How to Successfully Move to a New Home

Moving to a new home is a landmark in anyone’s life, and we all want the process to unfold under the best circumstances possible. Investing in a new environment means the future homeowner will have to jump over a lot of hurdles to which they’ll have to quickly find solutions. 

Is it a local or out-of-town move? What size truck is needed? Will all your furniture have a purpose and place in your new house? Will the move be carried out in one go or over a period of small back-and-forth trips? What about the address changes? To get through this transitional period, there are some ways to make your life easier and ensure that your fresh start is a success.

Here Are 5 Vital Steps to Moving: 

1) Choose the right moving company

How can you find the right company to move your furniture and personal belongings? First, there’s obviously word of mouth, where relatives or friends will share their experiences and provide you with the names of trusted companies. Then, you can turn to the Internet, to check the validity and reputation of said companies. Head to the Canadian Association of Movers and l’Office de la protection du consommateur (Office of Consumer Protection) websites to obtain the above-mentioned information.

Next, once you’ve narrowed it down to a selected company(ies), request information regarding their pricing. Costs could vary depending on the date and day of the week so make sure that you’re made aware of these details. The next step will consist of obtaining written quotes containing the terms and conditions related to the move and the company with which you want to work with. 

Do: Depending on the date of the move, it could vary from a couple of weeks to months in advance. Regarding the period surrounding the first of July, it’s best to jumpstart the process at least 2 to 5 months ahead of time. 

2) Plan the logistics of the move

Whether you’re a very methodical or disorganized individual, you can still plan the logistics of your move. No one wants to waste their time or have to rush things the morning of due to a lack of preparation beforehand. First, make a list of your furniture, appliances, and a broad category of personal belongings. As you inch closer to the moving date, make a detailed plan that outlines the number of days that you’ll have to dedicate to packing boxes and to the move itself, since in some cases, the move can be done in several trips alone. 

Do: Several months prior to moving

3) If possible, take a few days off to move

Albeit this tip isn’t a possibility for all, it’s still worth mentioning. Having to move while simultaneously working is exhausting. Therefore, if you’re able to take some vacation time or ask your employer for a few days off, we highly recommend that you do so. 

Do: Several weeks prior to moving

4) Make a list of renovations to do in the new house

Now that this new house will be all yours, it’s about time to make it your own! Prior to filling it up with furniture and objects, go around from room to room and make a list of changes you’d like to make. This list should also include transformations that aren’t so much aimed at aesthetic aspects but rather practical matters. Furthermore, if you have access to the house prior to the moving-in date, why not take advantage of that fact to organize the work ahead of time? That way, you’ll avoid that period of discomfort. 

Since you already have a lot of things to ponder over, a contractor referral service such as RenoQuotes.com will prove very useful since you won’t have to waste your time looking for certified contractors. The latter will send you a quote and from there, you can compare prices and services offered, to then sign a contract with the person you decide to entrust with the work. 

Do: Several weeks prior to the move

5) Change of addresses

Last but not least of our tips: address changes. We might not realize this, but every year, millions of letters and packages don’t make it to recipients due to wrongfully inscribed addresses. During the frenzied events surrounding a move, it’s really easy to forget to change addresses or to do so but leave out some organizations in the process. 

Luckily, nowadays, there’s a tool that’ll make your life way easier: MovingWaldo, a free, easy-to-use Internet-based platform. This new, Quebec-based company is revolutionizing the moving industry by providing services across Quebec and Ontario.

To process is rather simple: You only need to log onto the MovingWaldo website and create an account from which you’ll then be able to complete your address changes. From this account, enter your name and contact information, and your current and future addresses. Then, select the providers you wish to notify of the imminent changes. 

More than 500 providers and organizations are registered with the service, so it’ll definitely be useful. Once the form is sent, MovingWaldo will take care of the rest. In all, you’ll need less than 5 minutes to complete this task. More so, you’ll find useful information in regard to changing your address with various government agencies. 

Do: It’s best to do so two weeks ahead of time. If you’re afraid of forgetting, you can also, via the website, use the “reminder” function which will send you a notification 14 days prior to your moving date.