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Reasons to Hire a Professional Moving Service When Relocating Apartments

07/15/2018
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When it’s time to move to another apartment, stress levels can get out of control. If the thought of packing and moving all of your belongings leaves you feeling overwhelmed, it’s time to consider the benefits of hiring a professional moving company. No matter how big or small the moving project is, the move will go easier when you hire a professional moving service.

Save Time With Professional Movers

It takes time to pack up all of your stuff and relocate to another apartment. When you are in a time crunch, you may not have the friends or family members you need to get you moved on time. When you hire a professional moving service, the job gets done faster. You’ll have the help you need when you need it, and you won’t have to worry about getting out of your old apartment in time.

Stay Safe During a Move

Moving can be difficult on the body physically. If you don’t have a physical job, or you are otherwise in poor shape, moving heavy boxes can wreak havoc on the body. To avoid injury, work with a professional moving company that is licensed and insured to protect workers in the event of an injury. You can avoid getting hurt, and can free up your time for more important tasks.

You Don’t Need to Find Packing Materials

As Cheap Movers Seattle (cheapmoversseattle.com) notes, if you hire a professional moving service, they will:

  • pack up your belongings with the right packing materials
  • bring all necessary packing supplies
  • keep the move organized and on time

You won’t have to worry about your valuables getting damaged, and you won’t have to deal with trying to carry heavy furniture into your new apartment. A moving service gives you the peace of mind you need when you are going through a move so that you can focus on setting up utilities, work, and other responsibilities.

You May Need Short Term Storage

If your new apartment isn’t ready right away, a professional moving company can store your household of belongings for you. Once your space is ready, your belongings can be brought to you at your new apartment. You don’t have to worry about packing up a storage unit, which will save you valuable time.

Your Belongings are Packed Correctly

When you have valuables that are fragile, packing must be done correctly. You don’t want to depend on friends or family members to know how to pack your antiques, China, or other valuable items. A moving company will pack your fragile items carefully, mark the boxes and move your valuable items from one apartment to another without harm. If there is damage, your items are insured by the moving company, and you will receive financial compensation.

If it’s time to move from one apartment or another, consider hiring a professional moving company. You will be able to focus on your move in other ways while getting all the help you need to make your move go well.

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Six Tips for Packing and Moving Your Apartment with Ease

07/08/2018
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Moving is an event that can cause a great deal of stress, but it doesn’t have to. Moving is definitely a challenge, and it is a lot of work. Nothing will change that, but a good moving plan can make it much easier to navigate. Here are six ways that you can simplify the process of moving out of your apartment.

1. Don’t Move It, Sell It

It makes no sense to box something up, haul it to your new place, and unpack it if you don’t even want it anymore! Moving sales are a time-honored tradition for people who realize what a waste of effort that is, and social media makes them easier than ever to pull off. A quick post of a photo and a price will move more things than you might expect.

2. Measure Your Treasure

When you found your new place, you began developing a vision of how you wanted to place all your furniture and other fixtures. Then you arrived and found that nothing fits. Problems like this are easy to avoid. Measure all your large belongings before you start moving so that you can get the apartment floor plan figured out before you start lugging heavy furniture. That brings us to our next point.

3. Move in a Sequence

Moving day is often hurried. You’re trying to minimize the time that you pay movers or impose on friends. You can do a much better job of this if you think about where things go first. Make your first load the one that goes furthest through the new place. Get this big stuff in place at the dead end, then work your way back so that you don’t have furniture in the entry or hallway in the way.

4. Know When You Need Help

Anybody can pack up boxes of kitchen utensils and haul them across town, but other belongings will call for better help or better transportation. For the heaviest and most fragile items, hire moving services or rent a vehicle so that you can get everything moved with the least risk of damage to the items and injuries to the workers. Local moving companies will often offer hourly rates on in-town moves.

5. Plan for the Weather

The most common problem encountered on moving day is bad weather. Have a backup date if possible, but otherwise, make provisions for it. Buy cheap plastic drop cloths to cover sensitive items, and have dry clothes inside the new place ready to remove water immediately. Set aside high-profile items like mirrors until winds subside. Ice down plenty of drinks for hot moving days, and prepare hot drinks for winter moves.

6. Plan Routes

Traffic can ruin the entire day’s schedule. Research traffic patterns to know what areas you should avoid, and make sure all drivers have route information and navigation systems to find alternate routes when traffic issues develop unexpectedly. Be sure that you have cell contact with everyone involved in the move in case of breakdowns or accidents.

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Cleaning Tips for Moving Out of Your Apartment

07/13/2017
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You put a lot of money into moving into your apartment, and you’d like to recover it when you move out. However, that security deposit is only yours if your place passes inspection and looks like new after you leave. If that’s not enough to stress you out and cause you anxiety, nothing is. You’re […]

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What to Know About Moving Day in New York City

07/06/2017
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New York City is a hectic, lively environment. In particular, moving day in New York City can be chaotic yet fun at the same time. There are a few key things to know to streamline the process and ease your concerns about moving.

Hire Professional Movers

Professional movers are incredibly useful on moving day. Even if you think you have everything under control, the choice to hire NYC movers can provide the confidence you need to proceed. They will bring specialized equipment and vehicles that expedite the day. You will be able to concentrate on your next home or apartment instead of whether or not your belongings are safe. These movers have experience with all sorts of boxes and moving materials to ensure your belongings are properly packed. Your items do not need to be in perfect shape, as the workers can transport them using lifts and motorized vehicles.

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The Deal with Apartment Elevators

On moving day, apartment elevators can be congested in larger apartments. If there is only one elevator in the building, you could be faced with long waits and crowded elevators. The night before, decide which items can be carried down the stairs with ease. Putting these goods on the side, you can make trips by both elevator and stairs for maximum efficiency.

How to Handle Apartment Rules

Each apartment has distinct move-out rules. For a complete list, go online to the landowner’s site and review the guidelines. It is important that you adhere to all move out rules on the big day. If you violate any of these rules, you could be subject to additional fines and fees that will be charged to your account. Erring on the safe side is always a smart move.

Unloading on the Street

New York City has specific rules about the parking and standing of commercial vehicles, like moving trucks. There are regulations on the distance from curbs and fire hydrants that do not exist on most weekdays of the year. While convenience is a priority, you need to respect these laws for the safety of everybody on the street. It is a safety hazard to pedestrians if they have to share the road with unloading vehicles.

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Know the Moving Hours

Some apartments have designated moving hours where lobbies and elevators are open. Outside of those hours, the landowners want you to respect noise levels for residents who are asleep. Because moving hours can vary between weekdays and weekends, it is best to clarify these beforehand. If your move takes more than one day, splitting up time equally will avoid a rush at the end of the first day. You don’t want to panic as the end of moving hours draws near.

Moving day in New York City is an unforgettable experience. While you might be in a rush to get to your target destination, make sure to clean your apartment and respect all rules fully. Also be sure to check out our relocation resources page for recommendations on our favorite NYC moving companies, best staging services, and more.

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Things to Know Before Renting an Apartment in Manhattan

06/27/2017
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If you have done some apartment hunting, you know just how high the rents can be. Some practices, rules, and realities make Manhattan’s real estate different from that of the average city. Here are a few things you should know before renting an apartment in NYC:

Know Your Budget:

You obviously need to know how much rent you can afford based on your other monthly expenses. Your prospective landlord will verify your income. As a general rule, you need an annual gross income 40 times the apartment’s monthly rent. If you make $80,000 a year, the maximum rent, you could pay works out to $2,000 a month. If you need someone to cosign or guarantee the rent for you, because your credit score is low, that person will need to twice the income. Do you know anyone who makes twice as much money as you who will co-sign the lease? Don’t forget to factor in your cash-flow availability after you account for the cost of an NYC move.

Know Your Costs:

A minor point, but many apartments charge a fee. This is in on top of the security deposit, application fee, and office administration fees that are common in other places. Try searching for no-fee apartments on Zillow or Craigslist. Add up the fees and costs before even asking for an application. It might cost $4000 to move into that $1900 a month apartment, so make sure the costs are manageable. If your credit is weak prepare to pay more.

Plan to Find a Roommate:

The odds are good that even if your credit is great, your income is not high enough. Finding someone in the city who needs a roommate is one way around that issue. If you are lucky, you have a friend or sibling who wants to move to Manhattan. This is the only easy way to cut the cost of housing in Manhattan and put a decent apartment in reach. Try roommate matching apps like Roomi to find someone you can share with.

Flexibility is Important:

Because of the high rents and the competition for any vacancy, it makes sense to be open-minded about where you live in Manhattan. The borough is compact and well served by mass transit. The difference in rent between Chelsea, for example, and a nondescript NYC neighborhood can be hundreds of dollars a month for basically the same apartment.

Have Your Paperwork Ready:

At a minimum, have copies of financial records scanned and saved as PDF documents. The prospective landlord will want to see W-2s, your latest tax return, and a photo ID. If you are moving to start a new job, have an electronic copy of your offer letter available. You will also need money available to cover a security deposit and the first months’ rent. This will probably mean obtaining a money order or cashier’s check ahead of time, as most landlords will not accept personal checks. Keep in mind that many of these observations apply just as well in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.

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5 Most Desirable Neighborhoods in NYC

06/15/2017
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New York City is one of the most exciting and active cities in the world. Thanks to a plethora of entertainment options and a wide range of professional opportunities, it can be a great city to call home. When looking to move to New York City, it can be hard to decide which area in […]

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