Moving to a new home is a complex undertaking with many different tasks and potential complications. Here’s our top tips to ensure that your move goes as smoothly as possible!
Measure
The first thing that you’ll want to do is to measure to ensure that your new home will be able to handle all your belongings and furniture. Make sure to bring a measuring tape, paper and pen to one of your viewings before you take possession of your new home.
Along with measuring all of the rooms to ensure that your furniture will all fit where you want it to go, you should also measure doorways and hallways to ensure that your furniture will fit through them on the way to their final destination. There’s nothing worse than finding out halfway through your move that your couch is too big to fit down a staircase or through a tight turn in a hallway.
Prepare
Moving day can be busy with many things going on at once. For this reason, it’s important to have everything planned out and prepared before moving day. A few things that you can do to prepare include:
- Labelling boxes with where they will be going in your new home.
- Sorting through your belongings and getting rid of things that you no longer want or need.
- Taking photos of any expensive or sentimental items before they’re packed.
Learn More: How To Organize For Your Move
Declutter
Once you’ve organized all of your belongings, be sure to donate, give away or throw out any items you’re not planning on keeping. Getting rid of these extra belongings before moving day will make moving the remaining items easier while also removing the potential for confusion.
Arrange For Storage
If you have some items that you simply don’t have room for in your new home but don’t want to get rid of, or if there’s a time different between moving out and moving in, you’ll want to secure a place to store everything. We offer both short term and long term storage in our indoor, secure and climate controlled storage facility.
Have A Plan For Your Pets
If you have pets, make sure they have a comfy place to rest during your move. Moving can be very disruptive for cats and dogs who are creatures of habit. They can become quite attached to their surroundings and a change of scenery can be stressful for them. We recommend bringing your pets to a family member or friends house, or arranging for boarding, while the move it taking place.
Once you’ve moved into your new home, let them roam free and sniff out all the spaces that will soon become their favourite spots. Putting out some of their favourite toys, chairs or beds will help them become more accustomed to the new space faster.
Appliances
If you’re purchasing new appliances, be sure to measure the height, width, and depth of your space to ensure the dimensions of your appliance match; keeping in mind that most will need some breathing room for venting, hookups and to allow doors to open.
We recommend that you arrange for your new appliances to be delivered to your new address to minimize the potential for damage during transportation. You should also immediately unpack and inspect the appliances for damage before the delivery crew leaves.
If you’ll be moving your old appliances to your new home, make sure they are completely empty and that any gas or water supplies have been shut off prior to the movers showing up. Avoid stairs and corners if possible or wrap your appliance in a moving blanket to protect all corners and door frames.
Once all your appliances have been moved into your new home, make sure to follow protocols on when to plug in all your items. For example, if your fridge arrived on its side, the appliance should sit for a half hour to 45 min, unplugged in an upright position to allow its compressor oil to settle.
Arrange For Cleaners
You’ve got enough to do on moving day without having to worry about cleaning. For this reason we recommend booking cleaners in advance for your new house and your old house. Our professional cleaning crews can clean your new home while your belongings are being loaded at your old house, then go to your old home and clean it before the new owners move in!
Arrange For Insurance
Be sure to buy additional insurance, if necessary, in case you intend to move items of great monetary or sentimental value. This will ensure these items can be replaced if something happens to them or they get lost within the move.
Wrapping Up
Moving can be stressful but it’s also a great opportunity for a fresh start in a new space. Following these tips will help you ensure that your move goes smoothly from start to finish!