Moving in New Orleans is different.
We have older homes, narrow streets, raised houses, apartments with tight stairways, limited parking and neighborhoods where getting the truck close to the front door is not always possible.
Add summer heat, sudden rain, Carnival traffic and a piece of furniture that is two inches wider than the doorway, and a straightforward move can get complicated quickly.
None of that means moving here has to be difficult.
It means the move needs to be planned around the property and the neighborhood.
At Move Precision, that is how we look at it.
Start With Access
One of the first things we want to know about a New Orleans move is not how far you are going.
It is how we are getting in and out of both properties.
Can the truck get close to the house?
Are there stairs?
Is the house raised?
Is there a narrow gate between the street and the entrance?
Are we working with an elevator?
Is there a long walk from the building to the truck?
Those details matter.
A move can be going only a few miles across town and still require more planning than a much longer move.
If a truck has to park half a block away, every sofa, dresser, mattress and box has to travel that distance by hand.
That affects time.
It affects the crew.
It affects how we plan the job.
Parking Can Make or Break the Schedule
Parking deserves attention before moving day.
This is especially true in denser parts of New Orleans.
You cannot always pull a moving truck directly in front of a house and start unloading.
There may be parked cars, meters, residential parking restrictions, loading areas or limited curb space.
The City of New Orleans manages residential parking areas and also has a process for reserving metered parking spaces when needed.
The earlier you figure out where the truck can go, the better.
One of the easiest ways to lose time on moving day is to have the crew ready, the truck loaded and nowhere practical to park.
Measure the Furniture. Then Measure the House.
Older New Orleans properties were not designed around today’s oversized furniture.
That sectional may look great in your current living room.
The question is whether it will fit through the next front door.
Before moving day, measure the pieces that concern you.
Sofas, armoires, refrigerators, large dressers, dining tables, bed frames and oversized desks are good places to start.
Then look at the building.
Measure the doors.
Look at the turns.
Check the stairway.
Look at the railing.
Measure the elevator door if there is one.
And remember that fitting through a doorway is only part of the problem.
We also need enough room to turn the furniture once it gets through.
That is where people often get surprised.
Historic Homes Need Patience
New Orleans has a lot of properties you do not want to learn how to move furniture through by trial and error.
Original wood floors, old trim, plaster walls, narrow doors and historic architectural details do not respond well to rushed moving.
We would rather identify the tight spots before we start carrying.
Sometimes that means protecting a floor.
Sometimes it means padding a doorway.
Sometimes it means taking a piece of furniture apart instead of trying to force it through.
The goal is not just to get the furniture inside.
The goal is to get it inside without damaging the furniture or the house.
Shotgun Houses Require a Plan
Shotgun houses are part of the fabric of New Orleans.
They also create their own moving challenges.
The traditional shotgun is long and narrow, with rooms arranged one after another. The Preservation Resource Center notes that the shotgun is a building type rather than a single architectural style and that it became an important part of the New Orleans cityscape.
From a moving standpoint, the layout matters.
If the bedroom is in the back of the house, that dresser may have to travel through nearly every other room to get there.
That means placement order matters.
You do not want to completely set up the front room and then realize several large pieces still need to pass through it.
We cover that in more detail in our Moving Into a New Orleans Shotgun House guide.
Apartment Moves Need Coordination
With an apartment move, we want to know how the building operates.
Is there a service elevator?
Does the elevator need to be reserved?
Where do movers enter?
Where can the truck park?
Are there specific moving hours?
Does management need anything from the moving company before the move?
A quick conversation with the property manager can prevent a lot of wasted time.
We have seen moves slow down over things that could have been handled with one phone call before moving day.
Heat and Rain Are Part of Moving Here
New Orleans weather is something you plan around, not something you ignore.
In the summer, heat affects the crew and the pace of the job.
When rain comes through, the focus shifts to keeping furniture, boxes and floors protected.
Weather does not automatically stop a move.
But it can change the way we handle one.
If heavy weather is expected, communication matters.
Know what is sensitive to moisture.
Keep electronics and important documents protected.
And give the moving company a chance to adjust the plan if conditions require it.
Carnival Season Changes the Map
A route that works normally may not work the same way during Carnival.
Parades, barricades, crowds, street closures and parking restrictions can completely change access to a neighborhood.
If you are moving during Carnival season, check what is happening around both addresses.
Do not only look at the destination.
Look at the route between them.
We will cover this separately in our guide to Moving During Carnival Season in New Orleans.
Decide What Kind of Help You Need
Not every customer needs the same type of move.
Some people want the moving company to provide the truck, transportation and labor.
Some already rented their own truck and only need a crew to load or unload it.
Some are dealing with a piano, antique, oversized piece of furniture or another difficult item.
Businesses have another set of needs entirely.
Move Precision provides packing and organizing, furniture disassembly and reassembly, loading and unloading, local and long-distance transportation, cleaning and debris removal, and specialty-item handling.
The right starting point is telling us what you already have and what you actually need help with.
Good Moves Usually Start Before Moving Day
The most efficient moves are the ones where everybody knows what is happening before the crew arrives.
Finish packing what you plan to pack yourself.
Make sure boxes are closed.
Know what is staying and what is going.
Clear the pathways.
Let us know about stairs, elevators and heavy items.
Figure out the parking.
If a piece of furniture looks questionable, send us a picture.
If an entrance looks tight, send us a picture of that too.
Those details help us show up ready for the actual move instead of discovering the job one problem at a time.
Need Help Planning Your New Orleans Move?
Tell Move Precision what you are moving, where you are going and anything about the property that could affect the job.
The more we know before moving day, the better we can plan it.
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