Debra Tosh for ReMax | How to ensure a smooth move

As a realtor with many, many years of experience, I know that moving can be extremely stressful. Please read and use these tips for a hassle-free moving day.

Slim Down

You need to purge as much as possible. You’ll reduce your packing time, cut your moving costs and have a fresher start in your new home. Toss clothes you haven’t worn in a year, seldom-used gadgets and much of the stuff you’ve banished to your junk closet, attic, basement or shed.

If you’re making a long-distance move, consider leaving your furniture behind. Moving your IKEA furniture across country to a 1913 Arts and Crafts style house doesn’t make any sense. If you’re moving across country, sometimes it just makes sense to start fresh.

Create three piles: garbage, garage sale and donations. Consider cutting the garage sale out of the equation and you’ll ease your workload. Simply trash and recycle what’s unusable and donate the rest. Be prepared to deliver, or go to www.charityvillage.com to find a group that’ll pick up.

Once you’ve got most of your junk out of the way, call a professional mover, not a cut-rate “Man With a Van”. For about $500 to $800 for a local move (based on a typical three-bedroom house), you’ll be dealing with experts who have a vested corporate interest in keeping you happy. A consultant will do a walk-through estimate of your home. Damage insurance is build into the total.

Book at least one month in advance for local moves and two months for long distance moves. Keep your movers abreast of any changes. If you’ve decided that the pool table is coming after all or you want to make a donation stop at the Salvation Army, let the movers know.

An added perk of working with major movers is that they can securely store your goods if there’s lag time between your vacating your old home and taking possession of your new one.

Start packing as far ahead as possible. That way, you’ll have more time to haul home boxes, and build a newspaper stash, minimizing the need to buy packing materials. Out-of-season clothing and sports equipment, your good china, books and assorted junk you refuse to part with can be packed weeks in advance. Leave the kitchen, bathroom and things you need from your home office or bedroom to the last few days.

Finally, on moving day, pack your essentials in one box, and clearly label it “Load Last.” It will then be the first off the truck. Baby-care items, kids’ favourite toys, kitchen essentials, one set of bedding per bed, toiletries, pet food and other must-haves should go in here.

Things to take in your car are essential move-related and personal paperwork for everyone in your family, a change of clothes for everyone, a first-aid kit, your pets and your medical requirements.

Is it crazy/lazy? Not if a packing interferes with a crucial project at work or if your kids need your undivided attention. Most movers have two packing rates, the first being a premium service for breakables, like bone china or home electronics, at about $40 per carton, and a lower bulk rate, at about $30 per 100 pounds. Both rates will get you unpacking services, too.

Call your kids’ new school a couple of months ahead of time to arrange for their records to be transferred. If you’re moving between provinces or to the U.S, ask your doctor for a referral and to forward any necessary medical records.

About four weeks ahead, arrange to disconnect services such as your phone, Internet, cable/satellite/digital TV and utilities at your old place and reconnect them at the new one. If the provider doesn’t operate in your new community, sign up with new providers a week or more in advance. Don’t forget to get any security deposits back.

Three weeks before you move, book your apartment’s freight elevator and, to avoid headaches, a babysitter for the kids and pets.

One week in advance, sign up for Canada Post’s Smart Moves mail-forwarding program (www.smartmoves.ca). For a fee of $65 (more for out-of-province or international moves), all your mail will be sent to your new home for the next year. I still recommend that you send out change-of-address cards. They come with a checklist of everyone you’ll need to send them to.

Help is just a click away. For tips on how kids can cope with the transition, and how to get them involved in the move, visit www.kidshealth.org, click on Kids Site, then search for a detailed pre-move checklist. Don’t forget to click on my Moving Checklist on this site for a detailed list.