Moving can be a stressful time for anyone. There are boxes to pack, things to label, items to purge, and furniture to get into the right position. Despite these challenges, moving is also an adventure. It’s an opportunity to experience something that could turn your life around. Be careful, though! Failing to prepare for a
Moving to NYC is no small choice to make. It can be difficult, especially for young people who have never been away from home. Still, the Big Apple offers plenty of experiences you’ll never find elsewhere. As the City of Dreams, it features the best restaurants, museums, shopping, and entertainment in the country. On top of
Moving might be one of life’s greatest challenges, yet it is a journey that can be worth it. If you’ve lived in the City for years, there are many reasons why you’d want to escape — crowded streets, the insane cost of living, suffocating noise, pollution, or simply to find greener pastures. Before you make the giant leap, you’ll have to consider a lot of things. But don’t worry, you’ll get through them all with careful planning. Here’s how you can prepare for your upcoming move to a newer and better life.
Never approach a long-distance move the same way you would a local one. This is a larger-scale operation involving more complicated logistics. You can’t just load up the moving truck and expect to make a smooth transition. You need a plan to guide you.
That being said, here are some ways to outline your plan:
Moving independently is a great way to save, but if you find yourself struggling or lost, hiring a moving company is not that expensive of an option. When you move on your own, you’ll encounter problems. Problems like breaking fragile items, damaging your furniture, having to carry heavy appliances, and things getting lost. Of course, not to mention going back and forth between your house and the moving truck and having to drive an unwieldy truck over miles and miles of interstate. Hiring professional NYC long-distance movers eliminates all these issues, assuring you of a successful relocation. On top of that, your items will be insured, so if anything goes wrong, you can rest easy knowing your belongings are in good hands.
The pain points that come with a move can seriously add up. The last thing you want to happen is to spend thousands of dollars on something that will leave you dissatisfied in the end. So, how can you ensure that you’re getting the best deal on your move? The best way to know is to compare quotes from multiple moving companies. Check out their services, inquire about discounts, and see if their rates justify your needs and budget. Once you’ve decided on a potential company, it’s time to take things to the next step.
You may have heard the horror stories of incompetent movers who’ve broken furniture or terrible tales of shady companies that hold their client’s belongings hostage. While these scenarios might seem scary, you can easily avoid them with the proper research. The first thing you should inspect from your potential company is their USDOT number. After obtaining it, run the number on the FMCSA mover search tool. This should give you an idea if the company is licensed or not. Other necessary checks you can do include:
Many families struggle to downsize. Most people don’t want to get rid of their stuff. However, you don’t want to do this, or else you’ll have to pay a lot more to ship everything. Basically, there are two ways to go about this: get it done with or take your time.
Remember that you don’t need to rush the move. Cherish old belongings as much as you can but learn to let go. Start by taking everything out of your closets, cabinets, and drawers. Sort out which things you can’t live without and which ones you can afford to lose. For the ones you plan on leaving behind, try to sell them to cover some expenses or give them away to your neighbors or a local donation center. Pro tip: some NYC charities offer free pick-up of donated items!
It’s easy to get carried away with packing that you might forget about other important matters. Canceling or transferring utilities is one of them. From setting up a new internet provider to managing your electricity and water, make sure you think through what services you’ll need at your new place. Contact your provider to see if they serve your new area. If yes, utility transfer shouldn’t be a problem. Just give them your new address. If not, you’ll have to look for a new provider and inquire about their setup process in advance.
Although you may have hired movers to help you, everyone in your family has a role to play in this transition. Have your kids pack their toys or help decide what they’re ready to get rid of. You can also have them play with your pet in a separate room when the movers arrive. The adults can then supervise the movers on what stuff to move and where to place things. All in all, labor division gives everyone a feeling of responsibility that is important in making the move a success.
While it’s not impossible to move in the Big Apple, brace yourself for all sorts of challenges to make it in this concrete jungle. Besides being one of the most expensive places in the U.S, NYC is among the most overpopulated. Landing a job might be a piece of cake but finding an affordable home?
When you look at the entire relocation process – packing, loading, transporting, and arranging – you’ll soon realize that hiring a professional moving company will make your transition much easier. This is especially true for a city as congested as the Big Apple, where you’ll have to deal with the crowded streets, narrow apartments, and old buildings with no elevators. While professional movers can be expensive, the benefits they offer far outweigh the costs. However, you have to make sure that you can trust your moving company or else you’ll risk losing money on bad moving services.
If you’re unsure about your potential hire, here’s how you can check to see if your NYC mover is legit.
Hiring a moving company is an investment. You want to be sure it will show up as promised, is properly insured, and, most importantly, that its crew has the knowledge and expertise to move your stuff safely. The best way to guarantee all this is by checking the mover’s license. It’ll serve as solid proof that they’re legally allowed to run a moving business.
For the most part, you only need one thing from your movers: their NYDOT number. It’s the ultimate proof they are running a legitimate company. See, this number is given only to companies that have complied with the strict requirements of the New York Commissioner of Transportation. To check your company’s DOT number, you can call the Commissioner’s office at (518) 457-6512 or send an email to nymoving@dot.ny.gov.
Thousands of stories out there speak of movers neglecting, losing, or even damaging clients’ belongings during a move. You’ll also hear about minor complaints like showing up late or leaving a mess after everything’s done. That’s why you should never underestimate the power of research.
Many companies claim to provide the best service you can ever ask for. But how do you know you’ll get what you paid for? The best way to ensure you’re getting top-quality service is by reading online reviews. The experiences and complaints of others can help you determine whether or not a company is worth hiring.
A company’s website tells a lot about its behavior and professionalism. Make sure to visit your potential mover’s site and evaluate the content. Doing so helps you decide if the movers are legit through its presentation. Rogue movers often don’t have websites or have poorly-written ones. Exploring the site also gives you an idea of how the company operates and how smoothly your move will go.
On top of that, you can find out whether or not the movers have anything to hide. Just don’t put too much trust in the testimonials, though. They can easily be faked. It’s better to check reviews or recommendations from actual people.
When it comes to hiring a moving company, people tend to focus on price. However, there’s more to a move than just the costs. You also need to learn about your potential company’s workflow, vision, reputation, and service quality. This is why it’s so important to interview your moving company in advance.
Over the years, it’s been proven that people who take time to research and ask the right questions before signing a contract end up having a much better moving experience. That said, here are some questions to ask your moving company.
Observe the movers’ response to these questions. You can tell if they’re legit if they can answer each one confidently in addition to your other specific concerns.
Rogue movers don’t care about your move at all. They’re only in for the money. That’s why most of them will name you a price over the phone without even looking at your home. Make sure you get an in-home estimate so you can gauge your movers’ behavior, especially if you’re planning an expensive long-distance move. However, scammers have become more cunning nowadays. Rogue movers will now also make the effort of visiting your home and fake an evaluation. If the company representative suspiciously gives you a price without even asking questions or scrutinizing your stuff, chances are it’s a company you’ll want to avoid at all costs.
For local moves, most NYC moving companies charge by the hour and can usually provide a fairly accurate estimate over the phone based on the number of bedrooms you’re moving.
Actions speak louder than words. The way your movers approach you is a major indicator of their overall attitude towards work. Do they show up on time to do an estimate? Are they polite and friendly over the phone? Do they provide you additional documents to put your mind at ease? The bottom line is, every legit moving company operates with an aura of professionalism and enthusiasm. Be mindful and observe.
