Following some helpful tips for moving day can turn what’s considered one of life’s most stressful experiences into a completely manageable one. Check out the following tips to help make moving your NYC home as simple as getting from point A to point B.

1. Check the reviews, and then double check reviews, and the triple check mover reviews. Everyone has — or knows someone who has — a moving horror story. Some people have precious belongings broken. Others have movers who quote them one price, pack up their moving trucks with the owners’ belongings, and then hold those belongings hostage until the owners pony up even more cash. Still others aren’t even movers at all, but instead thieves who load up a “moving truck” and abscond with all of the stuff.

2. Consider using a storage facility if you’re moving to a smaller space. If you’re moving into a smaller apartment or home than the one you live in now, you probably won’t be able to take all of your cherished belongings and furnishings with you. This is the time to determine just how “cherished” those items are. One option for the overflow is to put it in storage, but that can get quite costly depending on the size of the storage unit you choose. Storing a closet full of items like important papers or winter clothes could cost you as much as $100 per month. Large units to store things like furnishings can cost a minimum of $150 and up. The key is to shop around. You could also use this time to determine if it’s time to let certain things go.

3. Confirm move-in dates, times, and building rules. Some buildings allow you to move in at any time of the day or night, while others require that you move in only on certain days and even at certain times. Once you confirm the move times, contact your movers to ensure that they are aware. Some buildings even dictate the way you move large items in and out, like fully wrapping a sofa in plastic movers’ wrap.

4. Give yourself as much time as possible to pack. People who think they don’t have a lot of stuff or those who live in small apartments often think that it will take them no time at all to pack up their apartments. They often push packing up their boxes until the very end. Multiple boxes and many tears later, they’re on the floor, wondering how in the world they’d accumulated so much stuff. You don’t have to pack the entire house in one go; if it’s easier, spread packing out over time, or divide it into sections based on category.

5. Plan your utility shut off/power on times carefully. Some of the most important tips for moving relate to your utilities. Everyone needs them, and it’s no fun moving into your new home only to find out that you forgot to turn on your electricity! Find out what utilities you’re responsible for and schedule them to be activated on your moving day. Plan it so that your utilities are turned on the day you move in. Your utilities may already be turned on if they’re included in your coop’s maintenance fees or condo’s common charges.

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