What People Forget Most Often When Moving Long-Distance and Tips to Help You Remember
Sometimes new opportunities force us to move to a new city, province, or even a new country. And many times, we learn about these new opportunities on short notice.
Along with the stress of long-distance moving, you might be pressed for time and could easily forget a few things during the moving process.
To help you prepare for your move, consider these tips for hiring a reliable moving company and use the following information as a guide so you don’t forget anything during your long-distance move.
Once you’ve booked an Ottawa long-distance moving company, the next step is to start purging items you won’t be bringing with you and packing the rest.
Make sure you get enough moving boxes and the right moving materials to pack your belongings for the long move. And don’t forget to label and/or colour-coded boxes.
What People Forget to Pack
The following are common things that people forget to pack and keep with them during a long-distance move:
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- An essentials box filled with everything you’ll need at your new home before the movers arrive—including food, pet food, pet bowls, leashes, litter box, toiletries, flashlights, batteries, blankets, water bottles, phone chargers, and other must-have items;
- Extra clothing, so you’ll have spare clothes to wear while waiting for the movers; and
- Survival bags – one packed for you, and one for your kids to stay happy and comfortable during the move. These include food, water, IDs, passports, important documents, tape, markers, toys, books, and keepsakes.
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What People Forget to Plan For
Storage
When moving long-distance, it’s sometimes difficult to bring everything with you, especially large furniture. So rent a storage unit ahead of time for everything you’re not bringing with you. This way, come moving day, you won’t be stuck with a couch that has no place to go.
Moving on a Weekend
Weekends, especially Fridays in the summers, are the busiest times to move because they are the most convenient times. You don’t have to miss too much work, and you can spend the weekend unpacking and settle into your new home.
But if anything goes wrong at your new home, you may have to wait until offices and businesses are open on Monday to have your problems dealt with.
Collecting the Right Keys
In order for you to actually move into your new home, you will need the right house keys. And you will also need all the other keys that come with the house, such as the garage, shed, and other door keys. Arrange to get these keys so you can enter your new home upon arrival.
What People Forget to Do Before They Leave
Keep a Copy of the New Address & Contact Info
And label pet tags and luggage with this info.
Arrange for Mail Forwarding
In case you’ve forgotten to change your address with one or more places, set up a mail forwarding service with your postal service. Important mail will make it to your new address and you’ll know which places still need an address update.
Collect Items from Service & Repair Shops
This includes any belonging you have left at the dry cleaner, tailor, and shoe-repair shops.
Return Borrowed Library Items
You don’t want to rack up late fees, so return any books, DVDs, and other materials you or your kids have taken out from the library.
Cancel Gym & Club Memberships
Since you won’t be using the gym anymore, why should you keep paying monthly membership fees? Cancel any local memberships you have to save money.
Collect Records
These include health, prescription, vaccination, school, veterinary, and other personal records.
Collect Spare Keys
Gather all spare keys hidden around the property, or with a neighbour or family member, so you can leave them for the new tenants.
Leave the Garage-Door Opener
The new tenants who move into your old home will not be pleased to find they can’t open their garage door from the outside. So do leave all garage-door openers for them.
Inform Others about the Move
Believe it or not, people get so caught up in their moves that they forget to tell friends and family. It’s also important to notify your kids’ schools, and your home, health, and auto insurance companies about your move. Also notify your pharmacy if you need to transfer your prescriptions to a new one.
Change Addresses with Accounts
Change your address with any account you have, including online accounts, banking accounts, credit cards, licenses, and health cards.
Check that Everywhere Has Been Cleared
The best way to not forget anything is to check everywhere before leaving.
You also don’t want to deal with leftover furniture and belongings at your new place, so make sure you don’t leave anything behind for the new tenants to deal with. Clear out everything, and properly dispose of large items and hazardous waste.
Tips to Help You Prepare Before the Move
Contact New Schools
Enroll your kids in new schools well in advance.
Give Your Caregivers Advanced Notice
If you have regular caregivers, babysitters, or nannies, give them advanced notice of your move so they can find new work.
Find New Caregivers
Look online for new caregivers in your new town or city.
Spend Extra Time with Your Kids
Help to ease their anxieties about moving by spending some extra quality time with them and talking about how they feel.
Set Up Utilities
Schedule for your utilities to be hooked up at your new place before you arrive. Make sure to arrange for your service providers to shut off your utilities a couple of days after your moving date.
For Moving Day
Make Sleeping Arrangements
In case your beds arrive at your new home after you, arrange to set up air mattresses, book a hotel room, or stay with friends or family nearby.
Plan for Parking
Make sure there’s enough space near your home for your vehicles and your moving trucks.
Make Your Pets Comfortable
Set up a comfortable spot for your pets in your new home with water, food, and a litter box for cats. Let your dog out to explore the new backyard if you have one.
Once you’ve made the big move, take some time for you and your family to explore the new area.
Moving can be very stressful, especially long-distance moving. But with preparation and help from long-distance moving companies in Ottawa, you can move to your new home with peace of mind knowing that you didn’t forget anything.
