Think it’s too early to begin planning your move? On the contrary, it’s best to start getting ready a few months in advance to ensure everything goes smoothly. Especially if, like almost everybody else in Québec, you’ll be moving on July 1st!
This day is, as a matter of fact, synonymous with stress, piles of packed boxes and a scarcity of moving trucks. Proper planning, organization and forethought will prove precious allies! Here is a Moving Day Survival Guide.
What to Do Now
The key to a successful moving day is planning. As soon as you’ve determined the date:
- Reserve a truck or hire the services of a specialist moving company. Ideally, you should base your choice on references from friends and family to give yourself the best chances of doing business with qualified people. Alternatively, check reviews online!
- Collect as many boxes as you can. This may seem obvious, but it’s not uncommon for stores to sell out just a few days before July 1st! Furthermore, free boxes may be obtained at grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants, which will be more than happy to get rid of their old cardboard boxes.
- Gather all your packing supplies, such as tape, markers to identify boxes, bubble wrap or bits of fabric to protect your belongings.
- Get the equipment required to move larger objects—lifting straps for furniture and appliances or a hand truck—if you’re moving on your own. The morning of July 1st will be too late to start looking for what you need!
- Enlist help for the big day unless you’ve opted for an all-service package from your moving company. This may be friends, family members or people advertising their services: check Marketplace.
- Sort and declutter your belongings far in advance. There’s no point in transporting superfluous things to your new house.
- Make sure the previous owner will have vacated the residence before choosing your moving day. Real estate brokers are usually in charge of coordinating everything.
- Schedule your internet hookup if you don’t want to have to endure several days without access to your devices.
What Not to Forget
Moving involves a multitude of small, easily overlooked tasks. Here’s a checklist to help you plan ahead and leave nothing to chance:
- When packing your belongings, work from room to room depending on their function. Start with the stuff you rarely use and finish with the most important rooms, like the kitchen and bathroom.
This way you’ll spend less time rummaging through boxes in the weeks preceding your move.
- Clearly label each box in bold print: intended room, contents, if they’re fragile or not.
- Prepare a bag containing your essentials for the first night: clothes, toiletries, chargers, medication, etc. In short, everything you’ll need immediately upon arrival.
This will save you the headache of hunting through stacks of boxes for these items.
- Confirm elevator availability if you’re moving into a condo building. You can usually reserve an elevator for your personal use while you move in.
- Check the building schedule since in many cases moving on weekends or in the evening is prohibited. Contact the management! Your real estate broker can advise you.
- Plan your parking if necessary: some municipalities offer temporary on-street parking permits.
- Clean your old house before you leave and assume that your new home might not be as spic and span as you’d like. The previous owners may even have left various belongings scattered throughout the property.
Why not go clean the day before you move in, if the house is empty?
Address Change Notifications
Changing your address can prove time consuming, but solutions exist to simplify the process. You should ideally begin at least two weeks in advance:
- Use the Québec government’s online change of address service to send your new address to several agencies and departments all at once (Régie de l’assurance maladie, Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec, etc.).
- Contact your bank, employer and insurance providers. Besides, you’ll want to update your home insurance coverage!
- Notify your internet and electricity providers as well as your credit card companies of your address change.
- Have your mail temporarily forwarded with Canada Post. The service is affordable, and you can sign up for up to a year.
- Update your subscriptions (magazines, Netflix, delivery services, etc.).
Survival Guide : Pro-Tips
Get an early start to avoid traffic jams and the intense afternoon heat. Also, remember to take frequent breaks and to drink water throughout the day. And to keep your cool while you oversee the entire process, assign each helper a specific set of tasks.
Check the weather as well, and make sure you have blankets or tarps to protect your furniture in case of rain. Confirm your truck rental or the date and time with your moving company a few days in advance. Have a first aid kit on hand to deal with any minor injuries.
Frequent movers know that having a toolbox handy is essential on the big day. You will need screwdrivers, hammers and other hardware to remove doors to allow large items of furniture to pass through or to carry out quick repairs.
With a little planning and a few practical tips, moving on July 1st will be a piece of cake… or almost!
Good luck and happy moving day!