Hiring movers vs DIY local move

Moving locally usually means there are fewer problems to deal with and it is usually much easier to organize a successful local relocation. Many people will attempt to move in their own arrangement skipping any moving companies. It is cheaper, but there are a few things that could go wrong. You should either prepare very well before moving locally or look up Best Movers NY and hire professionals. Professional assistance will always ensure an easy and successful move, but there are other things that should be taken into account. Staying on budget could be paramount for many people and that’s why we’ll delve into the challenges of moving locally to New York City. There are many pros and cons depending on what you are looking for, so stay with us while we discuss hiring movers vs DIY local move.

New York City

A self-proclaimed capital of the world, NYC is one of the most popular places to move to in the US but also in the world. Many people are aspiring to get into the New York lifestyle and advance their careers. Many of the greatest cultural and other kinds of events take place here on a regular basis and you can almost never finish exploring the city. However, if you are moving locally you will already be familiar with the city. Still, this doesn’t mean you won’t need to prepare. 

New York City is composed of many neighborhoods that are organized into different boroughs:

• Manhattan
• Bronx
• Queens
• Brooklyn
• Staten Island

Each borough and each neighborhood within them is different in a way and make up what is the cultural footprint of NYC. Apart from the challenges that each of these areas could impose, you should also consider your budget. There are very drastic differences when comparing different areas so you should do your research and pick the one that suits you best in every way. Before delving into each of these areas and neighborhoods within them, a quick word on hiring local movers vs DIY local move in general.

Benefits of hiring local movers

Local movers will help you with your move a great deal. It’s much more than just transporting boxes and your furniture. Local movers are specialized for every step of the way and will know best how to advise you to prepare the best possible way.

Doing inventory when hiring local movers vs DIY local move

The first step when moving is doing your inventory. It doesn’t matter if you hire local movers or you’re doing it by yourself – you should still do it. This is especially important for high-scale jobs such as commercial moving. It’s a good idea to take a day for each of your rooms and make a list of all your belongings. If there’s anything that you’re not sure you want in your new home, you should consider selling or donating it. It can be a nuisance storing unwanted items in your new home. That’s why moving is a great opportunity to rethink what you want and need.

If you hire professional movers, they will help you do your inventory and they will provide useful advice and recommendations. In some cases, they will advise you against transporting certain materials if they cannot be transported safely or if they put movers at risk. That’s usually the case with flammable and explosive materials and long-distance moves. There’s a long list of reactive chemicals and everyday items that are flammable, so knowing what’s safe for transporting will greatly benefit you even when moving by yourself.

Insurance when hiring movers vs DIY local move

Another thing that local movers provide that you simply cannot get by yourself is legal insurance. Every item that is eligible for transport, and that’s most of your belongings probably, will be insured. You’ll get the most value for insurance when moving commercially, but residential moving is not much different. There are different kinds of insurance that you could get but the most basic ones cover non-fragile items while stored and transported by local movers. As you can’t get this in your own arrangement, it is the first thing on our list that easily goes in favor of hiring movers vs DIY local move.

Packing

Packing is something you can do by yourself, but you need to know how to do it right. There are many guides online but the first thing you need to know is that you need proper packing materials. This means you should get proper moving boxes and a lot of paper for the cushion. If you can commit continually for a few days, you could do inventory and packing in one go.

You should organize and label your boxes so that each label represents a room. This way it will be much easier for you to know which of the boxes go where so you unpack more easily. If you hire local movers, they will probably ask you to label the boxes to make it a bit easier for them.

You should cover most fragile items with paper and fill any air pockets with crushed paper. This way you’ll ensure everything is firmly in position while carrying boxes and transporting them. It can be tricky trying to transport the boxes by yourself without the right equipment. This doesn’t have to be the case if you are carrying a minimal amount of things. For example, if you are buying an apartment that’s already set up with new furniture, the amount of work you’ll have to do will be much less.

Transportation and storage

However, if you are moving everything that was in your old home, you should probably consider hiring professional movers. It’s impossible to transport everything in one go without the right equipment and New York’s traffic is terrible. Hiring local movers gives you an opportunity to take public transport and avoid traffic jams while professionals deal with it.

Finally, professional movers will usually offer storage services as well. You may not need to store away your items, but it’s a great thing to do for any items you’re still unsure if they’ll go into your new home. For example, you could store winter clothes during the offseason and make unpacking a bit easier when you initially settle in.

Manhattan

Now that you’re prepared and know what you’ll need to do to organize a successful move, you should compare that to each area before choosing where to move. On the top of the list is Manhattan, as it is one of the most popular areas to visit or live in, globally speaking.

Lower East Side is a great place to move to. It has a population of just below 73,000 and it covers an area of 217 ha. It falls under Manhattan Community District 3 which also includes a few other neighborhoods. Lower East Side is a historic neighborhood, as many immigrants were settling here initially.

Formerly part of the Lower East Side, East Village is now considered a separate local unit. Naturally, it borders with East Lower Side, so it presents a great alternative if you can’t move there. The neighborhood is a home to around 63,000 people and it covers an area of 199 ha.

Luxury areas

One of the most luxurious areas, across 500 ha territory lies Upper West Side. It’s home to many important cultural places and one of the most recognizable NYC sights – Central Park. The median home cost is as high as $1,076,400 compared to New York’s average of $373,000.

This means living here requires a considerable budget. Most people looking to move here who fit into this budget will probably not have problems hiring local movers. However, hiring local movers vs DIY local move debate should also consider that moving by yourself can also be a family adventure. Still, local Manhattan movers will ensure everything is a breeze for you and your family.

Yet another expensive area in Manhattan is the Upper East Side with a median home cost of $1,252,700. It’s even more expensive than the formerly mentioned Upper West Side so not everyone will be able to afford living here. The neighborhood covers an area of 460 ha and hosts many rich denizens, expensive restaurants, and designer shops.

Bronx

If Manhattan is too expensive for you, and you can’t fit it into your budget, other boroughs offer different kinds of opportunities, such as the Bronx. The borough is split into two regions – West Bronx and East Bronx. There’s a debate if this division of regions reflects the history of the Bronx, but that’s another subject. Here are some popular neighborhoods in the borough.

Riverdale neighborhood hosts around 48,000 residents and spans over an area of 700 ha. It falls under the Bronx Community District 8. One of Riverdale’s borders includes the Hudson River, one of the natural New York City landmarks. Despite the urban culture of NYC, this neighborhood is filled with trees and green areas. It’s a great place to move to if you are looking for a quieter part of the city and enjoy long walks among the trees.

Another neighborhood in the Bronx that you could find interesting to move to is Kingsbridge Heights. The area was named after a historical bridge that was built here in 1963, so its roots don’t go too far back. The general advantage of newer residential areas is that they are built to better fit contemporary needs. This is why Bronx local movers will have an easier time parking and unloading the truck

Staten Island

One of the safest and most popular neighborhoods to move to on Staten Island is West Brighton. It’s a historical place that was first settled by the Dutch in the 17th century and it used to be called “Factoryville” among Newyorkers. Today, it hosts 20,000 residents in an area of 340 ha that experienced local Staten Island movers can navigate with ease.

Huguenot is another great choice to move to on Staten Island. The neighborhood was named after the French Christians who were fleeing catholic persecution, but before that its name was Bloomingview. Today around 16,500 people reside here. It’s a peaceful-looking neighborhood and could be a great choice to move to. 

Queens

Queens has a total population of 2,405,464 residents. It’s the second-largest borough population in New York City, but it covers the most area. It’s set on Long Island. While you may think this means the borough is not densely populated, you should reflect on the fact that Queens would rank as the 4th most populated city in the US if it was a separate city. Like all other boroughs, there are many interesting neighborhoods in Queens, and according to some of the best local movers Queens has to offer, Astoria is one of the best neighborhoods in this part of town.

Many residents, around 95,000 call Astoria their home. There are multiple neighborhoods that constitute Astoria, and they are all part of the Astoria Community District 1. The neighborhoods included in the Astoria area are:

• Astoria Heights
• Queensbridge
• Dutch Kills
• Long Island City
• Ravenswood
• Steinway

Sometimes all of these areas are referred to as simply Long Island City or Astoria.

Brooklyn

Finally, we come to the last of New York City’s boroughs – Brooklyn. It’s set on the Long Island just like Queens but on its west end. As many as over 2,5 million residents call Brooklyn their home and maybe you could find your next home right here. It spans over the area of 1830 ha and includes many neighborhoods while also being a coextensive area with Kings County. After LA and Chicago, Brooklyn would be ranked as the 3rd most populated city if it was a standalone city. That’s why moving here will require reliable Brooklyn local movers.

One of the most popular neighborhoods in Brooklyn is Williamsburg. The area of the neighborhood is set at 560 ha and it’s part of the Brooklyn Community District 1. It’s the first stop in Brooklyn coming from Manhattan so it’s very well connected to the central part of New York City. Should you move here, you’ll find many dance clubs, bars, and music venues. It’s famous for its nightlife so it could be a great place for you if that’s your thing. This doesn’t mean it’s not a good place to move to with your family, but it can offer a little bit for everyone. We hope you’ve found this rundown of hiring movers vs DIY local move useful for planning your future relocation. Good luck!