Here is a checklist to find a credible moving company in New York:

1. Research your moving company: Check with the Better Business Bureau, and find if it belongs to a trade association like AMSA (American Movers and Storage Association) or DOT (department of Transportation) before you shortlist moving companies in New York. You must also check if your mover is registered with the FMCSA or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, USA.
2. Pricing: The pricing that is laid down by the moving companies comprise of various factors like the floor you live on, the floor you will be moving to, the number of belongings to be moved, the presence of an elevator in the new home, the mode of transport, the traffic etc. Local moving is charged by the hour, while the interstate and overseas move is charged according to the mileage and volume of goods. Do not agree to the prices which are high above the estimate.
3. Estimates: Get estimates from atleast three moving companies in New York. You should always ask for an onsite estimate, which means asking the company representative to come to your home and personally examine the belongings in order to give an estimated quote. There are three types of estimates that are given, binding, non-binding and not-to-exceed. Binding is an assured quotation that has a very less chance of varying. Non-binding quotation is a situation in which the actual price cannot increase by more than 10 percent of the estimate price quoted. For example, if the estimate quote is $130, the actual price cannot exceed more than $143. The not-to-exceed quote is when the final price does not exceed the quote.
4. Disputes settlement: Find out if your New York moving company has a dispute settlement program to handles concerns and complaints. You have to check how soon the problems are resolved and whether they are resolved effectively.

Given below is the checklist of questions that you should ask your ‘moving representative’:

1. What is the mode to make a payment? Cash, credit card, check personal or certified?
2. When is the payment to be made? During the pick-up or cash on delivery?
3. Will the movers dissemble everything to create space, and then put them back in place at the destination?
4. Is there any extra charge to have belongings moved up an extra flight of stairs?
5. What is the type of packing material involved?
6. In case I decide to do the packing myself, what type of packing material is satisfactory and sufficient?
7. What is the estimated delivery time and how soon will I be informed about it?
8. What are the terms, conditions and procedure to be followed for the liability insurance? If I take the liability insurance and I need to make a claim, what is the procedure to be followed?

Note that if your destination is in a busy street of Manhattan or such other area in New York, with a heavy amount of traffic congestion, you should reserve a parking space for the moving company. If the moving company has to carry the load for more than 75 feet from the moving truck to your new home, you are most likely to be charged for an additional distance. The driver of the moving truck can also load a part of your belongings onto another smaller vehicle for convenience and safety of your belongings. You may however, be charged extra for it. It is always better to anticipate and foresee problems and ask the right questions to the moving company so that everything goes smoothly and you are not charged extra fees later.

On the moving day, things are not as joyous as you taught. There is pandemonium and there is confusion. The moving truck arrived late. There are some neighbors who look at you with disdain because you had asked the truck to come through the narrow gate to your home, making it difficult for others to move in and out of the locality. You see your vase lying obscurely in another box. Wait a minute! It is supposed to be with another vase! Where did you put the other vase? The refrigerator seems to be wet and leaking. You forgot to clean and dry it. You had to unscrew the nuts and bolts of your bed so that you can disassemble it. But you cannot find the screwdriver and the pair of pliers all of a sudden. Your kid is crying because she cannot find her teddy bear. Your pet dog is howling and barking at the top of its voice because there are strangers around him. Your friends could not make it on the day to help you because you had not informed them well in advance. Oh my God! You do not know whether you should tear you hair in frustration or keep a smiling face because you are after all, relocating to a prosperous place.

The key to moving without any hassle is proper planning and meticulous organizing of things and people. Packing should be done well in advance, starting with the ones that you do not need for the rest of days till you arrive at your new destination. You can even start packing the wastebaskets and dispose trash in plastic grocery bags. Waste baskets too serve as good packing items. Keep things together and associate allied or co-related items together when packing. You can keep extension cords with relevant appliances and picture hooks with pictures etc. Use a tape or hard glue to attach smaller or loose parts to ‘parent’ or bigger items.

Clean your old place with your family and friends. Once the cleanliness part is taken care of, you can focus on coordinating people to help you with the packing process. Cleaning of the old home is important because if your home is not neat and tidy, it gives an impression to the landlord that you have not kept your home in order. You should clean the home once again after the entire packing is done. Keeping the home in order will even help you claim a full security deposit amount back from your landlord.

Items of high value, collectibles, fragile items, jewelry, important documents and items of sentimental value must be carried with you and not handed over to your mover. You should check with your mover if they provide mover’s insurance and what their terms, conditions and procedures for claim are. Find out how you can move your pets and plants. You can also read more information on them in the move your pets guide and the move your plants guide.

New York Movers 

I decided that this is enough. And i moved to Florida. No cold weather, no subway, no big corporation.

I am happy here.