Moving Out of a New York Apartment: How to Get Your Security Deposit Back
New York's 14-day rule, the move-out inspection you can ask for, and how to leave a rental so your deposit comes back. A plain…
Not every move is a whole apartment. A studio, a new couch from a store, a dresser going to a sibling across town or a few boxes from a storage unit are all small moves. They are quick when the details are clear, and slow when the crew finds out about a fifth-floor walk-up on arrival.
What to send when you ask for an estimate
- A short list of the items, with photos of anything large or heavy.
- The size of the biggest piece (height, width, depth).
- Both addresses, the floor on each end, and whether there is an elevator.
- Any building rules you already know about: reserved hours, a certificate of insurance (COI), a loading dock.
With that information the written estimate matches the real job. Call (929) 232-3444 or use the quote form on our home page.
Buildings still have rules for small moves
Many NYC buildings ask for a COI even for a single item, and some require the service elevator for any furniture. Ask management before the date and send us the sample; we send the COI your building asks for.
Getting one item ready
- Empty drawers and remove shelves or glass from cabinets.
- Take photos of how a piece is put together before taking it apart; we take furniture apart and put it back together.
- Measure the doors and the elevator at the new place.
Small moves to storage
If you are between apartments, a small move can go into storage first and to the new place later. Ask about storage when you request the estimate.
Common small moves in the city
- A studio or one-bedroom across the borough.
- Furniture bought from a store or a neighbor.
- A piano, a safe or another heavy single item (tell us the type and the stairs).
- A few items out of a storage unit into a new apartment.
- Moving an adult child out of, or back into, the family home.
Timing a small move
Small moves are often easier to fit into the schedule on weekdays. If your building only allows certain hours, tell us when you book so the crew arrives inside that window. Have the items ready, emptied and accessible before the crew arrives.
Protecting floors and doors
The crew pads furniture and carries it, it does not drag it. If your building has delicate floors in the hallway, ask management whether they require floor protection for moves.
Across a bridge or a state line
Even a single item travels by truck, and trucks stay off parkways in New York (NYSDOT: highways for commercial traffic). A small move to New Jersey is still an interstate move under our federal license, U.S. DOT No. 967970; the federal FMCSA: your rights and responsibilities when you move page applies to it too.
Questions we hear
Do you move just one item?
Yes. Send a photo, the size and both addresses so the estimate fits the job.
Does my building need a COI for a small move?
Many NYC buildings ask for one even for a single item. Ask management and send the sample to your mover.
Can a small move go into storage?
Yes. Ask about storage when you request your estimate.
How do I get a free written estimate?
Call (929) 232-3444 or use the quote form on our home page.
Free written estimate: call (929) 232-3444 or use the quote form on our home page. Family business since 1999 · U.S. DOT No. 967970 (MC-432549) · NYSDOT 34875 · NJPM 000930 · Company facts
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- Moving Into Storage in NYC: How to Pack So You Can Find Things Later
- Moving in NYC Without Bringing Bed Bugs Along
- Moving in Riverdale: Co-ops, Hills and Why Trucks Skip the Henry Hudson Parkway
- Moving From the Bronx to Westchester: Parkway Truck Bans, Interstates and Town Rules
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- Moving From the Bronx to New Jersey Over the George Washington Bridge