How to Move Stress Free (Sort Of) in NYC

Summary

Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode Title: How to Move Stress Free (Sort Of) in NYC
Air Date: April 8, 2026
Main Theme:
This episode dives into the stress and complexity of moving—especially in New York City. Host Alison Stewart is joined by Wirecutter writers Dory Shevlin and Kit Dillon to share actionable tips, personal stories, and listener advice for making one of life’s most stressful events more manageable (if not totally stress-free). Topics range from organizational strategies to unique NYC challenges, the emotional baggage of letting go of possessions, and the awkward etiquette of asking friends for help.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why Is Moving So Stressful? (03:14)

• Moving ranks as one of the top five most stressful life events, after death, divorce, injury, and job loss.
  • Dory Shevlin: “It is the perfect blend of expensive, time-consuming, and there's just a lot of different parts that go into it.” (03:24)
  • Kit Dillon: “I think we're just sort of faced with everything that we own all at once, which can just be an overwhelming experience for anyone.” (03:47)

Step One: Get Organized (04:05)

• Make a comprehensive list—don't rely on memory.
  • Dory Shevlin: “Get like a pen and paper or get onto your laptop... and just start writing down everything you need to do because it's such a long list, you're not going to be able to keep it in your head.” (04:05)
• Early organization helps with scheduling utilities, managing logistical tasks, and lowering last-minute stress.

Packing: Don’t Rush, Do Cull (04:47)

• Common mistake: Jumping into packing before decluttering.
  • Kit Dillon: “People try to pack too quickly… You actually want to cull some of the stuff you have before you even get to the packing phase. That will save you a ton of time and ultimately money.” (04:47)

Giving Notice and Getting the Deposit Back (05:47)

• Notice to landlord: Generally, give at least two months.
  • Dory Shevlin: “As soon as you know, it's better to get ahead of it.” (05:47)
• Getting your deposit back: Clean thoroughly, spackle holes, use a magic eraser for walls, and document the apartment’s condition with photos.
  • Dory Shevlin: “You have to do a deep clean. Like there's no way around that...every time I move out of an apartment, I think, wow, I've never cleaned it this well.” (06:53/07:28)

Utilities and Change of Address: Don't Procrastinate (07:42)

• Start cancellations or transfers 1–2 months in advance: trash, recycling, gas, electricity, water, internet, cable.
  • Dory Shevlin: “Writing it all down… it's too much to keep in your head all at once.” (07:42)

Listener Tips & Hacks

Scott from Mount Vernon (08:14)

• Keep a Sharpie on a string around your neck (you're going to lose it otherwise).
• Keep tape around your waist for easy access.
• Use 50-gallon drum liners for linens and non-breakables.

“You get a Sharpie. You put it on a string around your neck… Buy a box of 50 gallon drum liners.” – Scott, Caller (08:19)

Craig from Morganville (10:32)

• Confirm moving company is insured.
• Photograph the movers, truck, and contents in boxes.
• Take photos of your old apartment for deposit disputes.
• Follow the moving truck yourself.

“Take pictures of the license plate… Also take pictures of your apartment when you leave.” – Craig, Caller (10:37)

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Decluttering: The Emotional Side (09:23)

• Methods differ: “Does it spark joy” (Marie Kondo style) may help, but it’s hard for sentimental types.
  • Kit Dillon: “Some people thrill to just be rid of the things that they no longer want and other people… just seem to hold on to every sort of paperclip.” (09:23)
  • Dory Shevlin's clothes rule: “If I haven't worn something in a year, I'm just not going to wear that.” (10:06)

Large Furniture Decisions (12:17)

• Always measure both new rooms and doorways, not just the space itself.
  • Dory Shevlin: “A lot of people make this mistake… is your door frame big enough?” (12:23)
• If donating, plan ahead; if leaving on the curb, know that time pressure leads to more “curb alerts.”
  • Kit Dillon: “The more time you've given yourself to donate something, the better.” (13:02)

NYC-Specific Moving Nightmares (14:16)

• Parking: The single biggest logistical issue. Always confirm where trucks can park.
• Walk-ups: Tell your movers—don't spring a surprise fifth-floor walk-up on moving day.
  • Dory Shevlin: “You're just dealing with more people packed into a smaller space… That's what makes it uniquely difficult.” (14:19)
• Traffic: Accept that you will annoy drivers and bikers—shrug and apologize but don’t expect to solve the problem. (14:57)

Pro Mover Tips (15:32)

• Uniformity saves money: Use uniform-size boxes or rent plastic bins.
  • Kit Dillon: “The more uniform everything is, the faster your movers can sort of load that onto a hand truck.” (15:32)
• Pack properly: Don’t leave drawers and cabinets full—empty everything and label well.

DIY Help: Thanking Friends (19:12)

• A heartfelt thank you and a meal is usually enough; a handwritten note is classy.
  • Dory Shevlin: “A very heartfelt thank you and a meal is usually a very nice gesture.” (19:12)
  • Kit Dillon: “I've done it for a slice of pizza. I sort of relish those moments, to be honest.” (19:45)
• When are you too old to ask? Never too old (or too young to say no).
  • Dory Shevlin: “I don't think there's a cutoff. You can be in a different financial position at any old age.” (20:02)

Budgeting & Box Quality (20:44)

• Most money goes to the movers; don’t cut corners by using random-sized boxes from stores—they’re inefficient and may carry bugs.
  • Dory Shevlin: “Having a bunch of different sized boxes makes it very hard to pack efficiently. But two, and this is really gross. A lot of those boxes can have, like, bugs in them.” (21:17)

Choosing the Right Moving Company (21:25)

• Check for insurance, reviews, experience; trust your gut. Big, established companies (“Piece of Cake,” etc.) are generally safer but not infallible.
  • Kit Dillon: “You can go to the best moving company and have maybe the worst move… It really does depend. And just some patience generally will get you a long way as well.” (21:25)

The "Open This First" Box (23:47)

• Always pack an “Open First” box: toiletries, meds, clean clothes, tools, eating implements.
  • Patricia, Caller: “One box labeled open this box first… you’re gonna go mad if you can’t locate [those things] right away.” (23:47)
  • Dory Shevlin: Eating sushi with a pen and pencil after a move—lesson learned! (24:18)

Handling Short Moves (One Floor/One Block) (25:56)

• Don’t underestimate; still pack in boxes, still use a dolly—even if you’re just going upstairs or next door.
  • Dory Shevlin: “You get fooled because you think, oh, this is gonna be so easy... But it will take you truly, like endless hours if you do it that way.” (25:56)

Long-Distance and Interstate Moves (27:12)

• Not drastically different organizationally, but the moving company must be licensed for interstate moves (Dept. of Transportation). Timeline for tasks is about the same.

Timing Your Move (28:11)

• Often determined by your building’s rules on days/times for moves and elevator access; sometimes requires time off work.

Be Nice to Yourself (Self-Care) (29:00)

• Remember to show self-compassion: Moving is hard and expensive. Don't judge yourself harshly for feeling frazzled or unprepared.
  • Dory Shevlin: “There can be a lot of self judgment—why am I such a mess? Why do I own all this stupid stuff?...This is just a good opportunity to remind yourself… to be more gentle and a little bit more patient.” (29:03-29:04)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “People try to pack too quickly… You actually want to cull some of the stuff you have before you even get to the packing phase.” – Kit Dillon (04:47)
• “If I haven't worn something in a year, I'm just not going to wear that.” – Dory Shevlin (10:06)
• “Take pictures of the license plate… take pictures of your apartment when you leave… make sure you follow the moving truck as you leave.” – Craig, Caller (10:37)
• “Schedule a housewarming party for one week after you move. It'll force you to unpack.” – Listener Text (13:28)
  Panel laughs at the stress potential!
• “You're just dealing with more people packed into a smaller space…that's what makes it uniquely difficult.” – Dory Shevlin (14:19)
• “The more uniform everything is, the faster your movers can sort of load that onto a hand truck…that is really where you are burning money and burning time.” – Kit Dillon (15:32)
• “A very heartfelt thank you and a meal is usually a very nice gesture…” – Dory Shevlin (19:12)
• “You're never too young to say no.” – Dory Shevlin (20:29)
• “Having a bunch of different sized boxes makes it very hard to pack efficiently…but two, and this is really gross…a lot of those boxes can have, like, bugs in them.” – Dory Shevlin (21:17)
• “Please empty your drawers…you'd be amazed how many times we've walked into houses and people are not packed at all.” – Kit Dillon (22:32)
• “One box labeled open this box first…things that you're gonna go mad if you can't locate right away.” – Patricia, Caller (23:47)
• “There can be a lot of self judgment…This is just a good opportunity to remind yourself…to be more gentle and a little bit more patient.” – Dory Shevlin (29:04)

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Key Timestamps

• 03:14 – Top stressors; why moving is so hard
• 04:05 – First step: Get organized with a checklist
• 04:47 – Packing mistakes: Don’t start too soon, cull first
• 05:47 – Giving landlord notice, prepping for deposit return
• 07:42 – Scheduling/cancelling utilities
• 08:14 – Listener tips: moving hacks (Sharpie, tape, drum liners)
• 09:23 – Letting go of possessions (decluttering)
• 10:37 – Safety & logistics: insurance, photos, documentation
• 12:17 – What to do with big furniture
• 13:28 – Housewarming party as unpacking incentive
• 14:16 – The unique misery of moving in NYC
• 15:32 – Pro tips for smooth moves (uniform boxes, labeling)
• 19:12 – Thanking friends: etiquette and age
• 20:44 – Budgeting: box quality, spending priorities
• 21:25 – Vetting moving companies
• 22:32 – Essential: empty drawers!
• 23:47 – “Open this first” box for essentials
• 25:56 – Short moves: Don’t underestimate the challenge
• 27:12 – Planning long-distance/interstate moves
• 28:11 – When to schedule a move, dealing with building policies
• 29:03 – The importance of self-compassion during a move

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Concluding Thoughts

This lively and practical episode is a field guide for anyone facing a move, combining expert advice with hard-won wisdom from listeners. While moving may never be completely stress-free, the tools, checklists, and mindset strategies discussed here can make it more manageable, especially with NYC’s added complications. Whether you’re trying to get your deposit back, fit a couch through a 1920s doorway, or just survive with your sanity intact—this episode has your back.

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Find the Ultimate Moving Checklist mentioned in the episode at Wirecutter’s Website.

Transcript

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[Alison Stewart]

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[Host / Moderator]

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[Dory Shevlin]

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league anyways.

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[Dory Shevlin]

Liberty.

[Alison Stewart]

Liberty. This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Coming up on the show tomorrow, if you've ever heard people talk excitedly about TV series like Severance with a Pit or musicians like Taylor Swift and you taught yourself? Meh. I'm not that interested. We have a conversation for you. Atlantic writer Anna Holmes joins us to talk about her article, the People who Shun Super Popular Culture. As she writes, for some reason, the most hype something gets, the more likely I am to resist it. We'll talk to her about that fact and we want to hear what you're avoiding as well. That's happening in about 24 hours. Now let's get this hour started with tips for moving. We are approaching peak moving season from May to September. It's estimated that millions of Americans move every year. We all know how stressful moving can be filled with difficult decisions like finding the right movers or deciding what to bring what to give away. Not to mention the challenges of moving in New York City, I walk ups narrow Staircases or finding space on the street for a moving trunk. As honks as cars honk relentlessly behind you. Wirecutter has some resources to try make moving easier, including an ultimate moving checklist put together by my next guest Wirecutter writers, Dory Shevlin. Hi, Dory.

[Host / Moderator]

Hello.

[Alison Stewart]

And Kit Dillon. Hey, Kit, can you hear me?

[Kit Dillon]

Hello.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, there you are. There you go. All right, cool. Of all the tasks in life, there are five listed as most stressful.

[Host / Moderator]

Dory.

[Alison Stewart]

Death of a loved one, divorce, injury, job loss, and then moving is number five. Why does moving stand out as a truly stressful experience?

[Dory Shevlin]

I feel like it is the perfect blend of expensive, time consuming, and there's just a lot of different parts that go into it. So trying to figure out what do I bring with me and what do I need to cancel, what do I need to make sure is going to be at the new place? It's just a lot to handle all at once.

[Alison Stewart]

Kit, why do you think it's so stressful to move?

[Kit Dillon]

I mean, I think we're just sort of faced with everything that we own all at once, which can just be an overwhelming experience for anyone.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's start at the beginning. You make the decision that you're going to move either to a new state or a city or a new apartment. Dori, what is the first thing you should do?

[Dory Shevlin]

First thing you should do, I think you should honestly get like, a pen and paper or get onto your laptop and open up a document and just start writing down everything you need to do because it's. It's such a long list, you're not going to be able to keep it in your head. And, you know, this is why we, Kit and I have reported on it, because there's just so much to keep in mind. And whether that's like canceling your electric, canceling your water, canceling your Internet. Like, all of these things take a long lead time. And so getting organized, just writing it all down, I think should be the very first thing you do.

[Alison Stewart]

Kit, what do people do that maybe

[Host / Moderator]

they should wait for later to do, but they do it right up front?

[Kit Dillon]

I mean, I think probably people try to pack too quickly. I think that's probably one of the first things is jumping right in, and you actually want to really start to cull some of the stuff you have before you even get to the packing phase. That will save you a ton of time and ultimately money down the road.

[Host / Moderator]

Listeners, we want to hear from you. Are you moving anytime soon or have you moved recently? What tips do you have for moving based on your experience. Experience. You can call or text us now at 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC what about moving in New York City is uniquely challenging. Any hacks to make it easier? How did you decide whether to hire movers or not? Or do you have a question for our experts? Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC Dori if you move from a rented place, you have to let your landlord know how soon before your lease is up. Should you let your.

[Dory Shevlin]

I mean it varies based on where you're living, but I would say two months head start is really a good timeline on that. I know that I now live in Los Angeles and I think you can get away with giving them one month notice, but I just think like as soon as you know, it's just better to get ahead of it.

[Host / Moderator]

Kit, what are some things to keep in mind, how you leave the property so you can get your security deposit back?

[Kit Dillon]

I think, well, you know, that does change a little bit from city to city. New York, I think is pretty notorious, can be difficult in some buildings. I've heard. I think, you know, you're just trying to do your best. It does. I still work as a mover from time to time and it really does help. I find to fire a personal movie, you're just going to a professional mover, you're going to bump into fewer things, you're going to leave fewer marks, you know. Yeah, you just want to try and be careful as you're getting out of those sort of narrow apartments, which can be difficult without some pro help, I think.

[Host / Moderator]

What do you think you should do to your apartment before to make sure you get your security deposit back?

[Dory Shevlin]

You know what, Allison, it's funny you should ask that because there's been a bit of a movement now where people just accept that, you know what, I want to just live in this apartment the way I want to live in it. And I'm just going to sort of eat that cost. I don't recommend that. I mean you want to sort of spackle any holes you have in the wall. You can do a lot with a magic eraser to get rid of some wear and tear. And you have to do a deep clean. Like there's no way around that. And it's, I think it's stinky because, you know, every time I move out of an apartment, I think, wow, I've never cleaned it this well. The whole time I lived in it. And now that I'm leaving, it's finally going to sparkle. But things like that can sort of help.

[Host / Moderator]

So you should point out on your checklist that there are all kinds of utilities that need to be scheduled or cancele. Dori, what are the utilities and services people should remember to schedule ahead of time and how far in advance?

[Dory Shevlin]

I would say that one to two months before moving is a good timeline on doing that. Again, this is why it's good to get organized and write everything down because you just don't even think about all of the utilities you have. But you've got your trash and recycling pickup, you've got gas, you've got electricity, you've got Internet, you've got cable, water, all of these things. And so again, writing it all down because it's too much to keep in your head all at once.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take a call. This is Scott who's calling from Mount Vernon, New York. Hey Scott, thanks for calling all of it.

[Caller (Scott / Steve)]

How are you? Happy to be on. Okay, tips. You ready?

[Alison Stewart]

Yep, we're ready.

[Caller (Scott / Steve)]

You get a Sharpie. You put it on a string around your neck long enough that you can. Because you're going to find that you put the Sharpie down. Now you're looking for the Sharpie. You get your tape for taping your boxes. You put that on a belt around your waist. Then you're ready to go. You buy a box of 50 gallon drum liners. You can put your linens, anything that's soft, anything that's not breakable, you can put those in 50 gallon drum liners. Easy to move, don't overload them. You can actually stack your. You could put your old plates or your silverware. You could put those in your linens in your 50 gallon drumliner. That's just the beginning. I think we're good with that.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm going to start calling you MacGyver.

[Host / Moderator]

Scott.

[Alison Stewart]

That's pretty wild. Thanks for calling in. We have a good text that says get rid of stuff right away. It takes a long time. Even if you want to give things away. That is to your point. Kit, people have so much stuff and they have a really hard time letting go of their stuff. What are your suggestions for getting rid of things that you're not sure you want to take with you?

[Kit Dillon]

Well, it's such a personal experience. I mean, I know some people who thrill to just to be rid of the things that they no longer want and other people who just seem to hold on to every sort of paperclip will have some kind of deeper held meaning. It's, you know, I mean, not to jump on a cliche, but does it spark joy might help you, but it's a tough process. If you know, you're somebody who takes a long time, then you might want to give yourself a lot of lead time. And if you're somebody who's just thrilled to have a quick fire sale, then great. Doesn't take as much time for you.

[Alison Stewart]

Dori, what do you give people advice on culling their possessions?

[Dory Shevlin]

Kit I think is totally right that it's really hard when there's something with emotional value. But my rule of thumb is with clothes, if I haven't worn something in a year, I'm just not going to wear that. And so that's really easy. And I think what some people do is as they wear different garments, they will turn the hanger to flip the other side. And then, you know, at the end of the year, they'll say, well, these hangers are going this direction, which means I haven't worn this thing, which means probably it's time somebody else wears it instead.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Craig in Morganville. Hey, Craig, thanks for calling Olivet.

[Caller (Craig)]

How you doing? First things are, is that like the other your guests that make a huge list. Utilities, all the stuff. Second thing is, make sure the moving company you hired is insured that they're a viable company. Make sure you take pictures of the license plate of the truck. Take pictures of the movers. I've had things where movers just take off. Make sure that you see everything. The other thing is, when you are packing stuff up, take pictures of what's in the box that you label so you know where to look. And if you do with your phone, list that picture so you know what box it's for. It's gonna make things easier. Okay. And also take pictures of your apartment when you or your house when you leave so that the landlord or building manager says, oh, yeah, I noticed this and noticed that. So there are no discrepancies. And make sure you follow the moving truck as you leave. Thank you.

[Host / Moderator]

Thank you, Craig. We appreciate it. We're discussing the best practices for making the daunting task of moving just a little bit easier. Wirecutter has an ultimate moving checklist, and you can find it on their website. My guests are Wirecutter writers, Dory Chevron, Shevlin. Sorry. And Kit Dillon. We're also hearing from you. What tips do you have based on your moving experiences? What about moving in New York City is a unique challenge.

[Alison Stewart]

What questions do you have for our

[Host / Moderator]

experts about making the process easier? Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC Dory. There are some of these big items and you have to decide, am I bringing the dresser? Am I bringing the bed?

[Dory Shevlin]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Do you.

[Host / Moderator]

What advice do you have for deciding which big pieces of furniture you should take with you?

[Dory Shevlin]

I think you should have a very clear idea of where you're taking it. And definitely you want to be measuring every room and whatever apartment, house, wherever you're going to next to make sure that that item you love is going to actually fit. And I think a lot of people make this mistake, which is they don't measure like the doorway and this, I mean, it's happened to me where you think, well, the living room is big enough for this gorgeous couch that I love, but is your door frame big enough? So just measuring everything, that will eliminate a lot of pain down the road.

[Host / Moderator]

So let's say you decide you're going to leave that behind that kit. How should we try to get rid of the dresser that we want? Do we want to donate it? Do you want to leave it on the curb? What do you think?

[Kit Dillon]

I mean, if you can donate it, that's better. I've spent a lot of errant youth, you know, finding things left on the curb. So, you know, it is. I think either works honestly, by time. If you. The more time you've given yourself to donate something, the better. I think a lot of stuff just gets left because it's time to go. And that's. That's just the only place it can go is down the street. At that point.

[Host / Moderator]

We got a text here says, excellent donation destination. Housing works. This says, schedule a housewarming party for one week after you move. It'll force you to unpack.

[Dory Shevlin]

That sounds so stressful.

[Host / Moderator]

Sounds a little stressful. Stressful. This one says, NYC moving advice. Tip your super. Get off on the right foot.

[Dory Shevlin]

Oh, I mean, I think that money definitely, that solves a lot of the world's problems. I'm not surprised that one would work.

[Host / Moderator]

This is funny. Genuinely loving this big dad energy. All the men calling in to give advice. So good. All right. Obviously our listeners have a lot of firsthand moving experience in New York City. When you think about New York City, trying to move in New York City. Just saying that makes me nervous. Trying to move in New York City. What are the unique challenges of moving in this city?

[Dory Shevlin]

Well, I've moved in New York City three times.

[Host / Moderator]

Whoa.

[Dory Shevlin]

Yeah. So I lived here before going to Los Angeles, and each time it was like a different kind of nightmare. I think the biggest one is parking. Like, you need to make sure that you are on a street that you're allowed to park. You need to make sure, like, if you're moving into a fifth floor walkup, you've told your movers ahead of time, like, it's a fifth floor walk up. It's. You're just dealing with more people packed into a smaller space. And so, you know, just all of the different issues that arise from that, that's what makes it uniquely difficult.

[Alison Stewart]

Is there anything that I can do to help traffic? Because I've been in those streets. When you've seen a moving truck sitting there blocking the streets, is there anything that you can do to alleviate that?

[Dory Shevlin]

I think this is just a good lesson in, you know, accepting things as they are. Like, no, I don't think anyone's gonna be happy that your moving truck is blocking traffic. The bikers will be mad, the drivers will be mad, and you just, like, shrug apologetically.

[Alison Stewart]

Can I go, like, make a spot? Can I get a couple of cones and say, like, my moving truck is going to be there?

[Dory Shevlin]

I guess you could do that. I just think no one's going to be happy regardless. And there's this sort of futility in trying to please everyone, so everyone's had to move before, though.

[Alison Stewart]

Kit, as someone who works with moving, moving in New York City, what advice would you give people as a mover?

[Kit Dillon]

I think that, you know, the thing would be, the thing I always tell people is to just be as sort of uniformly as prepared as possible. The big tip that seems to save people a ton of money, a ton of time. Time is, I've always found, just uniform boxes and. Or sort of renting these sort of plastic bins that people. That professional companies allow you to rent. The more uniform everything is, the faster your movers can sort of load that onto a hand truck, get down the hallway and get into the truck. And then the cleaner the truck packing is, and that is really where you sort of are burning money and burning time. And as for, like, holding up traffic, I mean, that's. That's really the ball. Ball game right there. Right. So the more you get that truck pack, the faster you're on your way. So that's the advice I always give, is just to be as cleanly packed and as uniformly packed as possible.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Chris in Huntington. Hey, Chris, thanks for taking the Time to call all of it.

[Caller (Chris)]

Hi. Thanks for taking my call. First, I wanted to say I can attest to the stress involved. My wife and I are moving out of state from New York to Virginia in June, and I haven't been this stressed in a long time. I haven't moved in 24 years. And the first 15 minutes of this show has reduced my blood pressure. So thank you for that. I appreciate you guys have had some great tips. But the one thing I wanted to mention, and this surprised me was we've been making some calls with moving companies as opposed to using a pod. And I know this might not work for people in New York City, but if you live somewhere where you can have a pod delivered, it was significantly cheaper to go with the pod. I mean, 2, 3, $4,000 cheaper, which was an eye opener for me. And also it gives you the ability to have the pod on your property and you can take two or three weeks to load it at your leisure, and then that gets delivered to your new location. So just something to think about.

[Alison Stewart]

And I want to ask you, can you explain pod for people who don't

[Host / Moderator]

understand what you're talking about?

[Caller (Chris)]

Oh, sure. A pod is basically a large shipping container of various sizes. They have some small ones and then larger ones that are almost as big as a moving truck. So you can pick your size based on the amount of stuff you have, and they deliver it to your house and leave it in your driveway. It's weatherproof, and like I said, the disadvantage is you have to pack it yourself, but you can take your time doing so. And the big factor for us was saving thousands of dollars. So that's the route we're going.

[Host / Moderator]

We send you all our best. Chris, good luck with the move. We are talking about making the daunting task of moving just a little bit easier. We'll be right back after a quick break.

[Alison Stewart]

You are listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. We're discussing the best practices for moving. Wirecutter has an ultimate moving checklist that you can find on their website. My guests are Wirecutter writers Dori Chevlin and Kit Dillon. We're also we want to hear from you. What tips do you have for moving based on your experience? And what about a new Moving in New York is a unique challenge. Or you have a question for our guests? Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. All right. We have a question from someone who said, you know, I Can't afford movers. I'm going to ask my friends to help me. What is an acceptable thank you for your friends helping you move? Is it better to give them cash? Is it better to give them food? What's the deal?

[Dory Shevlin]

I. I've been in this situation before too, and moving is so expensive. So I really, I empathize with this one. I think that a very heartfelt thank you and a meal is usually a very nice gesture. And I think especially like, you know, these are your friends, they love you, they understand where you're coming from. I think that as long as you are very gracious and thankful verbally, maybe even send a little written thank you note, which I think is always a classy move. I think a nice meal is. Is fine. And I think, you know, when they need to move next, just assume you will be tapped.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you think?

[Kit Dillon]

I mean, moving friends is a very communal act. It's sort of one of the great things you can do. I've done it for a slice of pizza. I think it's, you know, I sort of relish those moments, to be honest.

[Alison Stewart]

This is a hard question. How old is too old to ask your friends to help you move?

[Dory Shevlin]

Oh, I don't think there's a cut. I mean, Kit, I don't know if you're gonna disagree with me. I don't think there's a cutoff. I think that, you know, you can be in a different financial position at any old age. And, you know, there are all these challenges that life throws you. There's divorces, there's deaths in the family. Like, there will always be moves on the horizon.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm too old.

[Dory Shevlin]

You can't ask me to.

[Alison Stewart]

I'll help you. I'll help you find a mover, but how about that?

[Kit Dillon]

Yeah, I don't, you know, pack light, keep the boxes small. You know, anyone.

[Alison Stewart]

That's a good plan.

[Dory Shevlin]

Yeah. And I also think you're never too young to say no. So, you know, there's some upside to that. Yeah, that's true.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, let's talk about budgeting for your move.

[Host / Moderator]

Where should you spend your money?

[Alison Stewart]

Let's say you can do afford a mover. Is that the way you spend the most money? Where should you spend it?

[Dory Shevlin]

I would say that's probably where the biggest chunk of your money is going to go because, you know, a bunch of cardboard boxes, that's not going to really put you too far back. And, you know, Kit and I both very strongly agree that that is another worthwhile investment. I think A lot of people try to sort of, you know, cut corners by getting boxes maybe from like the grocery store, the deli in their neighborhood. But you run into different issues with that. One, what Kit talked about is, you know, having a bunch of different sized boxes makes it very hard to pack efficiently. But two, and this is really gross. A lot of those boxes can have, like, bugs in them.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah.

[Dory Shevlin]

And you don't want that. I don't want that.

[Alison Stewart]

Kit, what steps should people take about

[Host / Moderator]

finding the right moving company?

[Kit Dillon]

You want to definitely, as a one caller mentioned, check for insurance, check reviews, check. Just sort of a history of moving and then trusting your gut after that point. We've talked to a couple of sort of very large, like ubiquitous movers, including Piece of Cake, which is, you know, you see all over New York right now as part of our research for this piece. And yeah, I think sort of the larger outfits generally, I think you can, you can tend to trust. Although, you know, every move is an individual experience and you can go to the best moving company and have maybe the worst move and you can go, you know, something to somebody off Craigslist and have a great move. It. It really does depend. And having sort of been a mover in both of those kinds of experiences, you know, everyone's doing their best generally, and just some patience generally will get you a long way as well.

[Host / Moderator]

Well, considering you were a professional move mover, what are some things that clients who are moving can do to make your life easier? You said the, the boxes all having the same size boxes. What else can they do?

[Kit Dillon]

Please empty your drawers. That's the, that's sort of the one that always stuns, you know, if you can empty your drawers, if you can empty anything that, that, you know, the sideboards, anything like that. And just being ready. I mean, you'd be amazed how many times we've walked into houses and people are not packed at all. And they, yeah, it's an incredible, I think, you know, have we seen you experience it over the years? I really think people just sort of emotionally block out what's about to happen to them. And, you know, you show up and

[Caller (Scott / Steve)]

you're like, are you.

[Kit Dillon]

Is this the right house? Yeah. So that creates chaos.

[Host / Moderator]

Let's talk to Penny from Manhattan. Hi, Penny, thanks for calling all of it.

[Caller (Penny / Patricia)]

Hi. I was going to say, when you're trying to move, it's painful if you try to figure out what you want, don't want, and what you can leave behind. It's much better to look at all the things that you have and decide what you really need, what you really want, and pick those out, and then don't look too hard at the ones that you've discarded.

[Host / Moderator]

Thanks for calling in. Let's talk to Patricia, who's also calling from Manhattan. Hey, Patricia, thanks for calling, all of it. You're on the air.

[Caller (Penny / Patricia)]

Oh, hi. Thank you, and thanks for this show. I've taken so many tips to heart already. We're in the middle of a move. We're moving later this month from one part of Manhattan to another. And the one tip I wanted to share with everybody is to have one box labeled open this box first. That will contain things like toiletries, medications, things, a couple of clean changes of clothing, tools. Just things that you're gonna go mad if you can't locate right away.

[Host / Moderator]

Really good advice. You're nodding your head, Dory.

[Dory Shevlin]

Yeah. No. I've lived this mistake so many times. I did one move, and I just. I was too willy nilly about labeling things. And I was so hungry when I was done with it, and I got, I think, like, takeout sushi or something, and then I could not find the box with, like, chopsticks and silverware. And I ended up eating the sushi with, like, I think, a pen and a pencil. And you can avoid that by doing that really fabulous tip.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Steve in Hell's Kitchen. Hey, Steve, thanks for. You're on the air.

[Caller (Scott / Steve)]

You bet, Allison. Unfortunately or fortunately, my wife and I have moved at least seven times.

[Alison Stewart]

Wow.

[Caller (Scott / Steve)]

And we have a lot of experience doing this. And the best advice she gave me was when we moved back from Maryland to Manhattan was to get rid of everything. And to my regret, I didn't listen to her. And if we had done that and just simply started all over again when we got to Hell's Kitchen, we would have been much better shape. My greatest advice for people is to hire professional movers. If you're moving from one place to another in Manhattan, how do you find them? Well, use your contacts.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, that's

[Caller (Scott / Steve)]

successful moves.

[Alison Stewart]

Appreciate the tip. Thank you so much for calling in. This is a question we had from one of our producers. She's moving within her building to a higher floor, and it seems like that might be a smaller task, but not really.

[Dory Shevlin]

No. I did this two years ago. I moved literally one block over. Okay. And this is. I feel like, like, you get fooled because you think, oh, this is gonna be so easy. I don't need to get boxes. I don't need to get a dolly. I'm going so close. But it will take you truly, like endless hours if you do it that way. I still think you should put everything into boxes, get a dolly. Because if you're just going up and down stairs with like, you know, a handful of your clothes, a handful of your dishes, it will take you truly eternity. I think you still need to pack up. In that case, Kit, should the producer

[Alison Stewart]

hire a moving company or should she go to some place like TaskRabbit or Craigslist, find somebody to just help her move her st.

[Kit Dillon]

Okay, so that one, I would say is on the line. It really depends on how much heavy furniture you have. I would think if you have a large couch, you just. You're not going to get rid of or any sort of anything's any very heavier wood, then I would say almost certainly just hire a moving company. You probably won't even cost that much. It maybe take an hour, depending on how small the apartment is. Moving to the next apartment. Yeah, but it's a close one. Maybe some friends could help.

[Alison Stewart]

Maybe some friends.

[Host / Moderator]

If you're moving state to state or over long distance, not just into New York City, has that changed the moving planning process, Tori?

[Dory Shevlin]

I would say it doesn't really change the process, but it does just mean that as you're looking for a moving company, you now need to make sure that it has a license with the U.S. department of Transportation so that it can go across state lines. But as far as, like, planning, you know, I think you still need the same timeline on canceling all of your utilities and, you know, actually physically packing up the place. And then it just, you know, becomes a question of are you going to also be driving a little U Haul too, or are you going to fly out and meet them? And, you know, I think the timeline's about the same, though.

[Host / Moderator]

This says the biggest challenge of moving in New York City is getting your deposit back from the landlord. Born and raised here. Never got it back once. My grandmother didn't even return it. That's an amazing story. Kit. If you work 9 to 5, when should a move happen? Can it happen over the weekend? Should you take time off? Should you take time off after? What do you think?

[Kit Dillon]

You're pretty, I think, limited by your building at that point. Some buildings have such strict days you can and can't move. Some are during the week, some are weekends. Is the elevator available to you or not available to you? You know, hopefully you can do it on the weekend and that's fine. It might be something that you have to take a day off and have, you know, a team come in, knock you out and get on your way. Yeah, it's so sort of idiosyncratic across the city that. Yeah, it's too hard to say.

[Host / Moderator]

Yeah, I, you know, after reading your article, you realize it's really hard for people to move. It's really, really gets at the deep into their soul. And it was interesting on your list. It said you have to remind yourself to be nice to yourself. You have to treat yourself at some point during the move. What are you thinking of when you were thinking of writing that?

[Kit Dillon]

That was very dory advice.

[Host / Moderator]

I just throw in, I'm looking right at dory.

[Dory Shevlin]

Yeah.

[Host / Moderator]

Yeah.

[Dory Shevlin]

Well, I just think that life is so hard and moves are especially, they're so hard, they're so stressful, they're so expensive. And I think that there can be a lot of self judgment, especially as you're packing things up where you're like, why am I such a mess? Why do I own all this stupid stuff? Why, why is all my furniture from IKEA and it's gonna fall apart? Like, there's a lot of ways you can be less than kind with yourself. And I think that this is just a good opportunity to remind yourself that, you know, maybe we're a little bit more gentle and a little bit more patient and this is not an easy task.

[Alison Stewart]

We've been discussing best practices for making the daunting task of moving just a little bit easier. Big thanks to wirecutter writers Dory Shevlin and to Kit Dylan. Thanks for coming in.

[Dory Shevlin]

Thanks for having us.

[Kit Dillon]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

And we want to let our listeners know that. Yes, the transcript for this segment will be up tomorrow.

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