5 Things You Can’t Forget Before Your Home Move

Uprooting your life and moving it somewhere else is stressful. Things never go perfectly, even when they go smoothly. We see clients forget at least one or two details in almost every home move we facilitate.

And it’s not always lost big ticket items that cause panic.

A missing MacBook is going to cause alarm, but losing a favorite pair of pants can sometimes make people just as upset. We’ve even seen folders of old drawings trigger mild panic.

Years of watching people’s home moving mistakes have taught us that there’s too much going on during an average move to not have a gameplan; especially if you’re a first-time mover.

We’ve decided to spread our knowledge, and break down our best ideas to prepare you for moving; be it across the country, or down the road.

The Home Moving Survival Bag

Choose a bag that can fit a good amount of items, and that’s also valuable to you. Chances are you’ll remember to grab a bag if it’s important in some way. Shoot for sentimental value.

That being said, this bag is the most important thing you’ll pack. It’s going to make sure your first 24 hours post-move aren’t filled with dread from losing anything that could seriously impact your life. We’re talking checkbooks, wallets, valuable family jewelry, medical records, social security info, and the like.

It’s also going to contain anything you’ll need access to in the immediate future. Pack things like snacks, a drinking glass, clothes, tooth brush/tooth paste, hair brush, and deodorant. You’ll be much happier not searching through luggage before tucking yourself in that first night.

Remember to take your survival bag with you in your car. Don’t leave this one on the moving truck. We won’t lose it, but having the peace of mind that your valuables are within arms reach can help quell anxiety during an already stressful time.

Update Your Mailing Address

In 2015, the Canadian Postal Service  delivered 8.8 billion pieces of mail to  15.1 million addresses. Despite popular belief, “snail mail” is far from dead.

In fact, it’s easier than ever to overlook the post. Many governmental services and companies use the postal service to send confidential or time sensitive information. It’s mail that you need to receive.

Make sure to  switch your mailing address with the Canada Post. It’s a painless process that only takes a few minutes online. However, it does cost money and is only a short term solution.

In the long term, you’ll need to notify governmental agencies and any companies who’s bills you currently pay by mail. Late mail or slower than anticipated forwarding could cause you to lapse on a payment.

Label, Label, Label

We’ll say it one more time, label. Knowing what’s inside every suitcase and box will help you unpack much faster.

We’re not saying to get crazy specific. “Five spoons and three forks,” is taking it too far. “Kitchen Utensils,” is what we’re suggesting.

You might be thinking, “But isn’t it all getting unpacked anyway?” Yes, it is. Though we’d wager you’ll be more concerned with unpacking your dishes and glasses before your cayenne pepper.

Chances are you’ll have a multitude of boxes to go through. The first few boxes will be a breeze, maybe even exciting. Box number ten, however, is going to be dull and annoying. Especially if you’ve already opened it five other times looking for something else.

Labeling can also extend to things besides boxes. Masking tape works great to label plugs and cords on electronics for future reassembly. Cords will match up to their corresponding plugs, and eliminate the hassle and rewiring of your electronics.

Have Cash On Hand

The chances of you cooking in your new home the night of move-in-day are nearly zero. We’re professionals and even we get tired after a day of moving. Factor take-out food for at least one night’s dinner into your moving budget.

Cash is also useful when you forget to pack a toiletry or other essential. We’re not saying this because we think you’re forgetful, but because moving is chaotic. You can have everything packed and ready to go without ever realizing you forgot to throw a roll of toilet paper into your survival bag.

The old adage, “what can go wrong will go wrong” describes moving pretty well. Assume that you’ll run low on gas from ferrying things between homes, or that your plane won’t arrive on time.

There can also be delays on our end. A snow storm is the Rocky Mountains doesn’t care about our schedule. Prepare to spend money on things you had otherwise expected the movers to arrive with.

Protect Your Delicate Valuables

We do our best to make sure your valuables stay safe during the moving process. We handle boxes marked with a “delicate” label with extra care, and nothing ever gets tossed around. However, we can’t protect what we’re unaware of, and even then nothing is fool proof.

Pack TVs, mirrors and the like with padding. Bed sheet, blankets, and pillows all work great for this and at the same time consolidate space.

Some products come with styrofoam inserts to prevent movement. You can save these and use them whenever it’s time to move.

Last but not least, mark everything breakable with a prominent delicate label. It seems like common sense, but we see boxes all the time with delicate labels marked in small handwriting. We’re not going to see these in the middle of a job. Write your labels in large handwriting and a color that contrasts the box their written on.

This list is by no means definitive, but it covers the majority of issues we see movers have. We’d advise using it and any other resources available to make a moving day checklist. Diligence in keeping the list up to date will help organize your move and prevent lost items.

If you’re in need of a moving service,  get in contact with us. We’re facilitate moves in Canada, the U.S., and even overseas.