From packing in small spaces to navigating down staircases, parking restrictions and more, apartment moving can present difficulties. This post will share ones that probably sound familiar, along with solutions—and, if you’re moving from an apartment to a house, here are practical tips.
#1 Less Navigating Space
If you’re currently living in an apartment, there may not be a whole lot of space to move around, which can make it more difficult than you’d like to pack your belongings—and to keep them out of the way until moving day arrives.
You might be surprised, though, by how effective decluttering can be, providing you with more space (and fewer belongings to move).
Go room by room and throw away what’s no longer functional. In the kitchen, for example, toss expired food along with worn dish towels and scorched potholders. Then donate, give away, or sell what is still useful, just not to you: that extra toaster you somehow picked up along the way and surplus coffee mugs.
Go through your clothes and throw away or otherwise get rid of ones you won’t use again. Do the same with old tennis shoes, blankets, costume jewelry, and so forth. You might be surprised at the extra space you’ll have.
Pack items you plan to keep that aren’t needed now (off-season clothes, Halloween decorations if you’re moving in spring, wall art, and so forth). After you’ve packed boxes, place them along walls and otherwise be space savvy.
If you’ll need help, here is information about our packing and unpacking services. You can use them as a stand-alone apartment moving service or incorporate them with a full-service move.
You can also use our short-term storage option to create more apartment space before you move.
#2 Navigating Stairs
If you’re moving out of an apartment that’s not on the first floor and/or moving into one that’s not ground level, you’ll need to navigate the stairs as you load your belongings. To make it safer, inspect the stairs you’ll use.
Think critically about your furniture (and even measure if you aren’t sure) and how you’re going to get it down the staircase. Are there any tricky turns? Will you have to lift it up over any railings? How many people will need to lift it?
Be sure to wear shoes that are slip resistant and ensure there aren’t any untied laces. Also check for any tripping hazards that might be in your path – plants, rugs, etc.
Make sure that you don’t try to lift too much at any one time and use proper lifting techniques to avoid hurting yourself. Bend your knees and use your body to lift, not simply relying on the strength of your back. Do the same when putting the belongings down at the bottom of the stairs or in the truck.
Don’t rush and make sure you’ve got someone with you in case you run into difficulties or hurt yourself.
Need help with loading and unloading? Our local apartment movers can help!
#3 Parking Restrictions
If you’re renting a vehicle to transport your belongings, check to see what parking restrictions may exist at your current apartment building or the one where you’re moving. You sure don’t want to get a ticket or have a vehicle towed away.
When you use our local movers in Dallas, our well trained team will know where they can and can’t park and address any challenges for you. They’re also experienced in driving through the streets of Dallas, knowing where there’s construction work and where the roads are likely to be congested. They’ll take the most efficient routes to get your belongings delivered on time.
#4 Choose the Right Local Apartment Movers
There are plenty of local moving companies in Dallas, and you’ll want to make the best decision for your relocation. The movers will be in your apartment, transporting your belongings, and you’ll want all to go safely and well.
So, when comparing the local moving companies in Dallas on your list, check for a few items:
- Valid Licenses and Credentials: Check that movers belong to trade associations (the American Moving and Storage Association is an important one) because organizations carefully vet their members. If you go to the office of movers in Dallas in person, see what certifications they display on their walls. Or ask about them over the phone. When apartment moving companies are licensed and certified, this demonstrates adequate training and ability to move your items.
- Proper Amount of Insurance: By law, movers in Dallas (and throughout the United States) are required to have liability insurance to cover the value of the items they’re transporting. Ask the apartment moving companies you’re considering for proof of insurance and what, specifically, will be covered in your move. Sad to say, you may need to call the insurance provider afterwards to ensure that the policy is active. Fly-by-night movers could have shown you a document that just isn’t legit.
- Background checked movers: You’ll only want to work with apartment moving companies that background-check their crews. They’ll be in your dwelling, handling your precious belongings, and you don’t want just anyone to do that. You can also ask how the company trains their moving crews and how long the employees have worked for them.
Those are three important items to check off your list before choosing a company to provide your apartment moving services. Here are a few more:
- Professional office staff who can answer your questions: If they don’t know the answer, they should be willing to find out. Red flags: if the person on the phone pressures you to sign up now or insists on upselling you to more apartment moving services than you want or need.
- Efficient yet thorough moving quotes: Reputable apartment moving companies will walk through your dwelling to give you a moving quote, providing a written estimate. (Companies may or may not give you an instant quote first; what’s important is that they do a walkthrough to ensure an accurate estimate with no surprises on moving day.)
- Transparent pricing: Local apartment movers often factor in mileage in their pricing, which is reasonable. A local move is defined by one that’s under 50 miles and pricing can be calculated differently than a long-distance move (50 miles or above). No matter how they figure their pricing, the costs should be clearly explained to you with no hidden fees.
We invite you to contact MoveDay, highly experienced local movers in Dallas. We’ll provide you with a single point of contact—a dedicated move manager who will coordinate each step throughout your relocation process to minimize stress and ensure success.
Choose the Dallas Apartment Moving Services by MoveDay
MoveDay is fully licensed, certified, and insured with our trained moving crew fully vetted and background checked. We know the ins and outs of driving throughout Dallas and will assign you a responsive moving coordinator who will help to navigate you through a seamless move. Full service move? We’ve got you covered! Just need some apartment moving services? No problem, no upsell pressure.
Whether you have questions or are ready to book your date with our Dallas movers, please contact us online or call 888-881-1619.