Moving in New York City is already stressful enough — tight stairwells, freight elevator bookings, double-parking tickets, and the clock always ticking. But if IKEA furniture is part of your move, there are a few lesser-known programs and tricks that can save you serious money, time, and frustration.
Here's what most New Yorkers don't know about IKEA when they're moving.
1. Sell Your Old IKEA Furniture Back — The Buy Back Program
Before you drag that KALLAX shelf down four flights of stairs and leave it on the sidewalk, know this: IKEA will actually buy it back from you.
IKEA's Buy Back program lets you return used furniture in exchange for store credit. The amount you get depends on the condition of the item — and yes, it has to be assembled and in reasonable shape. You bring it in, they assess it, and you walk away with credit to spend in-store.
What to know before you go:
- Items must be clean, fully assembled, and structurally sound
- You'll need your original receipt or proof of purchase if possible
- The credit amount is based on age and condition, not the original price
- Not every item qualifies — flat-pack items that have never been assembled tend to do better
The closest IKEA locations to NYC are in Red Hook, Brooklyn and Elizabeth, New Jersey. Both are accessible by the free IKEA shuttle bus from Manhattan and select Brooklyn stops — useful if you don't have a car.
This is a genuinely underused option for NYC renters who are downsizing, leaving the city, or just refreshing their space. If you're also looking to get rid of larger items before a move, check out our guide on why you should donate furniture before moving in NYC — it covers other options beyond IKEA's program.
2. Shop the As-Is Section — Hidden Gems for New Arrivals
If you're moving into a new NYC apartment and furnishing on a budget, head straight to the As-Is section at IKEA before you even look at the regular floor.
The As-Is section sells returned, lightly damaged, or display items at steep discounts. In a city where furnishing even a studio can run thousands of dollars, finding a MALM dresser or a BILLY bookcase for 40–60% off is a real win.
Tips for shopping As-Is in NYC:
- Go on weekday mornings when stock has just been refreshed and competition is low
- Bring a tape measure — NYC apartments have specific doorway and hallway constraints that make certain pieces impossible to get in
- Inspect items carefully for missing hardware, since that's often why pieces end up there (more on fixing that below)
- Items in As-Is cannot be held or reserved — it's first come, first served
The Red Hook location tends to have a larger As-Is section than Elizabeth simply due to volume, but both are worth checking. If you're still figuring out what will actually fit in your new place, our NYC apartment inspection checklist can help you get the right measurements before you shop.
3. Missing Screws or Broken Parts? IKEA Spare Parts Has You Covered
This is probably the most useful and least known IKEA hack for movers.
When you disassemble and reassemble IKEA furniture during a move, things go wrong. A cam lock gets stripped. A dowel snaps. A tiny plastic cap disappears somewhere between the third-floor walkup and the moving truck. It happens constantly.
What most people don't know: IKEA will send you replacement parts for free or at very low cost. Here's how to do it:
- Find the article number or part number for your furniture — it's on the original assembly instructions, on the product label underneath or on the back of the piece, or searchable on IKEA's website by product name
- Go to IKEA's website and navigate to Customer Service > Spare Parts, or visit the spare parts counter in-store
- Search the part number and order what you need — most small hardware pieces like screws, cam locks, dowels, and plastic caps are free or just a few cents
- In-store spare parts are available at the self-serve bins near the customer service area at both Red Hook and Elizabeth
Common parts NYC movers typically need to replace include cam lock nuts, wooden dowels, corner brackets, drawer runners and glides, plastic feet, and floor protectors. IKEA will also give you a free Allen key at the service desk if you've lost yours.
If you bought a piece secondhand from the As-Is section and it's missing hardware, this is how you fix it cheaply without rebuying the whole thing.
4. Disassembling IKEA Furniture for an NYC Move — Do It Right
IKEA furniture and New York City apartments are not always friends. Narrow doorways, low ceilings in older buildings, and tight stairwells in Brooklyn walkups mean you often have no choice but to break pieces down before the move.
Before you start disassembling, take photos of each piece fully assembled so you remember how it goes back together. Keep all hardware in a labeled zip-lock bag taped to the back of the furniture or inside a drawer. Download or print the original assembly instructions from IKEA's website using the product name — this is your reassembly guide.
Things that commonly break during disassembly:
- Cam locks can crack or strip if forced — always use the correct size screwdriver and go slowly
- Particleboard surfaces dent and chip easily — wrap exposed edges with moving blankets or cardboard
- Drawer fronts on pieces like HEMNES or MALM can warp if stored flat under weight during the move
For a broader look at taking furniture apart safely before a move, our complete guide to disassembling furniture for a move walks through the full process step by step. And if you're dealing with protecting your floors and walls while moving bulky pieces through narrow NYC hallways, see our floor and wall protection guide.
5. Furniture That Won't Fit? You Have Options
Sometimes even after disassembly, a piece just won't work in your new NYC apartment. The doorframe is too narrow, the ceiling too low, or the room layout simply doesn't accommodate it. Before you abandon it on the street, there are smarter options.
Our guide on what to do with furniture that won't fit in your NYC apartment covers everything from selling to donating to temporary storage — so nothing goes to waste unnecessarily.
6. The IKEA Family Card — Worth Having Before a Move
If you're furnishing a new NYC apartment and plan to spend a few hundred dollars at IKEA, sign up for an IKEA Family card before you go. It's free and gets you member-only discounts on select items, free coffee or tea in the restaurant on every visit, and an extended return window of 365 days versus the standard 180. That last point matters in NYC — apartments often look different once your furniture actually arrives, and having a full year to return something gives you real flexibility.
Quick Reference: IKEA Resources for NYC Movers
- Buy Back program: Bring assembled used furniture for store credit before your move-out
- As-Is section: Discounted returned and display items — great for move-in furnishing on a budget
- Spare parts: Free or low-cost replacement hardware at the service desk or online via part number
- Free shuttle bus: Runs from Manhattan and select Brooklyn stops to Red Hook — check the IKEA website for current schedules
- IKEA Family card: Free membership, 365-day returns, member pricing
Moving in NYC is complicated enough. Between booking your freight elevator, getting your COI sorted with your movers, and figuring out what fits through the door, the last thing you need is to throw out a perfectly good IKEA piece or pay full price to replace a single missing screw. Use these programs — most New Yorkers have no idea they exist.
Need help with the actual move? Zeromax Moving handles NYC relocations every day, including careful furniture disassembly and reassembly. Get a free quote here.