$150 "low-noise" packing tape — and other moving secrets of the city's elite

By Lucy Cohen Blatter | July 14, 2014 - 11:59AM

We thought we were being all fancy when we paid movers to pack up our stuff during our last move, instead of doing it ourselves--a worthwhile $500 investment. Turns out, you could spend a whole lot more to save time and hassle when decamping for a new place, as detailed in the New York Times this weekend.

If you've got a little (or a lot of) extra cash to devote to your move, here are a few ways to spend it:

Under $1,000: For an additional $500 per move, the luxury division of FlatRate Moving, called FlatRate Elite, offers a liaison who will call the cable and gas companies and inform them of your new address. An extra $150 a move will get you “low-noise” packing tape to save your ears. And you can book à la carte services like a carpenter to build custom crates (starting at $120 a piece) or a car service to drive you to your new home (minimum $200).
Under $10,000: If you'd rather not get involved in the moving process at all, NouvelleView will act as your proxy, for $180 an hour, managing everything from digitally itemizing and cataloging your stuff to creating a budget and interviewing moving companies. Note: they don't actually move anything. An average job runs $6,000 to $9,000.
Under $100,000: If you've got fine art to move, you're not going to throw it in the back of a truck. Enter Gander & White, which will transport your Picassos for anywhere between $15,000 and $100,000. Eye-popping price tag, sure, but most moves take a minimum of five to 10 days, a company rep tells the Times.

16 tips for an (almost) stress-free moving day

3 high-tech ways to make your moving process easier (and cheaper)

How to negotiate with a NYC mover: 7 tips that may save you big time

Relocating to NYC? FAQs brokers can (and can't) answer

Insider moving tips from a small landlord

6 things to do before you move

3 moving scams you should know about-- and 10 ways to avoid getting duped

Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers.