Moving Checklist

Eight weeks before

The first two weeks are for the decisions everything else depends on: who moves you, and when.

• Choose your mover.

  Arrange an assessment with two or three companies, and compare what each price includes, not just the total.

  With YugoEach move is quoted at a fixed price for the agreed scope, set out in a written quote before you book.

• Fix the date.

  If you are moving between condos, aim for the same date at both buildings, mid-month and midweek if you can. The last days of one month and the first days of the next are the busiest.

• Ask both buildings for their move rules.

  Ask about elevator windows, deposits, insurance certificates and moving hours. Every condominium sets its own rules, so the two buildings may work quite differently.

  With YugoWe send each building our certificate of insurance at no charge.

• Start a single list.

  Keep one document for dates, contacts, bookings and confirmations. It will save you every time someone asks a question.

Six weeks before

With the date set, book what is scarce and start on what takes longest.

• Book the elevators at both buildings.

  Do it as soon as each building’s rules allow. Service elevator windows go quickly at the end of the month.

• Measure the new home.

  Draw a simple floor plan and mark where each large piece will go. It gives the crew a clear answer for every room on the day.

• Begin sorting.

  Start with the places nobody looks: storage, basement, garage, the back of each closet. Decide what to keep, give, sell or donate.

• Arrange specialists for anything unusual.

  That might be a piano technician, an art handler, a wine specialist or someone to take down a chandelier. Specialists often book up well ahead.

• Call your insurance broker.

  Ask how your belongings are covered in transit, and whether art or jewellery should be listed separately.

Four weeks before

The middle weeks are for paperwork and for clearing out what is not coming.

• Change your address with the people who send you things.

  Banks, credit cards, employers, insurers, subscriptions and the Canada Revenue Agency. The CRA does not pass your new address to other government departments, so tell each one separately (Canada Revenue Agency).

• Arrange mail forwarding.

  Canada Post forwarding bought online can start as early as five business days after purchase, or three business days if bought at a post office (Canada Post). Buy it well before the last week.

• Book utilities and internet for the new home.

  Set end dates for the same services at the old one.

• Arrange school, doctor and pet records.

  This matters most if you are changing neighbourhoods.

• Sell, consign or donate what is not coming with you.

  Aim to have it gone before the packing begins.

Two weeks before

Now everything is confirmed in writing and the packing starts.

• Confirm everything in writing.

  The mover’s date, arrival time and crew lead, both elevator bookings, and the insurance certificate sent to each building.

• Start packing what you will not need, if you are packing yourself.

  Books, art, out-of-season clothes and guest rooms come first. Label every carton with the room it is going to.

• Know what self-packing means for damage.

  If something you packed yourself is damaged because of how it was packed, it is usually not covered. Leave fragile and valuable pieces to the movers if you are unsure.

• Photograph valuable pieces.

  Note their condition at the same time. It helps if you ever need to make a claim.

  With YugoThe crew records the condition of significant items at both homes.

• Plan the first night.

  Decide which room the crew sets up first, and who will be at the new home to receive them.

The week before

The last week is about what travels with you and what the truck needs.

• Pack a first-night bag for each person.

  Medication, documents, chargers, a change of clothes and toiletries.

• Set aside the things that travel with you, not on the truck.

  Passports, jewellery, small valuables, keys and important papers.

• Defrost the freezer if it is moving.

  Use up what you can beforehand.

• Confirm parking for the truck at both addresses.

  Tell your neighbours if a laneway or driveway will be blocked.

Moving day

On the day, a few minutes at the start and the end save most of the trouble.

• Walk the home with the crew lead before work begins.

  Point out anything fragile, anything staying behind, and anything with a story.

• Keep one room clear.

  Use it for the things travelling with you, so nothing ends up on the truck by mistake.

• Do a final walk-through of the old home.

  Check closets, cupboards, storage lockers and the dishwasher.

• At the new home, set up the bedrooms first.

  Then the kitchen. A made bed and a working kettle change how the evening feels.

  With YugoFurniture we took apart is reassembled and placed room by room.

The first week after

The move is not finished until the paperwork and the checks are done.

• Update your driver’s licence, vehicle permit and health card.

  By law, you must update your driver’s licence and vehicle permit within six days of your address changing. You must update your health card within 30 days (Government of Ontario).

• Check everything against the inventory.

  Note any concerns with your mover promptly, in writing.

  With YugoTell the crew lead on the day or contact your coordinator, or write to claims@itsyugo.com.

• Wait before tuning a piano.

  A piano needs time to settle in its new room. Tuners commonly suggest waiting at least a couple of weeks, and up to a month, so ask your technician (Living Pianos; Modern Piano Moving).

• Ask when any building deposit will be returned.

  Rules vary by building. At one Toronto condominium, TSCC 1536, the elevator is inspected before and after the move, and the deposit is returned less any repair costs (TSCC 1536 Rules).

The four week plan

Not every move allows two months. With four weeks, the same order still works, compressed.

• Week one.

  Choose your mover, fix the date, ask both buildings for their rules and book the elevators.

• Week two.

  Sort and decide what goes, arrange specialists, call your broker and arrange mail forwarding.

• Week three.

  Change your address with banks and services, book utilities and start packing what you will not need.

• Week four.

  Confirm everything in writing, pack the rest and prepare a first-night bag.

The tighter the timeline, the more it helps to hand the bookings and paperwork to someone whose job it is.