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Moving is often considered one of the most stressful things people do in their lives. Even if you do all of the preparation far ahead of time, you might still feel stressed and have to deal with obstacles on the day you move in New York City.
When you are getting ready to move, you might be concerned about money, among other things.
Read our list of the best movers in New York City to reduce the stress of moving by getting everything taken care of quickly and smoothly.
If you are moving a smaller distance, or you are moving on short notice, a local mover may be the better choice. They often are also better at navigating around New York City. They could also have lower prices and better short-notice availability.
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Something that many people worry about when they're thinking about moving is the cost. In New York City, the typical hourly cost for movers is:
First, you'll have to decide if you're going to need a local or a national mover. Different kinds of moves require different sets of skills, as illustrated above. You will also need to determine if you're looking for a self-service or full-service moving company. Both types of companies provide trucks and the people to drive them. However, a full-service mover can also provide packing and loading services, which self-service companies will not. The company that you ultimately pick will depend on your budget and how badly you want to avoid packing boxes.
Next, you can check which moving companies near you meet the licensing requirements for movers in New York. You can also look for reviews online and look at the company's BBB rating. All of the companies on our list of the best movers in New York City are well-reviewed and selected by our experts.
Once you have a small list of companies to choose from, you can talk to them and inquire about getting a free estimate. It is in your best interest to speak with at least two of the companies from our above list. Be sure to explain to them all of the services that you're looking for, and to check that your estimate is a "binding estimate" — otherwise, it may be subject to change.
The below list contains some helpful resources for your move:
The median house value in New York City is approximately $657,816. Other facts about housing in New York City include:
There is greater tree coverage in New York City than in 38% of the country. Other natural features include:
The median income in New York City is $60,762. Other information about education and employment is:
75% of New York City's 8,253,213 residents report being physically active. In addition:
There are about 24,000 eating places around New York City, plus:
National moving companies are usually more experienced at moving across state lines. People tend to use them for interstate moving, or for moves that are over 75 miles. These movers also often have bigger trucks and greater familiarity with regulations across multiple states.
International Van Lines (IVL), founded in 2000, can act as a carrier or a broker for long-distance moves. They provide full-service moving, offering services such as packing and loading for customers to choose from. IVL has been operating in over 180 countries since 2004, helping customers worldwide put together custom moving packages that fit their unique needs.
For over 20 years, Moving APT has focused on providing a great interstate moving experience to customers across the country. From humble beginnings as a small five-person crew in Florida, Moving APT has now served over half a million customers. The company is fully compliant with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Founded in 1933, North American Moving Services now has over 500 agents across North America. They provide both residential and corporate moves, and can handle moves that are local, long-distance, or international. The company offers packing, loading, and storage services, and all of this is backed by 24-hour customer service.
American Van Lines was founded in Pompano Beach, Florida, but now provides long-distance moving across the country. For over 50 years, the company has been offering a variety of full-service moving packages. They have won one of Newsweek's 'Best Customer Service' Awards twice, in 2019 and 2021.
Allied Van Lines is an expert broker-carrier. This means that they can take care of your move with their own team, or they can outsource to other carriers if you are in an area where they don't offer direct services. A representative from Allied Van Lines can walk you through what options are available for your move. Allied Van Lines has over 90 years of professional moving experience.
JK Moving prides itself on making moving fast and easy with the help of modern technology. They use tools such as GPS tracking and climate-controlled storage to help everything go smoothly with your move. Since its founding in 1982, JK Moving has also prioritized the use of sustainable practices, such as recycling its materials. The company partners with the Race for Hope, Habitat for Humanity, and Fight for Children.
The top movers in New York City are White Glove Moving & Storage, Gibraltar Van Lines, and Movage Moving + Storage NYC, based on our research.
We choose our best movers in New York City based on a handful of weighted factors. These include (but are not limited to) the sorts of moves the company offers (local, interstate, and/or international), if they provide additional services like packing, their insurance offerings, the ease of scheduling, and customer reviews on websites like the BBB.
For unusual, expensive, or oversized items, it is best to proactively contact your moving company and ensure that they can move everything. We recommend doing this well in advance, and before signing a contract, to ensure everything goes smoothly on moving day. Some moving companies might charge an additional fee for moving items that are unusually large or require special care.
When you're thinking about when to move, you'll want to take both cost and convenience into consideration. Moving during the summer is often more expensive, as this is when most people move. There also may be more traffic on the roads during these months. You will probably want to avoid moving in May or August specifically, as the 418,591 college students attending school within 15 miles of New York City will be moving in those months as well.
Don't forget to think about the weather, too. Temperatures in New York City tend to be moderate. Your move will likely be affected more by the day of the week and time of day than the season.
If you decide to handle your move on your own, you'll need to take care of all steps of the process: renting a moving truck, packing your possessions, loading boxes, and driving to your destination. A self-service moving company provides the truck and the people to drive it, although you'll still have to pack, load, and unload everything. A full-service moving company will offer packing and loading services on top of supplying a truck and a driver.
Your best course of action when it comes to picking a company will depend on how much money you want to spend and how much work you want to do. Full-service companies are generally the most expensive, but require the least manual labor on your end. Moving without any professional help is at the opposite end of both spectrums, and utilizing a self-service moving company will land somewhere in the middle.
It is a good idea to contact two or three companies from our list of New York City's best movers to get price estimates. After that, you can compare estimates and decide which one is right for you.
