If you’re planning to move your studio apartment, the first question that will likely come to your mind is how long it will take to move.

Over time, a lot of stuff can accumulate in your studio apartment, so it is definitely not a good idea to procrastinate when planning your move. 

Whether you’re moving across the street or changing cities, the overall time to move your studio apartment will depend on the number of belongings you have, the distance of your move, and how efficient and organized you are in the process.

Yes, you heard that right; proper planning and organizing can help you make your move easy.

Also, the time taken to move a one-bedroom apartment depends on whether you want to hire a professional moving company or plan a DIY move. 

In this blog, we will give you an estimate of how long it takes to move a studio apartment in normal circumstances. 

Moving Timeline For a Studio Apartment

Moving a studio apartment usually takes 2-3 days, including packing, loading, transportation, and unpacking. But if you’re planning to move long-distance, the transportation time can be longer. 

1. Pre-Move Planning 

If you are moving out of a small studio apartment (400-600 square feet), start planning the move a month or two in advance.

You won’t believe it, but several tasks can pile on when you are moving apartments.

Ensure you have enough time to spend on them.

This would include:

How Long Does It Take To Pack?

Packing a studio apartment typically takes 1-3 days if you plan a DIY move.

But if you hire a professional moving company, they can reduce the packing time to a few hours. 

You can speed up the packing process by starting early and planning strategically. The fewer belongings you have, the less time it will take. 

2. Moving Day

The time needed to move a single-bedroom apartment on the moving day depends upon the number of belongings you have.

The other factor includes whether you’re planning a DIY move or if you’ve hired a professional moving company. 

Local movers are more efficient and well-trained to handle your belongings, so it is always a safer option to hire professional movers if you have delicate stuff to relocate on your moving day.

But if your budget doesn’t allow for hiring professional movers, then you can take the help of your friends or family to help you with the relocation. 

How Long Does It Take To Load?

If you are moving yourself, expect the loading process to be longer.

For a small, DIY studio apartment move, loading your belongings into a moving truck can take 2-4 hours, depending on how much stuff you have and how many helpers you have. 

Whereas, if you take the assistance of a local moving company, their expertise in handling your stuff can make the process faster.

Most moving companies provide an upfront time estimate once they assess the quantity of items to be moved. 

3. Post-Move Unloading and Unpacking 

Post-Move unloading and unpacking is the last step of the moving process.

If you are unloading and unpacking yourself, then it can be time-consuming, but if you’re hiring professional movers, they can help you set up your new home quickly.

How long Does It Take to Unload and Unpack?

Unloading your belongings generally takes around 2-3 hours. If you’re not in a hurry, unpacking can take a few days to weeks.

To speed up the unpacking process, it’s essential that you label the moving boxes with the contents inside and the room they belong to.

That way, it will be easier to unpack the boxes and set up your new home. 

7 Factors That Cause Delays In Your Moving Time

There are several factors that can delay moving your studio apartment.

These factors are essential in deciding whether you’ll complete your move in a few hours or it will take the whole day. 

1. DIY Moving 

Before you plan to move into a studio apartment, consider choosing DIY moving vs. hiring a professional moving company.

It is always better to hire professional movers because they are trained in handling your belongings carefully and can speed up the moving process. 

But having said that, it doesn’t mean DIY moving is difficult.

Start planning 6-8 weeks ahead; with proper execution and an early start, you can complete your moving process within your desired timeline.

2. Amount of Belongings- The Lesser, The Better

Although a studio apartment might have fewer belongings than a traditional two—to three-bedroom house, the amount of stuff you own can delay or speed up your moving process. 

Number of Boxes

The number of boxes you have can add more time to your move. If you have more boxes with personal items, including clothes, kitchenware, and books, and if they are not packed properly, it will take longer to load those boxes.

If you hire movers to load and unload boxes, you should ensure the boxes are ready beforehand to save time.

Packing Valuables and Fragile Items

In addition to packing your daily items, it’s essential to pack your valuables and fragile items safely. The more delicate and specialty items you have, the longer it will take to pack them.

3. Usage of Stairs

An essential factor to consider when planning a move is whether you have access to an elevator or not on your relocation day.

If you don’t have access to an elevator on that day, you or your movers will have to navigate flights of stairs, making multiple trips up and down to move your belongings, which can lead to delays in your moving process.

On the other hand, moving your belongings with the help of an elevator can speed up the process. 

4. Truck Accessibility 

If you have hired professional movers and they have to walk far to reach the truck, then the whole move will take longer than expected and could cause delays in your moving process. 

5. Distance Between Your Old and New Apartment

The time it takes to move a studio apartment also depends on the distance between your old and new places.

If your new apartment is far, it will take more time to reach there, thus causing delays.

It’s a good idea to plan your route in advance so you’re aware of potential delays from traffic or weather.

The farther the move, the longer it’s likely to take.

6. Furniture Disassembling 

Your furniture may require disassembly, which will be time-consuming when packing and setting up your new place.

The size of your furniture also plays a major role when moving a studio apartment, as the larger the furniture, the more time it will take to pack and load it.

7. Downsizing 

One essential thing that can add up to your moving time is if you are downsizing.

For instance, if you’re moving to a smaller house or a small studio apartment, you may need to let go of some of your belongings.

Therefore, you need to figure out what you want to do with those items, as it will take longer to donate or sell that stuff.

4 Tips To Move Your Studio Apartment Quickly

1. Get Rid of Items You Don’t Need

Decluttering and giving away the items you don’t need can significantly speed up the moving process.

Take some time out to sell or donate the stuff that you will no longer use.

2. Hire a Professional Moving Company

If you want to save time and (your back, of course), then hire a professional moving company that is well-equipped to handle all your belongings carefully and transport them timely to your new home. 

3. Organise Your Belongings

Organizing your belongings can save you plenty of time in both packing and unpacking. Label the boxes with the content inside and pack your essentials and documents separately for easy access.

4. Start Packing Early 

Do not procrastinate; yes, you read that right. Start packing as early as possible, even if it means just gathering moving supplies or packing the daily items. 

Conclusion

It might feel stressful to move houses, but now you have an idea of how long it will take you to move a studio apartment during all the stages of the moving process.

With proper planning and execution, you can have a stress-free move. 

You can take the help of professional movers who are well-trained and equipped to handle all kinds of moves.

This would not only help you to focus on other essential tasks, but they will cause no delays in moving your apartment. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can you pack and move in one day?

Yes, if you’re moving a small apartment locally, you can move in one day, but you will need to start early and take the assistance of professional movers. 

2. What month is the most expensive to move?

The peak months (June-August) are the most popular time to move, but they are also expensive.

If you are making a move during summer, plan well ahead. If you are booking a professional moving company, book their services early to ensure availability on your desired date. 

3. How far in advance should I pack for a move?

Start packing at least 2-4 weeks before your move so that you have all the time to pack the non-essential items first and then move towards the essentials as the moving day approaches.

4. How can I make my move less stressful?

Stay organized and create a moving checklist and a timeline to make your move simpler.

Hire a professional moving company so that they can handle all the stressful tasks of packing, loading, transporting, and unpacking your items while you can focus on other essential tasks.