Moving Companies in Canada

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Homeowner Checklist for Moving Into A New Construction Home

We get it—moving to a new home is exciting but also incredibly stressful. You're juggling a million tasks, from packing up your life into boxes to setting up utilities, and let's not even talk about the emotional toll of saying goodbye to your old neighborhood. The fear of forgetting something crucial is real, and it can keep you up at night.

Did you know that according to a recent survey, 28% of Canadians find moving supplies more stressful than planning a wedding? But what if we told you there's a way to make your move smooth, organized, and almost stress-free?

At Top Move, we crafted a new home moving checklist to ensure you don't overlook any essential steps, from the initial planning stages to the moment you finally kick back in your new living room.

P.s., If you’re looking for a hand with your move, answer a couple of questions on Top Move and start getting competitive quotes from local movers in your area.

Table Of Contents:

• Preparing For New Home Move: The Timeline
• 8 Weeks Before the Move: Start Planning
• 6 Weeks Before the Move: Declutter and Organize
• 4 Weeks Before the Move: Begin Packing
• 2 Weeks Before the Move: Final Preparations
• Moving Week: The Final Countdown
• Criteria for Choosing a Moving Company
• Reputation and Reviews
• Licensing and Insurance
• Transparent Pricing
• Range of Services
• Availability and Flexibility
• How to Move with Top Move: A Step-by-Step Process of This New Home Moving Checklist
• Step 1: What Are You Moving?
• Step 2: Insert Your Current Address
• Step 3: Moving From
• Step 4: Moving To
• Step 5: Moving Date
• Step 6: Address Moving To
• Step 7: Driver Help Required or Not
• Step 8: Add Inventory
• Step 9: Do You Have Photos?
• Step 10: Your Email Address and Submit
• Address Updates and Utility Transfers
• The Art of Forwarding Mail
• Navigating Address Updates
• Mastering Utility Transfers
• Ensuring Home Security and Safety Post-Move
• Testing Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Setting Up Security Systems
• Relocation and Service Management
• Essential Packing
• Saving Money During the Move
• Donating or Selling Unwanted Items
• Furnishing Your New Home
• Ready to Make Your Move Stress-Free? Choose Top Move Today!

Preparing For New Home Move: The Timeline

Moving to a new home is both exciting and challenging. To make the process smoother and less stressful, proper planning is essential. Here's a practical timeline to guide you through your move.

8 Weeks Before the Move: Start Planning

• Create a Moving Budget: Calculate the costs for hiring movers, buying packing supplies, and other miscellaneous expenses like utility setup fees. Knowing how much you'll need to set aside can help you avoid financial stress later on.
• Research Moving Companies:Read online reviews, ask for recommendations from friends, and get quotes from at least three companies. Make sure the companies you consider are licensed and insured to ensure a hassle-free move.

6 Weeks Before the Move: Declutter and Organize

• Sort Your Belongings:Go through each room and separate your items into piles for keeping, donating, or discarding. This will make packing easier and could even reduce your moving costs.
• Obtain Packing Supplies: Stock up on boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape. You can often find free boxes at local stores or purchase them from moving companies.

4 Weeks Before the Move: Begin Packing

• Pack Non-Essential Items: Start packing items you won't need immediately, such as seasonal clothing, books, and décor. Label each box clearly to make unpacking easier.
• Notify Important Parties: Inform your bank, post office, and other essential services about your upcoming move. This ensures that you won't miss any important mail or notifications.

2 Weeks Before the Move: Final Preparations

• Confirm Moving Details:Reach out to your chosen moving company to confirm the date, time, and other logistics. This will give you peace of mind and allow you to make any last-minute adjustments.
• Set Up Utilities: Contact utility providers to set up services like electricity, water, and internet in your new home. Schedule disconnection of utilities in your current home for the day after your move.

Moving Week: The Final Countdown

• Pack Essentials Bag: Prepare a bag with essentials like toiletries, a change of clothes, and important documents. This will be your go-to kit for the first day in your new home.
• Conduct Final Walkthrough: Before leaving, walk through your old home one last time to ensure nothing is left behind. Turn off all lights and lock all doors and windows.

By following this timeline, you'll be well-prepared for a smooth and successful move to your new home.

Criteria for Choosing a Moving Company

Some important factors to consider when selecting a moving company include:

Reputation and Reviews

• A company's reputation can often be gauged by reading online reviews and testimonials. These reviews can provide insights into the company's reliability, professionalism, and quality of service.
• For instance, if a moving essentials company has a 4.5-star rating on a reputable website with numerous positive reviews mentioning timely service and careful handling of belongings, it's a good indicator of their competence.

Licensing and Insurance

• It's crucial to ensure that the moving company is licensed and insured. This provides a safety net in case of any mishaps during the move.
• A company that can provide a valid license number and proof of insurance is more trustworthy than one that cannot.

Transparent Pricing

• A reputable moving planner company should provide a transparent pricing structure, ideally with a detailed written estimate after assessing your belongings.
• If a company provides a clear breakdown of costs, including labor, fuel, and any additional services, it helps you understand what you're paying for.

Range of Services

• The variety of services offered can be a deciding factor. Some companies offer packing, storage, and even unpacking services in addition to moving your belongings.
• A company that offers a full range of services from packing to setting up your furniture in the new location can be more convenient than hiring multiple vendors for different tasks.

Availability and Flexibility

• The company's availability on your preferred moving date and their flexibility in case of changes can be crucial.
• A company that can accommodate last-minute changes or has the resources to move you on a weekend or holiday can make the moving process less stressful.

By considering these criteria, you can make a more informed decision when choosing a moving company.

Find a Local Mover on Top Move for Your New Home

Moving can be a daunting task, but with Top Move, the process becomes much simpler. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to move with Top Move:

Step 1: What Are You Moving?

The first step involves selecting what you are moving. Choose the appropriate option from the list provided on the platform.

Step 2: Insert Your Current Address

Input your current address in detail.

Step 3: Moving From

Specify the type of residence you are moving from, such as the number of bedrooms and the floor it's on.

Step 4: Moving To

Similarly, specify the type of residence you are moving to, including the number of bedrooms and the floor.

Step 5: Moving Date

Choose the date you plan to move. This will help the moving companies to check their availability.

Step 6: Address Moving To

Input the address you are moving to. This will be used to calculate the distance and provide an accurate quote.

Step 7: Driver Help Required or Not

Indicate whether you will need help from the driver for tasks like loading and unloading.

Step 8: Add Inventory

List down the items you will be moving. This helps in getting a more accurate quote and ensures that the moving company comes prepared.

Step 9: Do You Have Photos?

If possible, upload photos of the items you are moving. This can provide additional clarity for the moving companies.

Step 10: Your Email Address and Submit

Finally, enter your email address and submit the form. You will receive quotes and can proceed to finalize your moving plans.

By following these steps, you can make your move organized and hassle-free.

Address Updates and Utility Transfers

• Forwarding Mail:Think of it as a relay race. Ensure all mail transitions smoothly from your old home to your new one. Start mail redirection with USPS at least two weeks before moving.
• Navigating Address Updates:
  • Update your address with essential institutions like banks, insurance providers, and government agencies.
  • Delays in updates could lead to missed documents and potential penalties.
• Mastering Utility Transfers:
  • Utilities like gas, electricity, water, and the internet are essential for daily life.
  • Contact providers five days before moving to schedule services, ensuring a seamless transition to your new home.

Key Takeaway:

Think of moving as a relay race - you're passing the baton (your mail and utilities) from your old home to your new one. Start by redirecting mail with USPS two weeks before the move, update your address meticulously like an artist crafting a masterpiece, and don't forget about transferring utilities. These vital threads weave together our daily life at home.

Ensuring Home Security and Safety Post-Move

• Changing House Locks:
• Essential even for new houses; contractors or previous owners might have key copies.
• If uncertain about lock replacement, consider consulting a local locksmith or security expert.
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors:
• Immediately test all detectors upon moving in; install new ones if missing or outdated.
• Modern units often combine smoke and carbon monoxide detection, offering dual protection.
• For testing: Press the 'test' button. If the siren isn't loud or doesn't sound, replace batteries or get a replacement.
• Place detectors in key areas: near bedrooms, kitchens, and basements.
• Setting Up Security Systems:
• Enhance property protection with diverse security systems, from basic alarms to sophisticated setups with cameras and motion sensors.
• Research the types of security risks common in your new area to tailor your system accordingly.
• Regularly update security codes and ensure all family members are familiar with the system's operation.
• Consider adding security signs or stickers to deter potential intruders.
• Evaluate the benefits of a monitored versus an unmonitored system based on your needs and budget.

Top Move Takeaway:

Don't let the excitement of moving cloud your judgment when it comes to safety. Switch out old locks for peace of mind, and ensure smoke detectors are in working order—remember, they're your first line of defense against unseen dangers like carbon monoxide. Consider investing in a security system too; it's better to be safe than sorry.

Relocation and Service Management

Relocating to a different residence involves more than just loading and unloading; it's about managing services like storage spaces, postal subscriptions, and sorting out regular bills for utilities. It's about taking charge of your services like storage units, subscriptions such as postal service, and streamlining monthly payments for utilities.

• Brings in financial discipline: Automating payments can save you from the hassles of remembering due dates or missing out on them amidst the chaos of moving. Setting up direct debits from your bank account or scheduling automatic charges on your credit card helps bring in this much-needed discipline during transition times. But remember, it requires contacting each service provider individually; many offer online portals for managing accounts including enabling auto-pay features.
• Facilitates smooth transferal: If you're transferring services like electricity or internet from one location to another, make sure that the previous owner cancels their account first so there are no confusions with billing periods overlapping.
• Simplifies storage unit management: In case part of your move includes using a storage unit, understanding its terms with the provider and arranging payment options accordingly becomes crucial. This holds true especially if prior owners had contracts at the previous residence location - getting these details right is critical for seamless transitioning.
• Ensures uninterrupted mail flow: Remember, all relevant parties should be updated about your change in address. Subscriptions across various platforms need updating too. With proper planning and organization before moving day arrives, we'll make settling into our fresh homes much easier.

Moving soon? Remember, it's not just about packing. Automate payments to avoid missing due dates, transfer utilities efficiently, manage storage units wisely and keep that mail coming. #NewHomeChecklist

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How to Save On Some Dollars During Your Move

Imagine you're getting ready for a move. You've got your fresh abode sorted, yet there's still plenty to do prior to making yourself at home. Let's explore how to cut costs while transitioning into your new place.

Donating or Selling Unwanted Items

You find yourself surrounded by piles of things that have accumulated over the years. It may seem overwhelming at first, but breaking it down makes it more manageable:

1. Analyze each item- 1 hour (Just like eating the frog in time management techniques, once you sort out what stays and what goes, everything else becomes easier).
2. Selling unwanted items – 2 hours (Use online marketplaces like Kijiji or eBay to get rid of old furniture or electronics; every bit helps.).

This not only reduces moving costs by decreasing weight but also provides an opportunity to earn some extra cash from selling unwanted items.

Furnishing Your New Home

Imagine stepping into your new home, a blank canvas waiting to be adorned with furniture and decor that reflect your unique style preferences. Excitement abounds at the thought of furnishing your new home, doesn't it? So let's break down this task.

1. Identifying Essential Furniture – 30 minutes (Start by mapping out the essentials: sofas for lounging, beds for sleeping, dining tables for family meals. Get these basics right first.)
2. Choosing Additional Pieces – 45 minutes (Next up is considering extra pieces like coffee tables or bookshelves which add both function and form to your space).
3. Shopping For New Furniture – A few hours (Now comes the fun part: shopping. Make sure each piece fits well within its designated room in terms of size, layout, and color scheme).
4. Getting rid of packing supplies – The next hour or so (So you've moved in, unpacked everything, and now there's a mountain of packing supplies left over from all those boxes of new furniture. But here's where you can make a difference: recycle. Reduce landfill waste by recycling used packing materials whenever possible).

This process might take some time, but trust us: creating a living space that truly feels like home is worth every minute spent on planning and executing these steps.

P.s. Need help moving and assembling new furniture into your new home? Find a reliable local mover on Top Move and use a platform like TaskRabbit to find a handyman.

Ready to Make Your Move a Top Move?

You've meticulously planned, decluttered, and packed in this new home moving checklist. You've notified all the essential parties, confirmed your moving details, and even prepared an essentials bag for your first day in the new home. By following this comprehensive timeline, you're not just moving; you're upgrading to a new chapter in your life with minimal stress and maximum efficiency.

But remember, the success of your move also hinges on the moving company you choose. That's why we recommend Top Move, a trusted name for Canadians making relocations as smooth as possible.

All you have to do is answer a couple of questions about your move and get affordable quotes from the best movers in your area. You can get started here.

Moving Companies in Canada

We are helping thousands customers just like you to move their items anywhere in Canada. Door to door service. Fixed prices

9.6 · 165 reviews

Get Prices