Home Moving Checklist
GET ORGANIZED!
Our comprehensive moving day checklist will help you keep track of important tasks and reduce the stress that comes with moving. There’s one proven key that will make the difference between a problem-free move and a chaotic one.
Organization is key!
Here’s the checklist and our best recommendations for an easier and more efficient move.
Two months before
- Sort and purge. Go through every room in the house and decide what you’d like to keep and what you’ll get rid of.
- Start investigating possible moving companies (if required).
- Organize school records. Go to your child’s school and ask that their records be transferred to the new school and what is required to register.
- Contact your doctor, dentist & vet and have them transfer your family’s records to the new doctor if you’re switching clinics.
- Contact your insurance provider and update them with your new address and details.
- Use it or lose it: start using up old cleaning products, perishable foods and items in the freezer.
- Get enough packing supplies like boxes, tape, markers, labels etc.
One month before
- Book your moving company or truck rental.
- Schedule disconnection/connection of utilities at your old/new place: phone, internet, cable, water, gas, electricity and water heater rental (if applicable).
- Begin packing boxes of items you don’t regularly use. Make sure to label each box clearly!
- Fill out a “Change of Address” form at Canada Post and set up mail forwarding to your new address.
- Order new address labels or stationery.
- Notify important parties of your move: banks, insurance, employer, magazine subscriptions, credit cards, cell phone provider, gym membership, drivers license, health card, taxes, etc.
- Arrange for cleaning or repair of furniture or carpet if necessary.
Two weeks before
- Book moving day off of work and arrange for care of the kids or pets that day if needed.
- Call to confirm your movers.
- Plan your meals so you don’t have leftover food to pack.
- Notify newsletters/newspapers of your move.
- Return all borrowed items (library books, movies etc.).
- Send a change of address note to friends and family.
- Pack a specific box with fresh towels and linens that you’ll be able to find easily at the new house so you won’t be searching for them!
- Continue packing and cleaning as you go.
- Compile a package of warranties, instruction manuals etc. from your current home that might be useful for the new owners.
A few days before
- Defrost the freezer.
- Clean the fridge and oven.
- Get payment ready for the moving company.
- Make a schedule/action plan for moving day.
- Give each room a good once-over cleaning as a courtesy to the next owners.
- Set aside boxes you’ll be moving yourself.
- Make sure you have the room.
On moving day
- Ensure all appliances and fixtures work on moving day.
- Change all batteries in smoke detectors.
- Make sure carbon monoxide detectors work.
- Pick up a garbage collection calendar from the city so you’ll know when your pick-up day is.
- Say hello to your new neighbours!
GET CLEANING!
One of the most important and often forgotten tasks when moving is cleaning!
WHAT SHOULD BE LEFT AT THE HOUSE?
It’s a good idea to know in advance of what should be staying with the house, and what should be taken away with the previous owners.
DON’T STRESS MOVING DAY!
Your moving day will come together one way or another. With a bit of organization and some planning in advance, your move will be smooth and you’ll be under your new roof in no time.