Moving Tips

A little preparation goes a long way in ensuring a stress-free move. Laptop, tablet, or a low-tech notebook or organizer with tabs, whatever you choose, it will be your friend as you’re preparing to pack up your household. 

Organize Purge Before Moving

If you know in advance, do a thorough purge 4 to 8 weeks before you need to begin actually packing moving boxes. A simple way to declutter is to form three piles – sell, donate and throw away. Be ruthless! Go room by room.

Take pictures. Create a scrapbook or photo album for each member of the family. This is a great way to let go of sentimental items that have outlived their usefulness, while keeping the memory alive.

Host yard sale or donate to charity any items you do not plan to move. Give away any live plants you cannot transport yourself.

Organize Purge Before Moving

Create a high-value inventory form. Its purpose is to make us aware of items considered to be of extraordinary value, so they can be accounted for on arrival to your new home. Some examples of high-value inventory items are: a coin collection, semi-precious stones/jewelry pieces, silverware, china sets and crystal. Leave any boxes with high-value items open for mover inspection.

If self-packing, purchase moving cartons, packing materials, permanent markers and labels.

Labelling cardboard boxes and plastic containers properly is an important step for ensuring your stuff arrives safely. Apply more than one label (in case the original falls off); use arrows to indicate which way is up; and include detailed info such as which room the box belongs to. When they contain fragile items, clearly mark boxes “FRAGILE.”

Pack boxes with items you will need immediately upon arrival in your new home. Mark them accordingly. Keep these boxes separate from other household goods so they can be loaded unto the moving truck last in, first out.

Also pack and mark boxes of items you plan to take with you. Keep these boxes and items separate from everything else being loaded by your local Vancouver moving company.

Empty drawers of all breakables, spillables, and personal or valuable items you don’t want loaded onto the moving truck.

Remove CDs, DVDs, etc. from electronics. Don’t forget to remove all batteries from electronics and small appliances before packing. To prevent resulting damage from tangling and dangling wires, wind any electrical cords and fasten.

Paperwork And Scheduling

Make a checklist of everyone you need to tell about the move. Prepare and send moving announcements to family and friends. Notify your attorney, attending schools, your physicians and dentists. Ask your health care professionals for a referral in the area you are moving to.

Cancel services you will no longer need, including club and gym memberships. Schedule a cut-off date for utilities. Arrange activation date for utility companies.

Fill any prescriptions needed until after settled in the new home.

Make travel arrangements for your family, pets and live plants. For a long-distance move, get your personal vehicles serviced.

One Week Before Move

Bundle items like brooms, mops and long-handled garden tools together – anything you won’t be using in the upcoming week.

Remove any gasoline/oil from lawn mowers, heaters, gas grills and generators.

Dispose of all flammables, combustibles and poisons that cannot be shipped such as cleaning fluids, matches, paint, grill propane tanks, bleach, etc.

Plan meals to use perishable and frozen foods you can’t take with you. Remove all food from refrigerator and freezer and defrost 24 hours in advance.

One Week Before Move

Make sure we have your cell phone number, exact address of new home, and directions on how to get there.

  • Do a final check of all rooms, closets, cabinets, garage and yard.
  • Check mail one final time.
  • Turn off all lights, furnace, fans, and air conditioning.
  • Make sure all windows and doors are locked, especially the door you close for the last time.
  • Surrender house keys.
  • And the most important last minute task? Take one last photo of your home before leaving on your new adventure.

Get Real Pro Movers

Request A Free Estimate