1. Arrange a move that suits your requirements
The first question you have to ask yourself is: Who is going to move you? Would you rather hire professional movers, or rent a truck and do it yourself?
There are a number of things to think about before you decide. Do both the old and new homes provide easy access? Will there be stairs to climb? Are the friends that will be helping you fit enough to move furniture without hurting themselves? The last thing you want is an accident involving one of your helpers.
A good decision also has to be cost-based. In some cases, the expected savings from doing the work yourself turn out to be minimal. Remember that renting a truck also involves renting moving equipment that will cost extra, such as blankets, moving straps, regular straps and one or more dollies.
Since accidents do happen, check your insurance coverage. When you hire movers, insurance is usually included. When you rent a truck, insurance costs are extra, and it is common for truck rental companies to add fuel and mileage charges as well. Make sure you have all the information before choosing the arrangement that suits you best!
2. Send out your change-of-address notices
Moving means that there is a lot to be done before the Big Day, including sending out your change-of-address notices. Remember that some service providers –Hydro-Québec is one – require notification of your move at least two weeks in advance.
To keep things simple and take some of the stress off you, we’ve prepared a checklist to make sure that nothing is forgotten. The list contains all the information you need to notify everyone that your address is changing. (You can download the checklist here.)
3. Label your boxes strategically
An essential part of moving is packing your boxes! Even if you believe you haven’t accumulated too much stuff over the years, you will quickly find that packing your boxes takes time. It’s better to start a few weeks ahead – the job will not seem so overwhelming then!
The trick to packing your boxes strategically is to identify each box clearly with a colour-coded sticker indicating the room where they are headed. Add a note listing what the box contains. This will make it much easier to find what you need after arrival.
Remember to reserve a few boxes for essential items: the things you’ll need on moving day itself – like your toothbrush and phone charger. At the end of a long day, you certainly don’t want to be searching through all your boxes to find them.
4. Make a game plan
Nearly done! The last step is to make two separate lists of objects to be taken down from the walls or dismantled.
• First list: Everything that can be done before the move.
• Second list: Items that should be taken down the morning of the move (e.g. bedroom curtains).
Remember to keep the necessary tools handy!
Make another list of fragile items you will be taking care of yourselves, such as plants, lamps and other items that might not survive transport by truck. It’s a good idea to designate someone who will be responsible for fragile items on moving day. This will give you the peace of mind to handle all the other things you will be taking care of!
In the morning of the move, determine a logical sequence in which furniture should be loaded onto the truck, based on their location in your new home.
Enjoy the move!
When you’ve done a good job of organizing, the move is bound to be successful. All that will be left to do is settle in and enjoy your new surroundings.
We hope your move will generate as little stress as possible! It will be our pleasure to help you embark on this new stage in your life. Be sure to contact one of our brokers to arrange appropriate home insurance. You can also fill out your quote online.
It only remains for us then to wish you an enjoyable move!
When you’ve done a good job of organizing, the move is bound to be successful. All that will be left to do is settle in and enjoy your new surroundings.
We hope your move will generate as little stress as possible! It will be our pleasure to help you embark on this new stage in your life. Be sure to contact one of our brokers to arrange appropriate home insurance. It only remains for us then to wish you an enjoyable move!