Moving Furniture

There are a few ways to move your items into your apartment.

• Furniture stores may charge a delivery fee to move your purchases or rented furniture to your home; some stores offer free delivery.
• You can rent or borrow a van or truck and move the items yourself.
• You could hire professional movers if you need to move larger amounts of furniture.

Furniture Stores

Once you have purchased your furniture or selected the furniture you would like to rent, the store will usually charge a fee to deliver the items to your home. Delivery fees can be approximately $100, but they vary. Some stores offer free delivery if you spend a certain amount of money.

Move Items Yourself

You may want to try to save money by buying used furniture and moving items yourself, which usually means you need to rent a van or truck to transport the items. Rental prices may vary depending on the size of the van or truck, the number of days for which you would like to rent the vehicle, and the distance you drive the vehicle.

You will have to pay for gas/petroleum and may also have to pay for daily vehicle insurance. A major credit card (such as MasterCard or Visa) is required. Non-U.S. driver‘s licenses are acceptable, but you should get an official translation of your home country driver‘s license if it is not in English.

Vehicle rental companies offer quotes on their websites so that you can compare prices and services. Some companies that offer van/truck rentals are:

• Ryder—www.ryder.com
• U-Haul—www.uhaul.com
• Penske—www.gopenske.com
• Budget—http://www.budget.com/budgetWeb/home/home.ex

Professional Movers

You probably will want professional movers to carry heavier, larger items such as bureaus, desks, and sofas/couches if you have purchased many items. Prices at most moving companies change to reflect supply and demand. Generally, the summer months are the busiest. Saturdays and the beginning and end of each month are busy year-round. Flexibility with your move date allows you to get the best value.

Call several companies to get an estimate, and make sure to give as much accurate information as possible about your moving needs. Ask what you can do to save money, such as efficient preparation on moving day. Labor represents the majority of the moving expenses, but you should also budget for packing supplies such as boxes and tape.

Movers are usually tipped $4-$6 per man, per hour (“tips” are extra money that you give to people above the normal fees). If you feel that your movers went above and beyond in their efforts, you may certainly tip them more.

Here is some information to help you select a moving company:

• Confirm that the mover is licensed in Massachusetts.
• The company's licensing numbers should be clearly stated on all materials.
• A legitimate physical address should always be listed on the company website.
• Find out what the mover's responsibilities are for damages that may occur to your belongings.
•  All movers have something called a “claim ratio,” which is how many claims/complaints they have received versus how many moves they have made. If the ratio is troubling, keep looking. The Better Business Bureau also has a database at www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Reviews where you can find out about a mover's reputation.
• A website with information on good movers and “problem movers” is www.movingscam.com. 

Find out in advance about all details of the move that might affect the cost (such as how many flights of stairs to your apartment, whether an elevator can be used, parking for the movers‘ truck, how far the entrance of the apartment building can be from the moving truck, etc). If you don‘t ask the moving company about how these things may affect the price, they probably won‘t tell you before you hire them and you will be charged more money for the move in the final bill.

If you later decide to move out of Massachusetts, there are federal laws that regulate interstate moves. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) publishes a guide called Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move. You can find it at https://www.protectyourmove.gov/consumer/awareness/rights/rights.htm. 

When hiring an interstate mover, always ask whether they own and operate their own vehicles, or whether they work with origin and/or destination agents. If the moving company contracts with agents, ask about exactly who will be moving your items.