Tips: Moving in New York or Los Angeles

For cosmopolitan city dwellers in New York and Los Angeles, moving is more than a chore. It's an ordeal. This article shows how to make it easy and relatively hassle-free.

Especially in New York, even a move from one part of the city to another, can become extraordinarily stressful. If you live in a luxury high-rise building or doorman building, you will frequently need to obtain permission before moving in -- you will need to reserve the freight elevator in advance, make sure your moving company is insured & bonded (and that all of the proper forms have been turned into your building manager well in advance), concerns about parking if you are renting a truck, etc.

To limit the hassle, here are a few companies I have used or recommend (I've lived in New York for four years):

U-Haul -- On a strict budget, nothing makes more sense than U-Haul. The barebones rental company has great rates: starting at $19.95 for a cargo van (one day), plus gas and their per mile fee. Of course, there are some problems with using U-Haul in the city: parking is expensive and hard to come by, with many privately owned garages costing $10 per 30-minutes or more. It is even more difficult to find a "cheap" street with parking meters. Plus, if moving heavy furniture or large items, it is possible your building manager will not let you move them in or use the freight elevator without first seeing an insurance statement.

Flat Rate Moving -- Flat Rate Moving is a fairly popular option for people in the city. They offer a "flat rate" quote before the move occurs -- they guarantee you will not be charged more than this amount. Of course, even though it's a flat rate, it isn't a huge bargain. Moving out of a small studio may cost you $350 to $450 with Flat Rate movers, but at least you won't pay any annoying add-on fees.

Private movers -- A private moving company, such as one you find via an online ad or flyer on the sidewalk, may offer better rates than larger moving groups. Unfortunately, some of these outfits are "fly by night" operations that lack experienced staff and often don't have the proper paperwork. A moving company that isn't willing to offer you at least $5,000 of incidental property damage/loss insurance is not to be trusted with your possessions.

Friends and family -- Friends can help you move, of course, but unless they own a van and have a lot of back strength, they may not be able to help you move large objects such as your bed, bookcases, television, and so forth. I would recommend using professional movers as opposed to friends and family. No one likes to be asked a favor of that magnitude; also, you don't want your friend to get hurt while moving your stuff out.