Moving from NYC to LA is almost a no-brainer. For many residents of the Big Apple, the first gray day of winter can bring on California dreaming. After all, everything people love about NYC—the opportunities, the culture, the arts—can be found in Los Angeles. The only thing keeping most people from heading west is the sheer obstacle of long-distance moving. At 2,793 miles away, most people assume that getting their stuff from one side of the country to the other would not only be a logistical nightmare but a financial one as well.
Actually, they couldn’t be further from the truth on both accounts. Our tips will help you make sure your move to Los Angeles is successful.
Hire FlatRate and You’ll Get Long Distance Movers with Experience.
FlatRate knows how to move you from NYC to LA better than anyone else you can find. We can say this because we’ve moved more New Yorkers to Los Angeles than any other moving company. We utilize the safest and most cost-effective materials for the job. In addition, we offer moving insurance, just in case something should happen to any of your belongings. We give a flat rate from the very beginning that we honor no matter what happens in the process.
Other moving companies like to get your attention with a low-ball rate, but often tack on extra fees once all is said and done. With us, you won’t be hit with any hidden fees or unforeseen expenses. As you may have guessed, we call ourselves FlatRate for a reason.
While We’re Moving Your Stuff, Relax and Take the Scenic Route.
Yes, it’s easier and faster to simply fly from New York to Los Angeles than drive—6 hours and 15 minutes compared to 42 hours is no laughing manner—but that’s like reading the first chapter of a novel and jumping ahead to the last. We highly recommend you drive the distance. Yes, you read that right. The US has some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet. It’s a road trip like no other, and we promise you’ll never forget it.
If you decide to take our advice, we further advise you to map out an itinerary before you go. The sky is big and the lands are clear, but you won’t find many hotels along the way. That’s not such a bad thing, though, because who really likes the view of a hotel chain while they’re driving? Airbnbs are the way to go. You won’t get a cookie-cutter room, you’ll get personalized attention, you’ll likely get a stocked fridge, and, if you have a pet, you’ll be able to easily bring them along.
*One last tidbit: Fuel up in small towns. Gas is cheaper, you’ll avoid the traffic of major cities, and you’ll get to see more of what makes this country great. Each town is unique and has its own eccentric, loveable culture.
Worried About the Price of Moving? Consider Only Moving What You Love.
Though moving can be very cost-effective, one way you can lower the price of moving is by letting go of a few things. It’s probably not exactly what you want to hear but consider this: the people of LA are unique, and any time you move to a new place, you’ll be attracted and pulled to new and different things (as a species, humans are deeply affected by wherever we live). What gives you comfort in NYC might not in LA. It’s very possible you’ll want to decorate with new furniture and new color tones once you get to the West Coast.
Our advice, therefore, is to move only what you absolutely need and love. If you can live without an object or don’t even really know why you have it, you can probably move without it. You’ll not only be saving yourself money but, when it comes time to decorate your new pad, you’ll only be pulling out things you love and will want in full view (instead of thinking where should I store this?).
While Packing, Take the Time to Do It Right.
If you’re moving anything fragile or dear to you, make sure you pack it with plenty of padding. Here at FlatRate, we offer special heavy-duty, double-layer boxes for moving and custom crating for safety. Things always move around a little bit during shipping (it’s impossible to entirely avoid), which is why we only ship in the best packing boxes.
Don’t Worry: With FlatRate You Get a Guaranteed Delivery Date.
While you’re exploring or getting to know your city, you won’t have to stress about when your belongings are going to arrive. We’ve done this trip so many times we know what to expect and when to expect it, which is how we can state with perfect confidence when your possessions will arrive at your new home.
It won’t happen overnight, so make sure you take everything you need while you’re waiting. Clothes, shoes, toiletries, important documents, and your favorite pre-bedtime read are just a few things that we recommend.
Should You Need to Go to LA Before Your Next Home is Ready, We Can Help You There, Too.
NYC storage units can not only be hard to come by but also quite expensive. At FlatRate, we offer storage facilities that are competitively priced. We don’t charge by the space, but rather by how much you store. This way you don’t have to worry about finding the right-sized storage unit. If you can’t fit everything into one, perhaps you rent a second unit.
Plus, if you don’t have the time to do it and need to leave, we also offer packing services. At FlatRate, we can help with all of your NYC moving and storage needs.
Lastly, a Few More Moving Tips
Apart from creating a moving plan and sticking to it, here are a few more things you should keep in mind when moving to Los Angeles:
- In California, you have to register for a new driver’s license within 10 days of moving. And, if you have a car, California has air quality standards each car has to meet. so it might be a good idea to take it to a mechanic and make sure it is West Coast-ready before you make the drive.
- Tell your bank and the post office you’re moving to. This way, New York won’t hit you with jury duty, and all of your bank statements will be shipped to the right address.
- Log all of your moving expenses. Come tax time, depending on the reason for your move, your moving expenses might be tax-deductible.
If after a few years you decide you miss the Big Apple, no worries! We will help you return to the East Coast with the same efficiency and flat rates.