are unpacked, take some time to explore your new neighborhood. Locate your nearest grocery store, pharmacy, bank, and other essential services. If you rely on public transportation, get familiar with your local subway and bus system.
Unpack the rooms you use most before worrying about decorative items. Getting your bed set up, your bathroom functional, and the basics into the kitchen can make the first night much more comfortable.
The rest can wait.
Make Your NYC Move Easier With Big John’s Moving
Moving in New York City requires planning, but you don’t have to figure out the logistics alone.
Big John’s Moving has served NYC for decades. As one of the city’s remaining independent moving companies, we handle local and long-distance moves with our own professional crews and our own modern, energy-efficient fleet. We never subcontract your move to another company.
We can also help with packing, storage, and the building requirements that come with many NYC moves, including COI requests. Senior citizens and military families can ask about available discounts.
Need a clearer idea of what your move will involve? Big John’s offers free estimates so you can understand the cost and plan accordingly.
Moving into, out of, or within New York City? Get your free quote from Big John’s Moving today.
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