Love it or hate it, most New Yorkers have to move at some point. And moving is happening a lot more this time of year.
Memorial Day kicks off the busiest season of the year for moving. Kids are out of school, the weather’s warmer, college kids have graduated.
But how do you find a reliable mover? When’s the best time of year to move? What are tricks to be sure you get your security deposit back?
Whether you’re relocating from Brooklyn to the Bronx or trading a cramped studio for a cozy one-bedroom, moving in New York City is an experience like no other.
To reduce some stress and hopefully save some money during this process, WNYC’s Kousha Navidar talked to Caroline Utz, senior editorial director for the Spruce, on a recent episode of “All Of It.” An edited version of their conversation is below.
Kousha Navidar: Caroline, what are some strategies around booking early for movers or rental trucks? Are we talking a month ahead of time?
Caroline Utz: Definitely a month ahead of time sounds good. It’s really important, too, to choose a weekday if you can. Often, that’s a less popular time, and you might even get a discount.
When are the best times of year to move to New York City?
The busiest time is over the summer. The market is definitely hottest right now. If you’re looking for a slightly quieter time to move, it’s much less competitive in winter to find an apartment or to book a mover.
Why is winter less competitive?
Fewer graduations, the weather’s a little bit poor, people are just hunkering down and not really thinking about making a big change right then.
What are the unique challenges of New York City that people might face in terms of moving?
Some things are just always going to be trickier in New York. Like parking. It can be really hard to find a great parking spot. One thing I always recommend is checking with the building or complex that you’re moving to, to see if there is a designated parking spot. That can help a lot if you’re driving yourself. The thing to remember here is that they deal with this stuff all the time, so they may have a parking solution for you.
What if they don’t have a parking solution?
Sometimes you do need to double park, but it’s important that you’re taking heed of all the street signs, if there’s a no-standing sign and things like that. Always have multiple people available if you can so that someone can move the car if they need to. I always recommend just looking on nyc.gov or calling 311 to get your questions answered about parking. They’ll have a lot of information for you as it does vary street by street.
What if you need to declutter your stuff? How can you decide quickly what needs to go?
I like to use the 20/20 rule. If I’m not sure if I want to part with an item yet, I like to take a look at it, and if it would take less than 20 minutes for me to donate it or $20 to replace if I really need it, I either donate it, sell it online, or host a garage sale … all of that good stuff. I also really love a Facebook Buy Nothing group. That’s a great way to get rid of items or find something you might need.
Caroline, we’ve got a bunch of callers. Let’s start with Monelique in Bushwick.
Monelique: My tip is, if you’re going to pay movers, hire a moving company that’s going to give you a flat rate so you know exactly how much you’re going to pay for the move and it doesn’t matter how much time that move ends up taking.
Tipping etiquette for movers, what do you think about that?
Utz: Typically, you tip your movers about 15% to 20% of the total moving cost, or you can break it down to about $20 to $50 per person. This really depends on the distance of the move. If you’re moving down the block, it might be closer to 15%. If you’re doing one borough to another, it would be a bigger tip.
Let’s go to Suzanne in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Hey, Suzanne, welcome to the show.
Suzanne: Thank you. My tip is to take a video of the empty apartment, walls, floor, bathroom, just to make sure there’s no problem with getting your security deposit back.
Thank you so much. Hi, Irene. Welcome to the show.
Irene: Hi. My concern is I have very delicate French crystal. Do I pack this myself or do I leave it to the company, the movers, to do it? If I do it myself, can the boxes be insured?
Utz: Yes. My recommendation would definitely be to let the movers pack it. They do it all the time, but if you do want to pack it, I would just recommend getting moving insurance. It’s separate from a COI [certificate of insurance]. It can protect you from damage and loss and all of that good stuff.
What’s one thing people tend to forget about while moving that should be at the forefront of their minds?
Absolutely. I would always bring a bag with you, an overnight bag on your person, like you’re going on a weekend trip when you move. That first change of pajamas that you need, a change of clothes, toiletries, medication, pet food, if you have it, any important documents that you might not want to be packed, like a passport or a Social Security card or something like that. Have that on you when you go so you aren’t digging through boxes, trying to find those things you’ll need immediately.
