
Moving in a day explained – NYC edition
Once upon a time, or during the 18th and 19th centuries, to be more precise, the entire New York City was moving in a day. But not in a way you might assume. May the 1st was the major moving day for all renters. It was a sort of unpleasant tradition with an arguable origin. Imagine the streets at that time. Impenetrable crowds blocking the way and intolerable noise filling the air. Thousands of people slowly dragging their belongings from one place to another. The repeating sound of horses beating the filthy cobblestone streets, and man carriages losing their luggage along the way. Everyone was rushing because everything needs to complete in 24 hours on the same day – that’s how was moving in a day explained once. And you think moving today is a hassle. Fortunately, it’s not like that anymore.
Moving in a day in NYC
Even though today, just like once, the majority of New Yorkers are renters, it’s much easier to relocate. At least in theory. New York City is like a living and breathing organism. There is always something going on, and there is always someone around. Because of that, you might need to carefully plan your move. Moreover, if you looking to complete it in the shortest possible amount of time. In a day at best. So check these couple of steps which will make it possible to speed up the entire process:
- Hire professional movers
- Carefully choose the moving hours in NYC
- Be ready for a moving day
- Purge your belongings
- Pack efficiently to accomplish your moving in a day
Hire professional movers
Professional movers are undisputable champions of moving, really. If you want the best and fastest possible moving experience, you should search for a moving company. Companies like Zenith Moving New York offer a complete set of services for any size and type of moving needs. Believe it or not, but sometimes it’s just impossible to move in NYC without the help of professionals. They are extremely useful. You don’t have to think about packing supplies, equipment, vehicles, and other alternatives. You won’t lift a thing. And, more importantly, you will save an incredible amount of time you would lose on moving otherwise. With proper moving insurance, you are completely covered for any unpredictable situation as well.

Movers can transport anything anywhere.
Carefully choose the moving hours in NYC
Whether you are moving with professionals or not, you should get familiar with “important hours” in NYC. Besides common rules about noise levels, many apartments have specified moving hours. That way it’s much easier to organize when lobbies and elevators would be open for such specific use. To make it more complex, they may not even be the same every day. Moving hours can be completely different on weekends than on working days. Be sure to get all the information about such regulations upfront. Also, try to avoid peak hours and holidays, because traffic is just terrible.

Noise pollution in NYC is a serious matter.
Be ready for a moving day
One of the most important things about your NYC moving is to make all the preparations in advance. Don’t leave absolutely anything for the last moment. Any unexpected issue can make a mess out of your moving day. Not to mention it can prolong it and, as a result, it can increase your expenses. Play around with to-do lists, or any kind of checklists. In fact, always double-check every step of your preparations. Try to orchestrate the entire move by carefully implementing scheduling. Pre-define every important date and try to predict the duration of each step. Finally, if everything goes according to plans, your moving day can be completed long before the end of the day.
Purge your belongings
Moving to NYC, because of expenses, for many people means they will have to downsize. That’s why getting rid of inconvenient furniture is your first purging step. The second one is to leave behind everything you don’t absolutely need. If you are not using something for more than a half year, chances are you won’t use it at all. Give it away to friends or family members. Also, you have a chance to cut some moving costs by selling some of your belongings. Whether it is an online sale or a garage sale, the goal is the same. It’s not about the money you might earn, the point is to reduce the number of your belongings. And if you earn more on the way, even better. Additionally, you can donate some of your items to charity. Remember, the fewer things you bring the faster the move is.
Pack efficiently to accomplish your moving in a day
Your moving will be much faster if you have your stuff ready on time. You can speed up your packing process significantly by hiring some help. Otherwise, you will need proper supplies:
- Various boxes of all types and size – both free card boxes and sturdy ones for valuable items
- Packing tapes and duct tapes
- Different wrapping and filling materials
- Cutters and scissors
- Ropes, blankets, dollies, and gliders
- Markers of all colors and sticker notes
- Protection gloves and boots
- A healthy dose of iron will
If you are doing things right, there shouldn’t be much of belongings left after de-cluttering. So packing might not be as hard as you may expect. Of course, if you have a piano or some similar items, unless you are professional, you should better hire movers. Handling such delicate items usually requires proper skill and experience. Finally, don’t forget to pack your bag of essentials, you will need it for the first day or two.

Labeling in different colors will make it easier to distinguish.
Moving day in New York City can be an unforgettable experience. Depending on how you prepare, it can be a good one or a bad one. Take your time before moving day to carefully plan everything so you can have the most efficient moving in a day experience. With a little luck and a lot of research, it shouldn’t be the “mission impossible”.