Long Distance Moving: Take It or Leave It?
5Apr
Does Your Moving Checklist Include Cutting Down on the Clutter?
No matter how far you’re travelling, even if it’s just to a different neighbourhood, “decluttering” is probably one of the biggest items on your moving checklist. And why wouldn’t it be?
If you don’t keep it, you don’t have to move it, you don’t have to unpack it, you don’t have to put it away in the new home… suddenly everything is just that little bit easier because you got rid of that nylon jacket that hasn’t looked stylish since 1997 (along with all your other unwanted and unnecessary belongings).
But when you’re making a long-distance move—from Ottawa to Halifax, for example—decluttering is suddenly more than a minor convenience. It’s an essential part of the process, reducing the cost and effort of your move significantly.
So how exactly do you choose what to keep and what to throw away in such a long move? Part of the answer lies in balancing the costs. Ask yourself—will I still need this after my move, and if so, will it cost more to replace it, or to move it? Here are some examples:
Furniture
Furniture can be tricky because we can all become attached to a favourite sofa, chair, bed, or table. But since these are also some of the largest and heaviest—and therefore most expensive—items to move, they are the first ones you need to consider for the chopping block.
That Italian leather sectional that cost you the better part of an arm and a leg, and that carved oak end table that was a gift from your grandfather, those are the sorts of things that either can’t be replaced, or are simply too expensive to throw away.
But a cheap set of Ikea furnishings that you got for your first apartment back in college, or that old beat-up recliner you picked up off the curb? You’d probably shave a bit of money off of your long-distance moving costs by leaving them behind.
Appliances
Most appliances stay with the house—the fridge, oven, washing machine, et cetera. But any appliances that you added, such as an additional freezer, will require careful calculation. As you run down your moving checklist, consult with your moving company to determine whether or not bringing these appliances with you will be cost-effective.
Odds and Ends
That air hockey table you haven’t actually used since you were 23? Put it up on Kijiji. That old, broken cabinet that you wanted to refinish and repair? Either hurry up or declare it a lost cause. You’ll have to be ruthless as you sift through your belongings, deciding what’s worth keeping and what isn’t. Show no mercy—drop that old bulky TV in the garage like a hot potato, and move on with your life.
If you’re planning long distance moving in Ottawa, be sure to call on the experience and know-how of seasoned professional movers to make it a success!
