Toronto Moving Services | Moving and Storage | Toronto Movers

Six Weeks before Your Move

Take a detached look at what you own, and come to a decision on what must go and what can be left behind. Open a file for all of the details of your move. Be sure to collect and save receipts for any moving-related expenses. Depending on your reason for moving, you may be entitled to a tax deduction. Create a floor plan of your new home, and begin thinking about where you will want to place furniture. Advance planning eases the stress of making major decisions when your furniture arrives at your new home. Mark and label specific pieces of furniture on your diagram, and put it in your moving folder.

Four Weeks before Your Move

Notify Canada Post, magazines, credit card companies, friends, and family of your change of address. Canada Post offers a kit to make this process easier. Contact utilities (gas, water, electricity, telephone, cable, Internet) to schedule disconnection of services on the day following your move. You will want to have utilities on while you are still in the house. Call the utilities in your new location to arrange for service to start the day before your move so that you have service when you arrive at your new home. If you are packing yourself, start packing seldom-used articles like fancy dishes and glasses, specialty cookware, non-essential clothing, curios, art, photos and decorative items.

Three Weeks before Your Move

Take inventory of your everyday household goods, such as radios, pots and pans and small appliances. Decide which items you will discard or put in storage. Make sure you have your driver's license, auto registration, and insurance records. Contact your doctors, dentist, and veterinarian to receive copies of medical records. If necessary, make personal travel arrangements (flights, hotel, rental cars) for your trip. Plan your food purchases to have as little as possible in the freezer or refrigerator by the time you move. Arrange to clean your new home, or plan to clean it yourself as close to move-in as possible. Contact your children's schools, arrange for records to be forwarded to their new school.

Two Weeks before Your Move

Check with your insurance company to cancel current coverage or transfer coverage to your new home. Arrange for transporting your pets and any houseplants, because movers cannot take them in the truck. Meet with your bank to change account status. Transfer all current prescriptions to a drug store in your new area. Cancel any delivery services such as newspapers. Consider starting a subscription to the newspaper in your new area to introduce you to local news happenings. Have your automobile serviced if you will be traveling by car.

One Week before Your Move

Dispose of toxic or flammable items that cannot be moved. Double check to make sure arrangements have been made to disconnect and service your major appliances being moved. Pack your "trip kit" of necessary items that should go in your car and not the moving van: your check book, cash or travelers checks, medications, essential toiletries, light bulbs, flashlight, toilet paper, pet food, spare glasses or contact lenses, baby or child care items, toys and car games for children and your notebook with moving information. If you have young children, arrange for a baby-sitter to watch them on moving day. Since you will have your hands full, the extra attention from a sitter will distract the child's attention from the turmoil of a move. Pay all outstanding bills. Be sure to indicate your new address on payment receipts.

One To Two Days before Your Move

The movers will arrive to start the packing process. Empty and defrost your refrigerator and freezer, clean both with a disinfectant and let them air out. Put baking soda or charcoal inside to keep them fresh. Arrange for payment to the moving company. This payment would normally be made when your belongings arrive at your new home. Find out your moving company's accepted methods of payment, terms, and its policy for inspecting your belongings when they arrive to determine if any breakage has occurred. Write directions to your new home for the van operator, provide the new phone number and include phone numbers where you can be reached in transit - either a cell phone or friends, old neighbours, a place of business or relatives with whom you'll be in contact. You should never be out of touch for long, should an emergency arise. Leave your forwarding address and phone number for your home's new occupants.

Moving Day

When the movers arrive, review all details and paperwork. Accompany the van operator to take inventory. Verify delivery plans. If there is time, give the home a final cleaning, or arrange in advance for someone to perform this service the day after moving out.

Move-In Day

Unpack your car. Review your floor plan to refresh your memory about where you want furniture and appliances placed. Check to make sure the utilities have been connected, and follow up on any delays. Confine your pets to an out-of-the-way room to help keep them from running away or getting unduly agitated by all the activity. You might even consider boarding them overnight at a local kennel until you are settled. Plan to be present when the moving van arrives. With Many Moving Companies, policy demands Payment before the furniture is removed from the Van at the new location. This is not the case with Consolidated Moving & Storage Ltd. Payment is due once the unloading and final furniture placement has been completed. A Proper invoice and receipt is provided to the Client at this time. One person should check the inventory sheets, as items are unloaded. A second person should direct the movers on where to place items. Once all items are unloaded, unpack only what you need for the first day or two. Focus on creating a sense of home for your family.