App aims to add some fun into moving for New Yorkers

With National Moving Month just around the corner, the thought of moving has now gotten easier for New Yorkers with a new app that looks to bring some fun to the once laborious task with just the swipe of a finger.

Zootly is a New York-based app that aims to give users the control of when and where they want help moving either an entire apartment or select items — all with the help of certified and licensed movers.

“We wanted to create a new name for a new way you do an old task,” said Rudy Callegari, Zootly co-founder and president. “As we’re looking at changing a task that most people thought was very laborious and not fun, we want to put a little fun into that.”

On average, based on data from theAmerican Moving & Storage Association, 11.7 percent or 35.9 million of Americans move per year. Of those people, 83.8 percent move within the same state while 13.2 percent move to a different state.

The idea of the Zootly app came to Callegari when one day he had the simple task of having to move a couch but found it very difficult to find a trusted and reliable moving service.

He felt that technology at the time had not touched the moving industry and saw it as an opportunity to solve a problem many people have.

Through Zootly, residents and business users can schedule a move — either the day of or in advance — by selecting a specific time that works best for them. Currently users are required to give at least a three-hour minimum notice before the pickup.

“Now with Zootly, it’s on your schedule,” Callegari said. “It puts the control in your hands.”

Once the move is scheduled, users select the type of move — for example a studio, one to three bedroom or a custom order — and get an estimate of how much it will cost.

Then when all items are picked up, users can track the movers in real-time right from their smart phones.

“You know where the truck is, you know where your belongings are,” he said. “It makes it very simple and very transparent.”

Along with helping people move to a different home, or move a large couch to a new location, Zootly also offers shipping for businesses such as caterers, who specifically do not have a need in owning trucks or delivery crews.

“When they need it, they pay for it,” he said. “ We’ve taken the burden away from them on things that don’t reflect their core business.”

Since launching, Zootly has garnered about 49 moving partners, creating the largest fleet of moving vehicles in New York. The company also makes sure to take care of any insurance and paperwork that comes with making a move.

“People are loving it because they are looking at us as a place that has done the heavy lifting for them,” Callegari said. “When you are using Zootly, you are only going to be working with the best moving partners in New York.”

Currently Zootly provides service to anyone within a 100-mile radius from Manhattan via the mobile or desktop app but plans are to expand the moving service across the country and Canada.

Callegari also added that the company thrives on hearing back from customers and making sure the experience of moving is made easier, and improvements are made when needed.

“What I couldn’t do for myself I am working very hard to make it easier for other,” he said. “We’ve made moving a little bit more fun.”