Moving into a condo or high-rise can be exciting. You may be gaining a great view, a walkable neighborhood, less exterior maintenance, or easier access to everything Metro Detroit has to offer.
But moving into a multi-unit building isn’t quite the same as pulling a moving truck into the driveway of a single-family home.
There may be elevators to reserve, loading areas to coordinate, building rules to follow, limited parking, narrow hallways, security procedures, and specific hours when moving is allowed. Missing one small detail can create a big delay on moving day.
If you’re preparing for a condo or high-rise move in Detroit or the surrounding Metro Detroit area, a little extra planning can make the entire process easier.
Here are 11 things to take care of before the moving truck arrives.
Your first call should be to the property manager, condo association, landlord, or building management office.
Don’t assume you can simply arrive with a moving truck and start unloading.
Many condos and high-rise buildings have specific procedures for residents who are moving in or out. Ask for a written copy of the building’s moving policies so you know exactly what is expected.
Questions to ask include:
Getting these answers early gives both you and your moving company time to prepare.
An elevator can quickly become the biggest bottleneck in a high-rise move.
Some buildings have a dedicated freight elevator. Others require residents to reserve one of the regular elevators for a specific window of time.
If your building requires reservations, schedule yours as soon as your moving date is confirmed.
Also ask how long your reservation lasts.
A two-hour elevator window doesn’t leave much room for delays, so your movers need to know about the schedule before moving day. If your building has elevator padding or other protective equipment, ask whether maintenance staff will install it or whether another arrangement is required.
Some condominium associations, apartment communities, and managed high-rise properties require documentation from outside contractors before allowing them into the building.
That may include information from your moving company.
Ask management exactly what documentation they need and when they need it. Don’t wait until the morning of your move to discover that the front desk can’t allow the movers upstairs until paperwork is approved.
This is also one reason choosing an established, properly insured moving company matters when you’re moving into a professionally managed property.
Parking a moving truck in a suburban driveway is fairly straightforward.
Parking one beside a condo building in a busy neighborhood can be another story.
Before moving day, identify exactly where the truck should go. Depending on the property, there may be:
Send these details to your moving company ahead of time.
The distance between the truck and your unit matters, too. If movers have to carry furniture through a parking structure, down a long hallway, and up an elevator, that’s very different from unloading a few feet from a front door.
That sectional sofa may fit beautifully in your new living room. The question is whether it can actually get there.
Before moving large furniture, measure the entire path from the building entrance to your unit.
Check:
Pay particular attention to oversized couches, bed frames, dining tables, desks, armoires, and other bulky furniture.
If an item needs to be disassembled, knowing that ahead of time is much better than discovering it while everyone is standing in the lobby.
Condo living often means making smart use of available space.
Before packing everything you own, take a realistic look at what will fit comfortably in the new home.
Measure closets, storage areas, bedrooms, and major furniture locations. Compare those measurements with the furniture and belongings in your current home.
Then separate unwanted items into four categories:
It’s rarely worth paying to pack, transport, unload, and carry something upstairs only to decide a week later that it doesn’t fit.
Decluttering before the move means fewer boxes, less furniture, and a simpler move-in process.
Good packing is important during any move, but condo moves introduce another stage of handling.
Boxes may travel from your home to the truck, from the truck to a loading area, through building corridors, into an elevator, and finally into your new unit.
Use sturdy moving boxes that can handle stacking and repeated handling.
Avoid making boxes excessively heavy. Books, for example, are usually better packed in several smaller boxes than one giant box that’s difficult to carry.
Clearly label each box with both its contents and destination, such as:
Clear labels help movers place boxes directly into the correct rooms instead of creating one enormous pile in the middle of your condo.
In a single-family home, you’re primarily concerned about protecting your own property.
In a condo or high-rise, the route to your unit may include common property belonging to the association or building.
That can include lobby floors, hallway carpeting, elevator doors, corners, walls, and other shared areas.
Ask management what protection they expect during a move. Your moving company should also know about any building-specific requirements before arriving.
It’s especially important when moving large furniture through narrow hallways where a dresser or sofa can come surprisingly close to a freshly painted wall.
Not everything belongs on the moving truck.
Keep important personal items with you, particularly anything you may need immediately or would have difficulty replacing.
Your personal moving-day bag might include:
If you’re receiving several sets of keys or electronic building credentials, label them before moving day. The last thing you want is to be standing at a service entrance with a truck full of furniture and no idea which key opens the door.
Michigan weather doesn’t always cooperate with moving plans.
Depending on the season, you could be dealing with snow, ice, rain, summer heat, or rapidly changing conditions.
Condo and high-rise moves can involve more trips between the truck and building than you expect, which makes weather preparation especially important.
If rain or snow is possible, have a plan for keeping entrances dry and protecting furniture and boxes during the trip between the truck and building.
During winter, find out whether the loading area and sidewalks will be cleared and salted. During hot weather, keep water easily accessible and make sure the new unit has electricity and climate control available if possible.
Closing. Key pickup. Internet installation. Furniture delivery. Movers. Building orientation.
Trying to schedule all of these at once can turn moving day into a traffic jam.
Whenever possible, give yourself some breathing room.
Make sure you have possession of the property and reliable access to the building before your movers are scheduled to arrive. If you’re coordinating with a concierge, property manager, maintenance employee, or HOA representative, confirm those arrangements a day or two beforehand.
A successful condo move depends on timing. The more details you settle in advance, the fewer surprises you’ll face when the truck arrives.
Taking care of these details beforehand can make the difference between an organized move and a day filled with avoidable delays.
Whether you’re moving into a downtown high-rise, downsizing to a condo, relocating across Metro Detroit, or moving elsewhere in Michigan,professional movers can take much of the physical work and coordination off your plate.
Men on the Move can help with residential moving, packing, furniture moving, and other relocation needs so you can focus on settling into your new home.
The key is to start planning early. Tell your movers about elevators, loading docks, long hallways, parking restrictions, and building requirements when requesting your quote. The more information available before moving day, the easier it is to plan an efficient move.
Planning a move? Contact Men on the Move today or request a free moving quote and get your condo or high-rise move on the calendar.
There is a multitude of benefits when it comes to living in downtown Detroit. You can be closer to restaurants, shops, and your favorite things to do. In addition to the shorter commutes to the things you love, you can save money on transport by using public transportation or walking where everything is close together. Furthermore, the new downtown areas are presenting more work opportunities and available jobs which makes it desirable for those in the workforce. As such, many people are interested in living in downtown areas and not just urban areas. Moving to downtown Northville, Plymouth, or Royal Oak have its own special appeal, but it is not the same as moving to Detroit. Unfortunately, moving to any downtown can present its own unique problems.
Detroit is a city with a little bit of everything which makes it the perfect place to move. However, moving to Downtown Detroit can be difficult for first-time movers or people with little experience. Unlike suburban areas, downtown Detroit is extremely crowded. This leads to lots of pedestrian foot traffic and motor vehicle traffic which can affect the efficiency of your move. Additionally, driving downtown can be confusing due to the confusing layouts and one-way streets. Moving into multi-floor complexes can also be a big hassle for the less experienced. Hiring a local moving company with experience in the area you’re moving to can relieve a lot of stress in your move to downtown Detroit.
There’s a lot to do in the downtown areas of smaller cities. In areas such as Plymouth and Northville, local store owners own cute shops and the city comes together every season to celebrate holidays, local artists, and the community. While moving to a downtown area in smaller cities or townships may be easier than moving to downtown Detroit, it can still be a difficult process. Often, these smaller downtown areas have limited parking time and a lot of foot traffic. This foot traffic can make a move more strenuous and untimely. Also, multi-floor buildings in these areas may not have elevators which results in repeated trips up and down the stairs. By hiring a trusted mover near you, you’ll solve these issues!
Chances are you would be moving downtown for convenience and atmosphere so why not make your move more convenient? Men On The Move will help move you downtown whether it’s Detroit or to one of its many wonderful suburbs! We have decades of experience moving in and around Metro Detroit. All you have to do is fill out our free moving quote and we will contact you to work out the details!