Trading places

1. DIY

Moved: From Park Slope, Brooklyn, to Sunset Park, Brooklyn
Why: The owners of the townhouse my boyfriend and I rented an apartment in decided to sell. So we fled the promised land in search of sunlight, space and more than one closet.
Morale: We warmed up with some Rocky-style jogging in place, and two friends joined us. Caffeine levels were high, and we were giddy at the prospect of piloting an 18-foot U-Haul.
Moment of panic: I started panicking when it started pouring rain—and the monsoon-like sheets of water didn’t let up for hours. This made the already-hairy feat of carrying our incredibly heavy bed frame up and down stairs perfectly death-defying. I supervised to make sure that no one slipped and broke his neck.
Moment of “ah”: Relief came when at 7:30pm we picked up a hand-me-down desk from a friend, and she offered us water and ice-cream sandwiches—our first nourishment since we started.Damages: Just my spirit. Oh, and I s
till can’t locate a bottle of Rare Vos beer. Perhaps a neighbor made off with it while we were unpacking.
Boxes: About 15. But had we used more boxes, the whole thing would have gone a lot more smoothly. Instead, we crammed odds and ends into about 42 tote bags—which meant 84 trips from each apartment to the truck.

Actual cost: $90

Cost in blood, sweat and tears: (It was a long-ass day, but it was cheap. Plus, my arms were noticeably more muscular the next day.)

-Erin Wylie

2. Man with a van

Moved: From the Upper East Side to Astoria, Queens
Why: I wanted to save a lot on rent. We’re talking, like, $400 a month. And it’s nice to be able to stumble only two blocks home from the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden.
Morale: The movers (recommended by a friend) were all business, but also totally personable. They were so nice that I didn’t mind helping out and joining in on their fun. It wasn’t like they made me feel like I needed to help—I just felt inspired to pick up a few things.
Moment of panic: Moving is supposed to be stressful, but I never had that moment of thinking, I’m gonna kill myself. Between my masterful packing (I might have started a week and a half ahead of time) and the movers’ being on top of their game, my day was totally stress-free. I’d do it this way again in a minute.
Moment of “ah”: I pulled out my wallet to pay the guys and glanced at my watch: It wasn’t even 1pm yet. What’s better than a day of moving that also includes a guilt-free afternoon nap?
Damages: Besides a few tiny, understandable scratches on some furniture, there’s nothing to report. The guys wrapped up what needed to be wrapped. Also, because the van was packed so full, there simply wasn’t room for anything to jostle around and break.
Boxes: 30

Actual cost: $320, including a $50 tip for both movers.

Cost in blood, sweat and tears:

-Tanner Stransky

3. Professional movers: Imperial Moving

Moved: From a Gramercy high-rise to a walk-up loft in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Why: My fiancé started medical school at SUNY Downstate (in East Flatbush) in mid-August. From our old apartment, it would’ve taken him about an hour and a half to get to school. Now we’re at a midpoint between our respective commutes to work (about 45 minutes for me, a half hour for him). Plus, he gets a community of fellow med students nearby, which is ideal for studying.
Morale: The movers seemed a tad downtrodden when they saw the incredibly long and narrow staircase leading to our new apartment, but they didn’t whine much. One did posit that we might not be able to get our couch up the stairs, but a few minutes later the sofa was coming through the door.
Moment of panic: There was none! Except for that feeling of panic I had driving over the bridge, saying goodbye to Manhattan.
Moment of “ah”: When we arrived at the apartment, I got to just sit there and pour water into cups for the movers. They did all the heavy lifting.
Damages: Miraculously, everything survived intact.
Boxes: A lot! I’d estimate around 20, plus four wardrobe boxes and an apartment full of furniture.

Actual cost: $700, plus a $140 tip (they estimated $600, but when they realized what kind of walk-up we were going to, they said they had to add a fourth guy).

Cost in blood, sweat and tears:

-Julia Israel