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Sean Donnelly is a writer for USA TODAY Homefront. His content draws on more than three years of experience in the moving industry. He started as a laborer and was quickly promoted to moving crew leader. Sean also served as a move coordinator, where he conducted in-home and virtual estimates for customers. During his time in the industry, Sean assisted more than 500 clients with their relocation needs. Thanks to his years of hand-on experience, he understands all aspects of moving — from proper preparation to the quote process to effective packing techniques. Sean studied English literature and creative writing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is still located in the greater Springfield area. When he isn’t writing, Sean is a cohead coach of the boxing team at his alma mater.
When moving out of an apartment, your best bet is a moving company with experience handling lengthy walkups or high-rise elevators.
We recommend starting with quotes from Allied Van Lines and Mayflower. Both providers offer widespread availability and specialized small-move service plans that can streamline your apartment move. Allied Express and Mayflower’s Snapmoves are among the most efficient options for smaller homes traveling long distances.
To determine our top picks, we rated each against our own grading criteria. We looked up Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Google Review scores, checked each provider’s availability across the country, and looked into pricing practices and quote options to score each company we outlined here.
We recommend getting estimates from at least three companies that offer service plans specifically for small moves.
We chose the following providers as our top apartment movers. Read our provider summaries below to learn how each can offer hassle-free relocation.
Here, we’ve broken down our choices for the best moving companies overall. Each rated highly on our proprietary grading scale for service offerings, pricing structure and customer review scores.
The following moving companies offer the best apartment and small-move services, including dedicated plans for smaller homes. Read how each can assist you with your apartment move.
Allied Van Lines is a nationwide carrier with more than 500 locations across all 50 states. Its fleet of more than 1,000 trucks offers local and long-distance service for moves of all sizes, with dedicated options for small moves.
What we like
This mover’s Allied Express package provides a full-service moving container solution for small moves. It includes moving labor, full-value protection and basic furniture padding for small homes with a maximum size of two-bedroom apartments.
What we don’t like
The flipside to Allied Express is that it is not a prominently advertised service on its website. It does not clearly state whether such packages are available at most locations, which could limit your options if you’re looking to book an expedited move.
Allied offers local and long-distance service, plus Allied Express, a container service for small long-distance moves. Its moving packages include packing, crating, vehicle shipping and short and long-term shipping.
We called Allied and got a three-bedroom, 1,800-mile move quote. In all, the process took a little more than 10 minutes. The company representative we spoke with made it clear that our pricing could not be binding without a thorough in-person inspection of our goods. With no packing or add-ons included, our price would be $7,000. Packing increased our total to $10,000. You should plan to schedule an in-person quote for your small move to get an accurate rate.
This mover operates in all 50 states.
Many of Allied’s individual branches are highly rated on Google Reviews. For example, its Fullerton, California, location has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars, with reviews that mention professionalism and good customer service throughout moves.
This mover has a rating of 1.1 out of 5 stars on BBB. Reviews on the platform mention difficulty with claims for damaged goods and late deliveries on long-distance moves. However, this provider’s local reviews are far more indicative of its performance and are mostly positive.
Mayflower is a carrier and broker with more than 90 years of experience providing local and long-distance moving services. It operates in 46 states with local branches and qualified partners who offer basic and full-service moves.
If you can book with one of Mayflower’s carrier locations, you’ll have access to its Snapmoves service packages. Snapmoves provides dedicated service for small moves with an expedited shipping option. All packages include full-value protection, labor and transportation at a bottom-line price.
The automatic addition of full-value protection to initial quotes can be a negative since most moving clients aren’t clear on what the coverage provides. This leads to higher rates for service — customers must actively opt out of this coverage to secure a lower rate.
You can book local, long-distance and international moving services through Mayflower. Aside from its Snapmoves service packages, you can also book packing, crating, long-term storage and more to help you get to your new apartment seamlessly.
You’ll have to call Mayflower and book a consultation to determine the cost of your move. When we spoke with Mayflower, our company representative said we would have to book an in-person inventory review or schedule a video call to get an accurate appraisal of our moving needs.
This mover is available in 46 states. It does not offer service in Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island or Virginia.
This carrier and broker’s BBB rating is currently 1.3 out of 5 stars. Its page shows complaints about damages and slow responses to submitted claims for damage to or loss of goods during moves.
However, many individual locations have high ratings. This includes such local agents as Roan’s Transfer & Storage Inc. in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, which has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews.
Safeway Moving Inc. is a moving carrier and broker operating out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and carrying out moves in all 50 states. As a bonus, it offers flat-rate pricing and 30 days of free storage with all moves.
This mover carries more insurance than the required industry minimum. These $1 million policies allow Safeway to operate in condo and apartment complexes with even the most stringent requirements.
Negative reviews for this provider mention brokered-out moves as a drawback to Safeway’s service. While this mover advertises that it is mainly a carrier, you should inquire about which company will handle your move when you get a quote.
Safeway exclusively provides long-distance moving services. Each long-distance package comes with light packing and 30 days of free storage at your destination. Any full-service move with Safeway can include labor, full-service packing and long-term storage. It doesn’t advertise many add-on services, so you’ll have to ask about these when you call for a quote.
We called Safeway for move pricing on a three-bedroom, 1,800-mile home and were treated to a thorough estimate process. Our company representative assured us that an experienced moving team would assist with our goods and asked pointed questions about our inventory list.
With no add-ons, we would pay $6,245 for the move. Packing increased the cost to $7,760. Our representative mentioned that Safeway primarily handles small apartment moves, so it has the necessary experience to assist with your small moving needs.
This carrier and broker operates in all 50 states.
Safeway’s rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars on BBB is a positive indicator of good service. While negative reviews mention late deliveries for longer moves, positive reviews mention efficient moving crews and friendly customer service staff. While you can’t book local moving help through this provider, its long-distance service quality is among the best in the industry.
Interstate Moving & Relocation Group (IMRG) is a moving broker with partner companies in all 50 states. These 2,500 local agents and partner companies offer local and long-distance service and an array of add-ons, including packing, crating, storage and more.
IMRG’s partner companies include some of the highest-rated providers in many of the country’s largest urban centers. To display this, it includes guides to the best movers in cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, providing visibility into the companies it works with.
Many brokers, including IMRG, receive negative reviews, including complaints about variance in service quality across the areas they cover. Since brokers operate as middlemen between clients and carriers, you should ask IMRG which company will handle your move before you book.
IMRG’s partner companies provide local and long-distance moving packages, including last-minute options in some instances. You can book moves with packing, crating, long-term storage, vehicle shipping and more. However, the exact services available will depend on the partner companies in your area.
We called IMRG for a quote and spent nearly 40 minutes on the phone to get a long-distance rate. Our three-bedroom, 1,800-mile moving quote totaled $7,569 with no packing.
Full-service packing increased the rate to $9,269, with both packages including 30 days of free storage near our destination address. Our representative asked several pointed questions about our inventory, which made us feel secure in the pricing estimate rendered.
This broker offers service in all 50 states.
IMRG has a rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars on BBB. Positive reviews mention the movers’ efficiency when performing long-distance moves and specialized requests, including piano moving and packing. Negative reviews include complaints about moving crews’ lack of punctuality and care during the moving process.
When booking apartment movers, get multiple free quotes — at least three — to ensure that you book with the best match for your moving needs at a price you can afford. Before you get quotes, be mindful of the following factors to increase your chances of hiring a reputable mover.
Before calling for a moving quote, make a list of the basic and add-on services you’ll need. To determine these, conduct a full walk-through of your home. Write out an inventory of all the items you plan to take with you, broken down by room. Based on this inventory, you can figure out whether you’ll need tailored services, such as the following:
All moving companies must have proper licensing to operate legally. Long-distance movers are federally regulated and must have up-to-date United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) numbers. You can use these to check a given provider’s registration status via the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) database.
State-level governing boards regulate local movers. Before you get quotes, check your state’s requirements for moving companies. States that have no governing agency for moving companies will still require professional movers to carry basic business licensing and a USDOT number.
Getting multiple quotes is the best way to ensure you book a moving company at the best possible rate for your budget and needs. Making time for at least three in-person or video call consultations will help moving coordinators get a full picture of your inventory and circumstances. You’ll also be able to get a more accurate cost estimate for additional services, such as packing and storage.
When booking apartment moving services, note the potential for added fees and find out your apartment building’s moving rules and regulations. Some high-rise buildings require you to reserve time for elevator or loading dock use with a building manager. Also, movers sometimes charge elevator fees or increase rates for multi-floor walk-ups.
Read customer reviews from multiple review sites before deciding on a provider. Google, Yelp, social media and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) are all good sources for verified customer feedback. Looking at multiple sites is important since certain platforms, such as BBB, can turn into sounding boards for complaints rather than objective customer reviews.
All moving companies provide a base level of coverage for lost or damaged goods, called released-value protection. This coverage comes at no additional cost and reimburses 60 cents per pound per item for lost or damaged goods.
Most providers also offer full-value protection at an added cost. Under these protection plans, clients can select a maximum dollar amount of coverage. The added cost will be a percentage of this total dollar amount. Ask your moving company representative about full-value coverage if you have high-value items that require extra protection.
We recommend getting quotes from Allied Van Lines and Mayflower to start your moving process. Both providers offer efficient small-move services — Allied Express and Snapmoves, respectively — and have experience dealing with moves in high-rise apartment buildings. Their quick solutions for two-bedroom apartments and smaller homes can help you plan an efficient move out of your apartment complex or high-rise.
If you’ve determined that you’re going to book with a full-service mover, and not with a moving container provider such as PODS or U-Pack, then you should begin getting quotes at least four to six weeks ahead of your planned move date. Getting quotes from at least three movers will help ensure you book with a mover matching your budgetary requirements and service needs.
Our moving recommendations are all backed by our detailed rating methodology. To fairly assess both interstate and local movers, we have tailored two sets of review standards for long-distance and intrastate movers.
Both sets of review standards assess factors including reputation and customer satisfaction, availability and range, services offered, pricing and quote practices and customer service. We rate each moving company out of 100 possible points. We then divide the final score by 20 to obtain the 5-star rating we feature in our reviews.
BBB and Google Reviews ratings accurate as of March 2024.
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
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