Many buyers are gearing up for the big day – moving day, that is! If your closing day is fast approaching, the pressure is on to pack, wrap up loose ends and get your finances in order. While it can be a stressful time, tackling these tasks in an orderly fashion, without leaving everything to the last minute, will greatly reduce your stress level and help ensure that your next move is happy one!
Here are 10 tips for ensuring a stress-free moving day:
1. Hire a reputable moving company well in advance, asking friends and family for recommendations. Get quotes from a few companies. Once you've chosen a mover, get everything in writing. It's the law. According to Ontario's Consumer Protection Act, all moving contracts worth more than $50 must be in writing.
2. Get packing. Collect necessary supplies and aim to pack two or three boxes every day during the month leading up to your move. Have a few boxes set aside for last minute items from your bathroom, bedroom and kitchen.
3. Call your utility providers, doctor's office and insurance company to inform them of your move. If moving to a new city, arrange for services to be initiated on moving day.
4. Call Canada Post to set up mail forwarding. For around $7 a month you can have your mail forwarded to your new address, giving you plenty of time to ensure all your contacts have your new address.
5. If you have children who will be changing school districts, notify their new school about their start date. It might help make the transition to your new community easier to get them signed up for the extra curricular activities that they're used to.
6. If you have pets, make arrangements for them on the day of the move, whether with a family friend or kennel.
7. It's a great time of year for a garage sale. You can make a few extra dollars and get rid of some stuff! Anything that doesn't sell, pack it up at the end of the sale and take it to the dump.
8. A week or two before you move, start cleaning areas that won't be used much again i.e. the basement, closets, the laundry room. It will be nice not to have to clean the entire house a day or two before moving!
9. Be sure to organize important documents (passports, financial statements, vaccination records, etc.) and keep them in an easily accessible spot that you won't forget.
10. On moving day, keep house keys, alarm codes and garage door openers close by so you have them handy for passing on to the new owner.