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Feb 26, 2024

8 things you should know before your Sept. 1 move

By Annie Jonas That time of year is fast approaching, when two-thirds of the city’s 165,000-plus apartment leases turn over and thousands of college students flood the city. Avoiding the worst of the

By Annie Jonas

That time of year is fast approaching, when two-thirds of the city’s 165,000-plus apartment leases turn over and thousands of college students flood the city. Avoiding the worst of the mayhem starts with being well-informed about the dos and don’ts of a Boston move.

September 1, the city’s Great Move-In Day, has become an iconic, yet chaotic, phenomenon when roads are flooded with moving trucks, furniture is piled high on sidewalks, traffic is worse than normal — if you can believe it — and a few unlucky trucks might find themselves “Storrowed.”

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation actually put out a public service announcement on X (formerly Twitter) about getting Storrowed, parodying the ASPCA’s sad commercials featuring the song “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan.

“For just $0 a day, you can not hit a bridge or an overpass on Storrow Drive and Soldier’s Field Road in Boston and Memorial Drive in Cambridge,” a MassDCR official said in the video, as a montage of black and white images of Storrowed trucks played in the background.

“We know you’re excited to be moving to the Boston area, and we’re happy to have you, but seriously, that moving truck isn’t going to fit on those roads,” the official said.

With move-in day right around the corner, overpasses all over the Boston area need your help. They need to not be hit by a moving truck on Storrow Drive or Soldiers Field in Boston & Memorial Drive in Cambridge. Plan your move in day route accordingly & watch for the signs! pic.twitter.com/Wkfgcg6Nx3

RentHop, a national apartment listing site, recently released their annual Boston Move-In Day Report to help Bostonians prepare for the madness that is move-in day. Looking at moving truck permits using Boston’s open data hub, RentHop examined what areas may be the most congested during the next several weeks.

The zip code with the highest number of issued permits this year was again 02127 (South Boston), with a total of 434 issued permits between August and September 2023, followed by 02116 (Back Bay), 02135 (Brighton), and 02118 (South End).

Compared to last year’s number of permits, Boston could be in for a milder move-in day this year, according to RentHop. Looking at the past five years, August 2021 tops the list with 6,198 permits, compared to only 2,722 for August 2023.

The city has begun preparations for the big day “across city departments and with partner institutions to ensure a smooth transition for students, families, visitors and current residents who are coming to Boston or changing neighborhoods,” Lisa Timberlake, the Director of Publicity for the Inspectional Services Department wrote in a statement.

“New residents are encouraged to visit boston.gov/moving for more information regarding parking restrictions and permits, trash removal and restrictions, and rental requirements. New and current residents are also encouraged to connect with Boston 311 to report non-emergency issues and get information,” a spokesperson from the Inspectional Services Department said in a written statement to Boston.com.

To prepare Bostonians for the Sept. 1 move-in day crush, we spoke to Conor Newman, the city’s Deputy Director of Neighborhood Services, about all things moving. He gave tips on how to prepare beforehand, handle the move itself, and what to do after you’ve moved into your new pad.

Hopefully, you’ve already booked a moving truck for Sept. 1, as “it’s a really popular day for requests to get moving trucks,” Newman said.

If you have opted for a moving company, make sure they’re properly licensed with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. You can also check whether an interstate mover is properly registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation, and you can search for registered movers and view company complaints on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website.

Take it from an anonymous reader who, when we asked for move-in horror stories, told us the movers she scheduled months in advance never showed up, leaving her then-boyfriend (now husband) to have to haul everything out of her fifth-floor walkup.

“My husband ended up with a herniated disk, and 15 years later, we’re still dealing with the back problems that move created,” she said.

It’s not legally required, but in some neighborhoods, you can get a permit for a residential parking space for your moving truck. To apply online, you need at least two weeks ahead of your move, and if you’ve missed the deadline, you can apply for a permit in person if your moving day is at least three days away, and no more than eight weeks away. To apply, visit the Parking Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall. The typical fee is $69 to $109.

You don’t want to wait until the last possible day to put trash or unwanted items out onto the curb.

“If you’re leaving trash out on move-out day and it doesn’t fall in line with your trash pickup, you can be ticketed, or the property or landlord will be ticketed by code enforcement. And that could be a hit that you take on your security deposit,” Newman told Boston.com.

Not only that, but some items require special trash pickup because of chemicals or specific materials in them. For example, in 2022, mattresses and textiles were added to the list of materials banned from disposal or transport for disposal in Massachusetts.

Residents can call Boston 311 or 617-635-4500 to request pickup of a special trash item, Newman said. If you’re unsure of how to recycle or dispose of an item, you can use the city’s trash search directory.

You’ve probably think you’ve heard it plenty of times already, but despite yearly reminders, trucks still get “Storrowed.” Newman suggests planning ahead and consulting the Boston Transportation Department’s website for road closures off of Storrow Drive and alternative routes drivers can take.

Newman used to live in Allston and served as the mayor’s liaison to Allston-Brighton for four years. He’s seen his fair share of Allston Christmas shenanigans, including someone accidentally grabbing a bag containing important government documents off the street during their shopping spree.

His word of caution: “If you’re the one that’s taking things, it’s always good to maybe ask someone, ‘Hey, is this free? Are you putting this out? Is this up for grabs?’” Instead of leaving items unattended, put out a sign or have a friend keep guard of your belongings.

Tina S., a Boston.com reader told us about a near kidnapping — er, should we say ‘hamster-napping?’ — of her beloved pets: “I was bringing items out to load and leaving them briefly on the street, which turned out to be pretty risky. I set down my hamsters and someone started to walk off with them!”

Newman said he encourages people to prioritize donating their unwanted furniture and items to charities, thrift stores, or community forums as opposed to putting them out on the street, as many of them end up in landfills.

And if you’re thinking about snagging that cool couch or cushion, think again: “[Bedbugs are] something you definitely want to be really mindful of, especially something like soft fabrics like a couch or a mattress,” Newman said. He said if you’re really set on taking an item with fabric, make sure to check for bedbugs.

“As someone who lived in Allston, I had a roommate who had bedbugs and it’s not a fun experience,” he added.

Now that you’ve moved into your new place, the hard part is over. Before you settle in, make sure your new living quarters are up to code.

Newman said it’s important to contact your landlord first about any concerns you have, and he encourages renters to do it via text or email so there’s a written record. If you’re having trouble getting through to them or if things aren’t moving in a timely manner, you can contact Boston 311 and request a housing inspector through the Inspectional Services Department.

311 is also available to take calls 24/7, Newman said, “so at any point, if you’re in class all day, or if you’re working all day, and you’re like, it’s seven o’clock at night and I really want to call in about this, they’re open 24 hours, there’s always a call taker that can serve as your call.”

He also recommended making sure your new building is following fire safety and building codes. Check for fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide, and fire detectors — and make sure they work.

If you have a car in the city and you are interested in resident parking, Newman encourages people to first check out what the parking restrictions are on their street. If you’re unfamiliar with your new street or aren’t able to go there ahead of time, Newman suggests using Google Street View on Google Maps to look at parking signs.

“Certain streets have resident parking restrictions and they can really vary throughout the city,” he said. “It’s important to make a note of those signs because you don’t want your car to get ticketed or towed.”

To apply for free resident parking, residents can visit the Office of the Parking Clerk online or in person at city hall. You’ll need to have your car registered in Massachusetts and at your new address to apply, and you’ll also need proof of residency (this can be something like a lease agreement, credit card statement, or bill with your new address on it), Newman said.

If you’re new to the city of Boston, or just new to a different neighborhood, Newman encourages people to reach out to your Neighborhood Liaison. They can help you with questions you have about the neighborhood, getting involved civically, volunteering, and more.

Be civil. Be kind.