We’re officially one month + 10 days away from our move to Hoboken!

If you know me, then there’s nothing I love more than having an excuse to revamp a current space design (see my dining room, living room, & childhood bedroom makeovers for reference.) I clearly kept myself busy during my 18-month lease here in FiDi. As much as I’m going to miss my apartment, I’m so excited thinking about all the content I’m going to be able to share with you guys once we move into our new place in Jersey! It’ll be a fresh canvas of design opportunity & the ideas I have in the works are giving me LIFE (like my new Offlet ~ office x closet!)

But before diving into all things design, I also want to share my knowledge when it comes to planning WAY in advance for your move, especially if you’re a city renter/resident. This will be my 3rd move since 2015 and I’ve learned A LOT over those two previous moves when it comes to finding that dream NYC apartment; but I’ve recognized there’s even more to consider while planning for a move that’s outside of the city.

40 photos later, we got the pic but “the wind, you guys, wasn’t necessary…” (see reference if you’re confused)

Ultimately time is of the essence & no matter where you’re moving to, whether it’s down the street or across the river, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by jumping on these 5 things right after signing your new lease.

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BOOK A PROFESSIONAL MOVING COMPANY

If you’re like me & need all the help you can get on moving day, then the best thing you can do for your mental stability is hire a professional moving company. I’ve used movers for all 3 of my moves (this one included) & can’t begin to explain how much of a relief it is to have them. After helping a few friends do self-moves in the city (in walk-ups nonetheless), there’s no way I’ll be able to get away with doing the same ~ of course, my circumstances were always very different & I totally understand if self-moves are better suited for some than others.

However, if you have the funds in your budget, I strongly suggest hiring movers. It may seem like a lot of money up front but it will ultimately save you TIME by eliminating the back & forth you’d have to do on your own, not to mention the stress that comes with making sure you can transport your furniture properly.

Should you decide on hiring movers, the earlier you reach out to them the better. This way you can give yourself the ability to compare quotes from reputable moving companies & decide which is best for your specific situation/budget.  By ironing out those details well in advance, you’ll often will have your 1st pick of moving times which is a huge plus!

RESERVE & SCHEDULE DELIVERY OF MOVING BOXES

I’ve mentioned this before but DO NOT go out of your way to purchase x amount of cardboard boxes that will only get damaged in the moving process. Your best bet is to reserve heavy-duty crates from a moving box rental service that not only delivers them to your current address prior to your move, but also picks them up at your new residence once unpacked! You’re accomplishing a few things by renting boxes, including 1) saving money, 2) better protecting your valuables, and 3) helping the planet with less cardboard waste.

I’ve used Gorilla Bins for my last 2 moves in NYC. For this move to NJ, I’ve reserved boxes with Bin It. Both offer the same services & similar prices, but Gorilla Bins is limited to NYC moves only. From my experience, it’s best to have boxes delivered ONE WEEK BEFORE MOVING DAY & have them picked up one week afterward (2-week rental period.) I also went with the 2 Bedroom Box Rental Plan instead of 1 Bedroom this time, given I needed the extra boxes during my last move. Better to have more than not enough!

GET RENTERS INSURANCE

Not all buildings/apartment complexes require tenants to get renters insurance, but ours does. Hoboken is known for water main breaks & flooding, so it’s better to protect against the somewhat inevitable (especially since we’re closer to ground on the 3rd floor.) Plus, insuring your valuables & overall space can give you peace of mind should something happen unexpectedly; you never know if someone might decide to steal from you or sue you for injury if he/she gets hurt while in your apartment. These things DO happen.

Contrary to popular belief, renters insurance is actually pretty affordable to get & easy to set up. If you’re in the market for it, take a look at State Farm & Lemonade and compare quotes.

SCHEDULE CABLE/INTERNET SET-UP SAME DAY OF MOVE

Amidst the chaos of moving day, you might as well have your building’s cable/internet provider scheduled to be set up as well. I’ve done this for both of my moves in the past & intend to do the same for this one because having cable/internet is like Christmas morning in a new apartment. Plus, there’s nothing better than turning on the TV to help pass the time while you’re shoulder-deep in moving boxes unpacking.

(OPTIONAL) PARKING SIGN TO RESERVE SPACE FOR UNLOADING

City traffic cops have nothing better to do than ticket someone who’s trying his/her best to quickly load &/or unload a vehicle in an already limited vicinity (i.e. narrow street.) Although I’ve been lucky with my moves in the past thanks to my building having a “loading dock” (aka a stretch of pavement dedicated for moving trucks), I was told this move to Hoboken might not be as fortunate. Given we have to park on the street, we’re considering getting a parking sign to reserve a dedicated space for the moving truck should we run into any issues. Again, it’s better to be safe than sorry in circumstances like these, where the stress will already be at an all time high.

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WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR TIPS FOR PLANNING A BIG MOVE?