Before you move

First things first
If you are currently a tenant, send your landlord notice that you will be moving within the required deadline via registered mail. Contact your local rental board or refer to their website for details on your rights and responsibilities.

If you have children, contact their schools and have their academic records transferred to their new schools.

If you have a medical condition, start searching for health specialists in your new area right away, as wait lists can be long.

Take the time to make a To-Do list. Spread your tasks out well in advance so you are not swamped with responsibilities at the last minute. Then, separate the activities you can do yourself or with the help of friends and family from those that require the help of professionals.

Create a special marked folder in which you will place any documents related to the move (e.g. invoices, receipts and estimates). Before packing up all of your belongings, take the time to organize and file any important information (e.g. passports, driver’s licences, healthcare cards, property titles, leases, medical records and prescription drug information), and keep it close at hand. Make sure the information is stored in a box that can be easily accessed any time during the move.

Be sure to carry out all necessary address changes, and keep any reference numbers close at hand.

Make a plan of your new home and indicate where you want to place your furniture and appliances. This is also a good time to go through your belongings and part with anything you no longer want, use or need. Sell, donate or throw away your belongings - just get rid of them before you move! Also, start collecting cardboard boxes and packing up items that are seldom used or out-of-season. Then, free up one room where you can store packed boxes and keep them out of your way.

Contact your insurance company to cancel your policy or transfer coverage to your new home. Ask the representative to what the new premium rate will be, then shop around as coverage varies from one company to another. Also, check whether or not your belongings will be covered during the move. If you have children or animals, take them into consideration when making moving arrangements. You may want to have someone else look after them during and immediately after the move so you can get settled into your new home and unpack without any inconveniences.

Six weeks prior to your moving date, call three different moving companies for details on their rates, charges and services. In addition, take stock of items you can move yourself or with the help of friends and family. Pay particular attention to valuable items and arrange to have them moved properly.