Small Apartment Move Guide: Studios and One-Bedrooms

What makes a small apartment move different

A studio or one-bedroom has less to move than a house, but it is rarely the easy job people expect. The volume is small. The access is usually what takes the time.

• Stairs and elevators. A third-floor walk-up or a shared elevator adds more time than a few extra boxes ever will
• Tight turns. Narrow halls, low stairwell ceilings, and small doorways decide whether the sofa leaves in one piece
• Parking. In dense neighborhoods the truck may have no legal spot near the door, which means a longer carry
• Building rules. Many apartment buildings limit move hours and ask you to reserve the elevator
• No staging room. There is no garage or spare room to stack boxes in, so packing and living happen in the same few rooms

Plan around those five things and a small apartment move is one of the simplest moves there is.

Four ways to handle a studio or one-bedroom apartment move

You have more choices with a small home than with a large one. A studio apartment move can be done several ways, and the right one depends on your furniture, your building, and the distance.

Allpoints offers full local moving and long-distance moving, plus labor-only movers who load or unload a rental truck or container you provide. If you are weighing the do-it-yourself route, see moving yourself vs. hiring movers.

What a small apartment move costs

There is no single price for a one-bedroom apartment move, because two apartments of the same size can be very different jobs. Here is what the price is built from.

• Local moves are typically billed hourly, based on crew size and truck needs
• Long-distance moves are quoted as a flat rate based on distance, inventory, and any added services
• Access changes the hours: flights of stairs, elevator waits, and the distance from your door to the truck
• Packing adds time if the crew does it. Boxes, paper, bubble wrap, and tape are included in our packing service quotes
• Bulky or fragile pieces such as a sleeper sofa, a glass table, or a large TV take extra care

The best way to keep an hourly bill down is to be fully packed, with furniture emptied and the path to the door clear, before the crew arrives. Quotes are free and carry no obligation, so request a quote and include your floor number and elevator details.

How to pack a small apartment without burying yourself

With no spare room to work in, the order you pack in matters more than it does in a house.

1. Declutter first. Small apartments hide a surprising amount in closets, under the bed, and on top of cabinets. Do not pay to move what you will not keep
2. Start with storage areas. Pack closets, off-season clothes, books, and decor two to three weeks out
3. Pick one wall for finished boxes. Stack them by size, heaviest on the bottom, labels facing out, and keep the path to the door open
4. Use small boxes for heavy things. Books and dishes go in small boxes, bedding and pillows in large ones
5. Take furniture apart early. Bed frames, table legs, and shelving units can come apart a day or two ahead. Bag the hardware and tape it to the piece
6. Leave the kitchen and bathroom for last. Keep one bag of daily essentials out until moving morning

If you are wondering how many boxes for a one-bedroom apartment or a studio, our packing estimator gives you a count by home size. Our packing services can take over the whole job or only the breakables.

Apartment building rules, elevators, and parking

Contact the property manager at both addresses as soon as you have a date. Ask:

• Are moves limited to certain days or hours?
• Does the elevator need to be reserved, and is there a freight or service elevator?
• Is there a loading dock or a required entrance for movers?
• Does the building need a certificate of insurance from the moving company?
• Is there a move-in or move-out fee or deposit?
• Where can the truck park, and does the city require a street permit?

Measure your largest pieces against the elevator, the stairwell, and the new front door before moving day. If the sofa came in through a window or was assembled inside the apartment, say so when you ask for a quote. For buildings with strict rules, our guide to moving out of a high-rise goes deeper.

How long a small apartment move takes

A fully packed studio or one-bedroom is normally a part-day job for a professional crew, not a full day. The exact time depends on:

• How many flights of stairs there are, or how long the elevator wait is, at each end
• How far the truck is parked from each door
• Whether everything is boxed and the furniture is emptied when the crew arrives
• How much has to be taken apart and put back together
• The drive between the two homes

Doing it yourself usually takes longer than people plan for. Loading a truck well is a skill, and helpers tire quickly on stairs. If you rent a truck, leave a cushion before the return time.

A moving day plan for a small space

1. Confirm the elevator reservation and the parking spot the day before
2. Clear the hallway and prop the doors if your building allows it
3. Keep documents, medications, chargers, keys, and valuables in a bag that rides with you
4. Walk the crew through the apartment and point out fragile items and anything that is staying
5. Send furniture out first, then boxes, so the truck loads tight
6. Check every closet, cabinet, the dishwasher, the balcony, and any storage locker before you lock up
7. At the new place, have large furniture set in position first. In a small room it is hard to rearrange once the boxes are in
8. Take photos of the empty apartment and hand in your keys

Our moving checklist covers the weeks leading up to the day.

When to book movers for small moves

A small job still needs a spot on the calendar. Plan on 1 to 2 weeks of notice for a local move and 3 to 4 weeks for a long-distance move. Allow more in summer and at the end of the month, when most apartment leases turn over. A mid-week, mid-month date is usually the easiest to get.

Allpoints Moving Services is family-owned, licensed and insured, and has been in business since 1999. We are based in Metro Atlanta and move customers nationwide as a contract carrier for one of the biggest van line moving companies in the country, which is what makes a move from anywhere in the country possible and affordable. If you are looking for movers for small moves, across town or across the country, tell us what you have and where it is going.