It’s the beginning of August and the fall term is right around the corner. This means some of you are in the process of moving or will be moving some time in August. We put together a list of items to think about while planning your move.
Confirm your move in date with your landlord
This should probably be item number one on your list. It is very important to let your landlord know when you plan on moving and your move in date too. There may be some clauses and conditions in your lease agreement that you need to keep in mind, and the sooner you let your landlord know you are moving in, the better off you’ll be. Plus, they’ll need to give you the keys so you can access the property.
Figure out your utilities and bills
If the place you are moving into includes utilities in the rent then you can ignore this part. However, if you are going to be paying for utilities, then you’ll need to set up an account with a utility provider in your new property. You do not want to move in and have no water or electricity for the first few days. Make sure to make a note of any meter readings when you move in, so you can calculate how much you owe at the end of the month and not pay for the previous tenant’s bills.
Plan Your Inspection and Take Pictures
When moving out of or into a new place, it’s a good idea to do an inspection and take pictures since this could cost you your damage deposit in the future. Sometimes it’s better to get a third party to do your inspection so there’s no conflict of interest. If you like to leave “no stone unturned”, always take pictures because a picture is worth a thousand words, or in this case could be worth a thousand dollars.
Speak to your building manager
If your new place has a building manager, it is very important to speak to them about your move in date. This comes in handy in case you want to get access to the loading area where you can park the moving truck/van, get the keys for the elevator, so you can lock it while you load and unload your stuff, and pad the elevator, so you don’t damage it while moving your stuff. Plus, it’s a good idea to meet your building manager when you move since you may need their help in the future.
Gather packing supplies
There are various supplies you will need when moving. Things like boxes, tape, packing paper, markers, moving blankets and dollies. When it comes to boxes, a good life hack is you can get them free from your neighbourhood liquor store. Their inventory comes in these boxes and they usually recycle them or throw them away. Either way, you can get them free! You can also use free newspapers for packing paper. The other items on the list may need to be rented or borrowed, so you want to do this as early as possible since they are in high demand right before school starts.
Packing
Before you start packing and throwing things in boxes, think about what you need and when you’ll need it. Essentials or items that you will need right away, should be packed at the top or easily accessible. Always label your boxes so you know what’s in them, and which room they need to go to when you are unpacking. This will prevent items from being damaged on the way, and will speed up the unpacking process. Try keeping boxes to a manageable weight to avoid injuries and pack similar items in similar boxes to avoid damage.
Plan moving ahead of time
As obvious as this may seem, this part can be tedious and requires some coordination. First, make sure you have your dates figured out. Make sure you have vehicles and people to help you move your things and they know when and where they’ll be needed. This is especially important if you need to rent vehicles and ensure they are available when you need them. Making sure you have large enough vehicles and enough people to help you is very important. This will determine how many drivers you will need, how many trips you need to make and how much time you will spend moving. Nobody likes moving at night even if there’s food and drinks at the end.
Update your mailing address
If you are moving to a new location, it is important to update your mailing address so you don’t miss any important mail. If you have a list of everyone and everything that sends you mail, then great, you can contact them and let them know you are moving. If not, Canada Post has amail forwarding service that can take care of this for you. If you were previously living with Mum and Dad, then you know what to do.
Professional movers
If all of this seems incredibly overwhelming, you always have the option of hiring a professional moving company to take care of this for you. If you plan to use one, be sure to shop around and book them early, since they will be in high demand towards the beginning of the term.
