Where's Your Next Home?

Immediately, 1st Things To Do

• Create a moving expense/documentation file
• Gather all important documents and keep them in moving file. Don’t forget your pets’ info.
• Call 3 different moving companies and get written estimates on the cost of your move as well as moving date availability. Choose one and attain a written commitment from movers for your moving date.
• Ask about moving insurance in case of accidental damage.
• Confirm requirements for who packs what and remember to let them know if you had problems getting any piece of furniture into the house.
• Organize for a cleaning company to come in immediately after the move. Requesting extra attention for the appliances, rugs and bathroom scrubbing.

Then Begin

Change of Address Notification / Change of Address Cards

Go paperless! Send out an email with your new location and any phone number changes as well as the date you are moving.

Most companies you can update via the internet.

• Register with Canada Post for mail forwarding starting on your moving date.
• BC Medicare
• Doctor
• Dentist
• Lawyer
• Credit Card Companies
• Bank – order new cheques
• Revenue Canada
• House Insurance
• Schools
• BC Driver’s License
• ICBC
• Friends & Family
• Newspaper/Magazine Subscriptions
• Frequent Flyer / Airmiles
• Department Store Cards

• Notify Utility Companies

• Identify date for discontinuation of service at present address and hook-up date for new address. Change of address at same time.
• Telephone hook-up, consider if you want the phone working on moving day.
• Fortis BC, gas
• BC Hydro, electricity
• Cable Company
• Internet Server

3-4 Weeks Prior to Move

Start the packing process.

Procrastination is just another word for self torture. It’s so much easier and less stressful to do things in steps than all at once.

This is the perfect time to put “Reduce Re-use Recycle” into action.

• Return borrowed items.
• Collect lent out items.
• Give away what you don’t use; clothing, kitchen items, old sporting goods.
• Go through kid’s toys and books and collect all the ones they have outgrown. Give them away or donate them to a daycare/school or women and children’s shelter.
• Dispose of old can’s of paint, oil, cleaning fluids.

Start packing room by room

• Label box as to where it is going in new house and the contents of it. You can color code as well.
• This is a great time to inventory your belongings for insurance purposes.
• Any item to be left in the house, put a sign on it, “Do not move.”
• Keep important items with you: jewellery, documents, medications.
• Remember the yard stuff. Drain hoses, bring in birdfeeder and garden ornaments, garbage cans.
• Leave time for the deepfreeze to defrost.

Last few days

• Pack luggage. Keep enough clothes on hand for 1st week in new home.
• Pack a bathroom box with a few towels and toiletries.
• Take a little time to appreciate all the memories from this house.
• Moving is an emotional and stressful time. Be expecting the emotions.
• Organize some snacks and water for moving day, it’s not a good day to have low blood sugar or get dehydrated.

Moving Day

• Do a double walk through of the house and yard. Check basement, attics, cupboards, behind doors, the carport to make sure nothing has been left behind.
• Make movers aware of what is NOT getting moved. You will have put a sign on it already, but just in case.
• Breathe.