Moving was declared an essential service at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, a time that saw people vacating to an extent that some speculated that this meant the end of New York. However, that prediction has not come to pass: A recent U-Haul Growth Index found that Williamsburg, Manhattan, and Long Island City were among New York’s top growth cities; between low interest rates, a return to some semblance of normal city life, and robust vaccination and testing rates, people are clearly motivated to live in an urban environment. At the same time, finding an apartment is only the first step - then it’ll be time to pack and move all your possessions, from the largest pieces of furniture to personal documents.
Licensed, Bonded, Insured, and Recommended
First, it's important to know what to look for when hiring a mover. The three most important considerations are whether the company is licensed, bonded, and insured. If the company is licensed, they have been authorized to carry out business at the state or federal level. Simply put, this means they are a legitimate business. If they are bonded, it means they offering a financial guarantee that they will fulfill and uphold their contract by carrying out the work they have agreed to do on your behalf. If a company is insured, they are offering an even greater level of assurance—if they lose or break any of your precious items, they are insured to cover the loss.Beyond these basic considerations, however, you may have specific needs. If you have a large art collection, you may want to contract with a mover who specializes in moving art or antiques. If you’re preparing for a small move of low value, you may more concerned about cost than insuring valuables. Whether you’re moving a million or just a few thousand dollars worth of personal items, however, the most important consideration is that you trust your mover.
Finally, it is important to ensure that movers take precautions to protect each other and their clients during the pandemic. This can include everything from wearing masks and gloves during the move to sanitizing the trucks and packing materials to adhering to social distancing rules.
Recommended Moving Companies
Reviews on platforms such as Yelp can be useful but also tap your personal network for recommendations. Start with friends and colleagues, and then check with your doormen or building superintendent. In New York City, building staff often have an insider’s knowledge about which moving companies are organized, courteous, and careful and which ones are not. And if your current building staff has had a good experience with a moving company in the past, you’ll be more likely to avoid tensions with your building staff when moving day comes around.There are hundreds of moving companies in New York City, as well as individual “man-with-a-van” style movers, though the latter are rarely licensed, bonded, and insured. Below, see a selection of highly recommended moving companies. While all of these companies get rave reviews from New Yorkers, they also each offer something unique.
Whether you are planning a small or large move, and whether you are moving Ikea or couture, hiring a reliable moving company is essential. With many reputable options available in the New York City area, first consider your specific priorities and then start looking for companies with a proven track record.
Whether you need a “man with a van” to move a few pieces of furniture or are moving a whole household, this Brooklyn-based, family-owned company can help. Owner Louis DiFabrizio (pictured above) describes his team as “me ten years ago,” and the movers’ up-front but friendly attitudes, efficiency, and punctuality were instrumental in the company’s inclusion in New York Magazine’s 2016 Best of New York.
Over the past few years, bright pink Piece of Cake moving trucks have become ubiquitous on the streets of New York as people use them for everything from moving a few blocks away to across the country. From setting up appointments to the moves themselves, reviewers speak highly of Piece of Cake’s efficiency and professionalism. They also offer the rental of plastic bins for people who want an environmentally friendly alternative to cardboard boxes.
Piano mover via Dyno Moving
Dyno Movers is a fairly new entrant on the scene, but has already completed over 10,000 successful moves in the New York area. Their speed, communication, and care have attracted positive reviews and grown their business throughout the tri-state area, and a specialized van is equipped specifically for moving pianos.
Image via Konstantly Moving
After Konstantin Tribushniy’s 17 years as a mover, driver, and foreman, he established his own moving company. Reviewers hail the efficiency of the team, while noting that it doesn’t come at the expense of the quality of the work or their personal possessions. The firm has five stars on Yelp, 4.9 stars on Google, and is a recipient of an Angie’s List Super Service Award.
Many reviews cite communication as an important factor in the moves, from making the arrangements to reaching out with last-minute details on the day of the move, but this family-owned and operated company takes that to the next level: A reviewer mentions that the company sent a team of bilingual movers to work with a family member who didn’t speak English. From the dispatchers to the movers, everyone is committed to making the process run as smoothly as possible.
When your job entails moving entire households without losing or breaking a single item, the possibility of disappointing at least a few customers is high. For this reason, it is difficult to ignore Veteran Movers NYC’s 450+ reviews and 4.5-star rating on Yelp. In addition to evidence that they are doing something right as movers, when you hire Veteran Movers NYC, you’re also hiring a veteran. The company was started by veteran Jesse Gartman in 2011 after he left the service. As he explains on his website, he wanted to start a company that would also be able to provide meaningful work to fellow veterans. Since then, the company has continued to grow and establish a high reputation across the New York City area.
Another highly reputable moving company that only hires movers with a specific background is Rabbit Movers. However, with Rabbit Movers, you’ll be trusting your move to a team of artists not veterans. While one may not immediately think about artists when looking for movers, in fact, many artists are experts on moving large and fragile objects from place to place. Also, if you need to custom-build crates for an heirloom furniture collection, there is no one better to contract with than an artist. Not surprisingly, art handling is also listed among Rabbit Movers special services. The company’s moving teams of artists, which may also include musicians and writers from time to time, have a strong reputation on review platforms, such as Yelp.
JP Urban is another local moving company with an artistic backstory. Co-owner John McCutcheon majored in music at Carnegie Mellon before starting JP Urban. This may explain why the company has an especially good reputation for moving pianos. But JP Urban moves a lot more than pianos. The company offers affordable residential and commercial and covers New York City, as well as the Boston, D.C., Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh areas. If you’re worried about the environment, JP Urban also offers reusable moving bins, which they will both drop off and pick up. In 2015, JP Urban was voted best mover by New York Magazine.
Moving fragile and valuable items can be tricky, but Solidarity Movers’ approach of “equal parts yoga and Tetris” is a key factor in its 5-star Yelp rating and 4.9-star rating on Google, along with excellent communication, helpful movers, and clearly defined pricing. Moreover, the company provides sliding scale rates to non-profit organizations doing positive work in the city, and donates a portion of proceeds to community-based organizations.
In a few short years of operation, Lift NYC Movers has gained a solid reputation for offering personal and professional service over the past three decades. Based in the West Village, Lift is a go-to option for anyone moving in Manhattan, including moving in or out of luxury buildings where attention to detail is especially important. In addition to getting rave reviews for their moves, however, Lift NYC Movers has an outstanding reputation for its customer service. From transparency about pricing to reimbursing customers for anything that doesn’t go exactly as planned, the company is widely known as a reliable and personable moving option.
Contributing Writer
Michelle Cohen
Michelle is a New York-based writer and content strategist who has worked extensively with lifestyle brands like Seventeen, Country Living, Harper's Bazaar and iVillage. In addition to being a copywriter for a digital media agency she writes about culture, New York City neighborhoods, real estate, style, design and technology among other topics. She has lived in a number of major US cities on both coasts and in between and loves all things relating to urbanism and culture.
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