How To Be Ready for Your Move

preparing for a last minute move

There’s a lot to consider as you come up to the date of your move, and it can be hard to know where to begin. Over the years, we’re learned a lot of tips and tricks, and we’ve gathered some of the best practical advice from our crews and front-line workers for what makes moving day go smoothly. Keep reading to learn how to be ready for your move!

If we are packing your things into boxes for you

  • If there are items you do not want us to pack, mark them clearly with a “DO NOT PACK” note. Try to put them all in one location, if possible. Be sure every member of the pack crew is aware of these.
  • Don’t remove pictures from walls – it’s safer to leave them hung in place until we pack them.
  • Leave your dishes in the cupboards – we will use your table and/or countertops as a packing work surface.
  • Make sure your dishwasher is empty before we arrive. Lots of people do their final load during the pack day, but this means we are often waiting for dishes to finish washing & drying.
  • This should be obvious, but we’ve seen it: no wet laundry please.
  • In your dresser drawers, leave only clothing. Remove any pictures, ornaments, and odds and ends so we can pack them separately. Take your jewellery & valuables with you.
  • Disconnect your electronics (unless we have included a third party service to do it for you) and have the wires and remotes in one spot.
  • Bring inside any outdoor toys, seat cushions, tools, etc. Clean and dry them thoroughly.

For when the movers are loading your boxes, furniture, and household items

  • Inform your neighbours that a moving truck may be taking up space on the street outside your home during the day(s) we are there to load your things.
  • If there are items you do not want us to move (like the suitcases you’ve packed for your own travel, or items you’re giving away), put them in one room, close the door, and put a note on it. Putting them in the tub in the bathroom is an effective method to make sure our crew doesn’t accidentally load them on the truck. If moving them into one room is impractical, then on each item, put a brightly coloured sticky note with “STAY” written on it. Be sure every member of the crew is aware of whatever method you use.
  • Clear your outdoor walkways of snow, mud, dirt, toys, lawn ornaments, etc. Give us at least 4 ft of width to walk.
  • Empty your garbage cans.
  • If you have items in crawlspaces / attics / rafters, please bring them to the open so we can get them easily.
  • Ensure your outdoor items are clean and accessible. In winter, be mindful that some things may be frozen to the ground. You are responsible to get them unstuck.
  • Got pets? Don’t let them be underfoot while our crews are on site.
  • Got young kids? They also can’t be underfoot while we’re working. And note that our insurance does not allow them (or you, for that matter) to be in the moving van, either in the cab or in the cargo area.
  • Due to highway regulations, we’re not allowed to transport flammable or corrosive items and materials. If they’re discovered in the shipment, all insurance is voided. Remove them from any self-packed boxes or bins you want us to take. If you have questions on the admissibility of a specific item, ask your moving consultant or the crew leader on load day.
  • Have you checked that all loose items are off the floor? Especially under beds, in closets, etc.
  • If you packed your own boxes, are they all full to the top (i.e. 102% full) and sealed with tape, top and bottom?
  • Were there any items that your moving consultant instructed you to prepare yourself? Examples: freezer defrosted, appliances disconnected with shipping bolts installed, fitness equipment collapsed, trampoline taken apart, dresser-mounted mirrors removed, bulky furniture disassembled? If you are unclear on anything like that, talk to your moving consultant before your move date.
  • If you are getting a new phone number and/or email address, does the mover have it?
  • At the end of loading, we expect you to be available to walk through the property with our crew to ensure everything needed has been done. We can’t be liable for problems caused if this inspection is skipped.

For when we are delivering into your new home

  • As much as possible, plan ahead of time where items will go (sticky notes on the wall outside the room are great for identifying rooms by names), and give the crew a tour of the home before they bring anything in. You will need to direct the crew where to put each item as they bring them in.
  • You know how eyeglasses fog up when coming inside after being in the cold? The same thing can happen to the internal circuitry of your electronics when you move in cooler temperatures. Resist the urge to plug in your electronics right away. Give them 12-24 hours to let any condensation evaporate, or you risk short-circuiting them and causing serious damage. Movers are not liable for this if it happens.
  • Anything our crew took apart, we will put back together unless you instruct us not to. Anything you took apart, it is up to you to put it back together.
  • As with loading, keep your pets and kids out from underfoot.
  • If you have felt pads for your furniture feet, our crews are more than willing to work with you to apply them before your furniture is placed in position on hardwood or tile floors.
  • At the end of delivery, we expect you to be available to look into the truck to ensure all items have been removed from it. We can’t be liable for problems caused if this inspection is skipped.

If we are unpacking your boxes for you

  • If we packed your boxes, an unpacking service may be included, but not always. Check with your moving consultant to be sure.
  • Unpacking typically does not include putting items into cupboards, drawers, closets, etc. As we carefully remove items from the boxes and unwrap the packing paper around them, we will place them onto flat surfaces (table, countertop, bed, etc) and will leave it to you to put them into their proper locations. This happens FAST. Be prepared to keep up – have a plan for where things will go, and have family or friends there to assist you with that placement if you can.
  • If unpacking is an included service but you are considering opting out of it, bear in mind these three points:
    • Often a crew that has worked hard to deliver your things one day will be tired, and it may seem like the kind thing to send them away without unpacking. It is entirely within your right to release them, but it is also entirely within your right to ask them to stay, or even to request us to schedule unpackers for another day.
    • Sometimes packers need to put different pieces of an item into different boxes. One example is a lamp. The base could be in one box, the bulb in another, and the shade in yet another. If we unpack, it is our responsibility to find those three pieces and reassemble them. If you unpack, that becomes your responsibility, and it can become frustrating.
    • Our crews will remove the empty boxes from your home when they are finished unpacking. If you unpack, you’ll have a pile of empty boxes taking up space, and the quantity is often too much for your municipal recycling program to pick up. We can sometimes pick them up, but sometimes we can’t if we don’t have a truck in the area.

Meals

You are not expected or required to provide meals or drinks for our crews. If they are thirsty and would like some water, we expect them to ask your permission before helping themselves.

Conclusion

Getting ready for your move can seem like a daunting task. Plan well ahead, make lists, and do your research. Moving day can be a fun and exciting time if you’ve eliminated much of the stress by preparing well.

Further resources