Mississauga Real Estate | Buying a Home in Mississauga

When you move anywhere, even if it’s just across town, packing can be stressful. But when you have to fit your entire life into a few boxes and ship them across the country, it can be even more intimidating. Before preparing for the big move, put the following items on your checklist to ensure the smoothest move possible.

Cleaning House

This may be something you need to do again once everything is out of the house, but it's important to clean your house beforehand as well. Go through areas that accumulate clutter such as the garage, attic, basement, closets or even utility drawers, and throw away anything you don't really need. At the end of your cleaning, you'll likely have several bags worth of old papers or rarely used items that you can either dispose of or donate to charity. If your old items turn out to have a sizable value, make sure to get a receipt from the charity of your choice for your taxes at the end of the year, which may also offset some of your moving costs.

Clearing out old, unwanted items is also a great way to make some money for the move. List everything online or have a yard sale and sell everything at bargain prices. You’ll likely rid yourself of all of your clutter and will be able to put a little money towards your big move. By lightening your load, you’ll likely save on moving costs as well.

While it may be difficult to part with some items for sentimental sake, try and keep in mind what value these items are really offering you. There will always be some keepsakes that you take along for the long haul, but you probably don't need to haul a broken hat rack to your next home. If you're unsure whether you should keep something, use the one-year rule. If you haven’t used that item at all in the past year, there’s a good chance that you can toss it out or find it a new home.

How To Pack


The first stage of proper packing is organization. Begin by assessing what items you use most often as those will need to stay behind until the last minute. Everything that sees occasional use should get stored away in boxes and labeled by room, and you should aim to pack one room at a time to minimize crossover. To keep from getting overwhelmed, begin your cross-country packing process about two months prior to your moving date. If you don't have access to storage, designate a room or a portion of a room where your items can go in the meantime.

Once you're a week out from the move, begin packing up items until you're down to your absolute essentials. You might think of essentials as things you can store in a suitcase; in fact, a suitcase is an excellent place to store everything you will actually need while you move everything else out. When moving day comes, you can put the suitcase in the cab with you or take it on your plane, depending on how you're planning to get to your new home.

Shipping and Transport

When packing your items, be sure to clearly label anything that is fragile for both your own peace of mind and for movers if you hire help. It’s a good idea to use colored tabs on your boxes to group rooms or to flag boxes that are most critical to getting settled in your new place. When putting together your boxes, ensure that all seams are secure and that the boxes include any important contact information in the event of a transport issue.

If you're moving on your own, being Spartan with your packing will be even more important. If you know someone in the city you're moving to, consider shipping boxes ahead of time to store there so that you have less to haul for the trip. Compare the costs of shipping via the post office to a packing and shipping company rather than purchasing a large truck with high fuel cost. If you do go with a moving company, do your homework on cross-country shipping companies beforehand to ensure a trustworthy and expedient carrier that won't cost you a fortune.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

-Brandon's a shipping writer with Craters & Freighters.

Preparing to relocate can oftentimes feel overwhelming, especially when you’ve got a young family in tow and a house to somehow condense into boxes and bags. There’s a great deal to consider, including just how you plan on transporting your life from point A to point B, how much money you can spend on your move, what you can get rid of before you go and how long it will take you to pack up, load up and move on. But before you become buried beneath stressful questions, consider consulting professionals for advice. Whether you’re merely renting out a moving vehicle or are hiring a team of pros to help through the entire process, most specialized companies can offer you a few key tips to prepare for your relocation. Nonetheless, here are some things to keep in mind, as you get ready to box up your life and ship it off to somewhere new.

Pre-planning and preparation tips: Consider making a timeline and setting goals for yourself. Spacing out each step of your move will make it far easier and significantly less stressful. You will also be able to better prepare around other day-to-day responsibilities without feeling like you’ve booked too much into a single afternoon. Two months before you move, assess your home and consider what you need to take with you and what you will not need. Plan a garage sale or box unwanted items for donation. Try and finish at least one major task a week; for example, one week, aim to box away the kitchen and during another week, aim to clear the attic.

Packing tips: Pack in segments and determine what can be boxed away immediately and what needs to be used until the day of departure. You can easily pack away decorative items, books, toys and photo albums far ahead of time, while you will need certain clothing and personal care items throughout the move. Plan out what you need and begin packing away the rest. Evaluate which rooms will be the biggest packing challenge and start there; you want to make sure you have plenty of time to address each room, one by one. Throw out (or recycle!) any unnecessary clutter that may have accumulated over time.

Moving tips: By this point, you should know whether or not you will be using a vehicle or professional movers, but if you’re looking for a little guidance on this front, you may want to consult someone with serious know-how. With years of experience, the pros can help you determine the most economical way to get you where you’re going. If you’re moving a short distance, a DIY move with a rented portable storage unit is likely ideal, while if you’re in the midst of planning a national or international relocation, seasoned movers can assist in both the organization and labor of your move.

These are just a few tips to prepare you for your latest adventure, but do contact the guys and gals who know best and consult one of your local moving companies.

Martha’s friends often call her “Martha Stewart” because she is so savvy about all things home related, including organization and moving. She is happy to share her packing and moving hints and tricks, in hopes that they will help individuals and families relocate in more comfort and with more organization.