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…
Updated October 11, 2026
Storage is part of many New York moves. The new lease starts two weeks after the old one ends, a renovation runs long, or two homes become one. Packing for storage is a little different from packing for a direct move: the boxes may sit for months, and you may need one of them in the middle of that time.
Decide what goes to storage and what stays with you
- Keep with you: documents, medicine, chargers, keys and the clothes you need for the next few weeks.
- Keep out anything you will need before the storage period ends.
- Ask the storage facility for its rules before you pack. Each facility has its own list of things that may not be stored, such as fuel, chemicals or food.
Boxes that stack
Use boxes of a few standard sizes, so they stack in steady columns. Fill each box to the top; a half-empty box gets crushed under the one above it. Put heavy things, like books and dishes, in small boxes, and light things, like linens and pillows, in large ones.
Label for storage, not only for the new room
- Write the room and a short list of contents on two sides of every box, not only on the top.
- Number the boxes and keep the list on your phone.
- Mark the boxes you may need during storage, like “WINTER COATS” or “TAX PAPERS”, and ask the crew to load them last, near the door.
Furniture in storage
- Take the legs off tables and beds where you can, and keep the screws in a labeled bag taped to the piece.
- Clean and fully dry a fridge or washer before storage, and leave the doors slightly open.
- Cover upholstered furniture with moving pads or breathable covers; tight plastic can trap moisture.
- Keep mattresses covered and standing on their side.
Loading the unit
Heavy furniture and full box columns go in first, at the back. Leave a narrow aisle so you can reach the back without unloading everything. Fragile boxes go on top, never at the bottom. When we move you into storage, the crew loads the unit this way and keeps the boxes you marked within reach.
Two moves, one plan
A storage move is really two moves: into the unit now and out of it later. When you ask for an estimate, give us both addresses, the expected dates, and the floor and elevator details of the new home. See our moving to storage and self storage pages.
Questions we hear
Can you move my things into storage now and to my new apartment later?
Yes. Ask about moving to storage when you request your free written estimate.
What should I not put in storage?
Things you need during the storage period, like documents, medicine and keys, and anything the storage facility does not allow. Ask the facility for its rules.
How should I label boxes for storage?
On two sides, with the room and the contents. Number the boxes and keep the list on your phone.
How do I get an estimate?
Call (929) 232-3444 or use the quote form on our home page. The estimate is free and in writing.
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
More moving guides
- Moving From NYC or Westchester to Connecticut: Why the Truck Takes I-95, Not the Merritt
- Moving Out of a New York Apartment: How to Get Your Security Deposit Back
- Moving Before Your Lease Ends in New York: What the Law Says
- Moving to storage
- Self storage
Rules change. We read the official pages linked here in October 2026; check the linked page before you rely on it.