101 Guide: setting up home
Moving to New York comes with a lot of excitement — but setting up home can feel a little daunting, with many quirks that new to New Yorkers will find a little surprising.
Here’s your quick-start guide to setting up your home in New York.
apartments are quirky
Wherever you’re from your new NYC apartment will have many suprises.
The first of many? no overhead lighting. Newer buildings might have them but for most apartments you’re going to need to invest in some lamps.
Most pre-war buildings use steam heat. That usually means you’ll have heat included in your rent & your landlord must make sure you’re adequately heated. It also means hot pipes you’ll have to cover or avoid & less control over your heating - something to consider as you browse apartments.
If your building has staff — superintendents, porters, doormen, etc. — you’re expected to tip at the holidays. How much varies & you can ultimately ask your building chat or just do what feels comfortable. Larger buildings often provide a who’s who guide so you cover the many people you’ve probably never even met. It’s an expense to factor in which goes a long way to building goodwill.
furnishing, storage & decluttering
No matter your budget, NYC apartments are tight on: storage, dining space & closets. Many New Yorkers rent storage units nearby — or for a lower price, in Jersey or outer boroughs. Buildings sometimes offer storage too. It sounds excessive at first, but when you’re trying to fit suitcases, holiday decorations, and winter coats into a 500-square-foot flat… it suddenly makes sense.
If you want easy access (holidays, Halloween, kids’ items), choose a unit close by. If it’s “big stuff I never touch,” go cheaper and further away.
At some point you’ll need to declutter. Here’s how to do it responsibly:
Large items: NYC does kerbside pickup for furniture and larger items. Ask your building or check when it happens on your street & try to do it on that day only. Buidings can be fined for items on the street outside of collection day & won't thank you.
Rehoming: finding a good home for items can be much harder, but feels much better than putting them out to trash.
Facebook, Craigslist & apps like Karrot can be a good way to shift things but you’ll have to navigate a lot of time wasters. Be cautious: never share payment details directly, never pick up alone, and if it feels off, it probably is!
Community marketplaces (like ours) are often a quicker, safer & friendlier way to do it (head to our marketplace & guide)
Offering big items for free with pickup is common and surprisingly efficient — and a great way to acquire things too.
Donating: There are great second-hand and thrift spots around the city (our NTNY map has the best community-recommended places).
For clothing and small household items, St Mary’s Clothes Drive is a favorite because they pick up from your home. They sell some items to fund programs and donate others directly to families.
Hosting Visitors: The Eternal NYC Dilemma
A running topic in every NYC community (ours included): where do family & friends stay!?
Space is limited, which means that though you’d love to host the friends & family you miss so much, visits come with a cost. You either need to host or find them a reasonable place to stay. Since airbnb cracked down on short term lets many are using these smart alternatives:
Community sublets: Many people list their apartments in building chats or vetted groups when they travel. Often cheaper and safer than Airbnb. Premium members can do this in our Marketplace (see our Subletting Guide!).
Kindred (home swapping): A fantastic option for both hosting and finding a place elsewhere. You earn credits by sharing your home when you’re away and use them for your own vacations. They handle cleaning, guest bedding, and logistics — you literally lock up and go.
Community swaps work similarly: respectful, clean, and a true “home from home.”
Welcome to Life Here
New York can feel chaotic at first — storage units, tipping guides, lamp shopping, hot pipes — but once you settle in, you’ll start to appreciate the rhythm of it all. And the best part? You’re not figuring it out alone. NTNY is here with guides, maps, vetted marketplaces, and a warm community who’ve all been exactly where you are now.
If you ever have a “Wait… is this normal?” moment, just ask. Someone here has lived it — probably last week.