Mississauga Real Estate | Buying a Home in Mississauga

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.

The average person in the western world moves home once every 6-7 years of their life and that means that you could literally uproot your life anything up to 10 times in a lifetime. And whilst this is probably a bit excessive; even moving the once is enough to have you rushing with far too much on your plate.
So who exactly do you need to inform of your move?

Amenity Companies –
Depending on which of these you have in your home this will include the gas, water and electricity companies. Simply inform them a few weeks in advance and they will probably ask you to ring back on the day of your move to give them a final meter reading.

Your Phone Provider –
Phone providers usually require a bit more notice when you move; largely because you are likely to be taking all your equipment with you to your new home. Inform them around a month in advance so that they can ensure everything is transferred to your new address in time for your arrival. They will usually ask if you want to keep the same telephone number which will mean you don’t have to inform everyone in your phonebook or your new number.

Your Council –
If you pay council tax then you will need to inform the relevant council of your move as soon as you know your moving in date. This way they can sort out any funds remaining from that tax year or repay you anything you are owed due to you moving to a property in a cheaper council tax band. This is usually a straight forward process but can take longer if you are moving to an area governed by a different council.

Your Bank –
The last thing you want is for your personal bank statements to land on the door mat of the people who have just moved into your old home, as this could result in a variety of security issues. Most banks will require you to go directly to the branch to inform them of a change of address but some will accept a written letter.

The Removal Men –
This is probably the first group of people you should tell as soon as you know you will be moving. Dates can become booked up weeks in advance and so in order to get the best deal from your chosen company; it’s best to get organised straight away. Ask anybody you know who has recently moved if they can recommend a reliable firm and get quotes from multiple companies. Also, look out for optional extras such as packing materials or a designated group of packers that will put your belongings into boxes for you.

Your Doctor/Dentist –
If you are moving away from the area you currently live at then you will need to look for a doctor and dentist near your new home. It’s best not to delay on this as you never know when you could need one of them.

Your Employer –
Although you may quite like the idea of your employer not being able to locate you at home; HMRC also get your address from your employer. This means that if they have your old address then tax rebates could potentially not reach you.

Your Online Accounts –
These are what many people forget to change because we don’t use them too often and it becomes second nature to not really check which address you have stored. This could include: online shops you regularly purchase from, Paypal, Ebay, Amazon or Lovefilm, but it’s best to make a list of all the ones you use so you don’t miss any. The least that could happen is your payment not going through because the address doesn’t match the one your card is registered to, but it could also result in your items being sent to your old address.
Is there anyone else I’ve missed? Leave your comments below of who else you think needs to be informed when you move home. Happy moving!

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Chris Mayhew has moved home three times and is only 24. He knows how much there is going on when you are in the process of a move and so hopefully this list will be a big help. He would recommend using Intransit Removals, one of many Bath removal companies, who he has used in the past.