June’s theme – Moving:
Your stress-free moving checklist
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Moving to a new home doesn’t have to be overwhelming. From setting up your Ottawa utilities to packing an “open-first” box of essentials, here are 10 vital things to do before your moving day to ensure a smooth transition.
10 things to do before you move
The weeks leading up to a move are often filled with a unique blend of anticipation and logistical complexity. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer transitioning out of a core condo into your first freehold property, or a move-up buyer trying to time the sale of your current townhome into a larger detached house, managing the literal moving pieces requires a disciplined approach.
1. Purge, Declutter, and Donate (Lighten the Physical Load)
The most common mistake people make when preparing for a move is packing items they no longer use, want, or need. Relocating belongings that are destined for the back of a closet in your new home wastes valuable time, physical energy, and box space. Furthermore, professional moving companies charge based on total weight or volume; packing clutter directly inflates your moving invoice.
Six to eight weeks before your official move day, go through your current home room by room. Systematically sort your belongings into four distinct categories: Keep, Sell, Donate, and Discard.
Be completely honest with yourself during this process. If you haven’t worn a piece of clothing, used a kitchen appliance, or opened a specific storage bin in the past year, it should not occupy space in your moving truck. Host a yard sale, list higher-value items on local online marketplaces, or coordinate a drop-off with a local charitable organization. Lightening your load now simplifies the packing process and establishes an organized foundation for your next chapter.
2. Vet and Book Professional Movers Early
We’ll save you some time on this one. If you’re in Ottawa, you should be calling Lisa “The Mover” Robinson at Streamline Relocations.
The logistics sector operates on strict capacity limits, particularly during the peak spring and summer real estate seasons. Attempting to book a reputable moving company at the last minute often results in higher rates or forces you to rely on unverified, uninsured operations.
Begin researching local moving companies as soon as your property purchase or sale agreement becomes legally firm. When vetting professionals, look for firms that provide clear, transparent billing—whether they charge a flat rate or a definitive hourly fee. Ensure the company is fully insured against property damage and cargo loss.
If you are a news reader who frequents local forums like Reddit to gauge local reputations, look for consistent, multi-year track records of punctuality and care. Request a written estimate that explicitly details any potential extra fees, such as travel time, heavy item surcharges (for pianos or appliances), or mattress wrapping requirements. Lock in your moving date and deposit early to secure the best time slot.
3. Coordinate the Transfer and Setup of Utilities
Few things are as disorienting as arriving at your new home on closing day only to find that the electricity is off or the internet will not be installed for a week. Managing the seamless handoff of utility accounts requires proactive communication with service providers.
At least three weeks before your move, contact your current utility providers to schedule the disconnection or transfer of your services. This includes:
Electricity and Natural Gas: Set your current accounts to close on the day after you move out, and your new accounts to activate on the morning of your closing day. This ensures you aren’t packing in the dark and the new property is properly climate-controlled when you arrive.
Water and Sewer: Coordinate final meter readings with the municipality for your departure date so you are only billed for your exact usage.
Internet, Television, and Telecom: Technicians often face booking backlogs. Scheduling your internet installation date well in advance is essential for white-collar professionals and remote workers who require immediate connectivity to maintain their work schedules.
4. Update Your Address and Navigate Ontario Regulations
Updating your address is a critical legal and administrative requirement that extends far beyond simply notifying your friends and family. In the province of Ontario, there are specific statutory timelines that you must follow to remain fully compliant with regional regulations.
Important Ontario Legal Requirement: Under provincial law, you are legally required to notify the Ministry of Transportation of your change of address within six days of moving to your new residence. This mandatory timeline applies directly to both your Ontario driver’s licence and your vehicle permit (registration).
Fortunately, you can update your driver’s licence, vehicle permit, and Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card simultaneously through ServiceOntario, either online or in person at a local service center.
We also advise keeping a checklist for federal and private entities. You must update your address with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to protect your tax filings and benefit disbursements. To ensure no critical paper mail slips through the cracks during the transition, set up a temporary mail-forwarding service through Canada Post for a minimum of six months. This acts as an administrative safety net while you systematically update your profiles with financial institutions, employers, subscription services, and alumni associations.
5. Measure Your Furniture and the New Entryways
Oversized sectionals, king-sized bed frames, and antique armoires can look perfectly proportioned in a large showroom or an expansive detached home, but they may present massive logistical challenges during delivery.
Before the moving truck is loaded, take precise dimensions of your largest pieces of furniture. Next, consult the floor plans or request access to take measurements of the entryways, door frames, stairwells, and elevator dimensions at your new property.
This step is particularly vital for first-time buyers moving into urban condominium buildings or townhome layouts with narrow, winding staircases. Understanding your physical constraints in advance prevents the heartbreak and added expense of a moving crew getting a couch wedged permanently in a hallway on move day. If a piece of furniture physically cannot fit through the primary entrance, you can plan ahead to disassemble it, look into alternative entry points, or make arrangements to sell it before moving day.
6. Pack a Strategic "Open First" Box of Essentials
When you finally arrive at your new home after an exhausting day of heavy lifting, the last thing you want to do is cut open twenty different unmarked cardboard boxes trying to locate a toothbrush, a clean towel, or your phone charger.
To prevent this exact scenario, pack a clearly labeled, easily accessible “Open First” box of absolute essentials and transport it in your personal vehicle rather than the moving truck. Your first-night survival kit should explicitly contain:
Hygiene and Sanitation: Toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, and a basic first-aid kit.
Bedding and Comfort: Shower curtains, clean bath towels, bed sheets, pillows, and cozy pajamas for every member of the household.
Tools and Electronics: A utility knife (to open the remaining boxes), a flashlight, a multi-bit screwdriver, phone chargers, and trash bags.
Nourishment: High-protein snacks, bottled water, a coffee maker with mugs, and pet food dishes.
📦 THE "OPEN FIRST" BOX CHECKLIST:
├── Toilet Paper & Paper Towels
├── Bed Sheets & Pillows
├── Bath Towels & Toiletries
├── Phone Chargers & Extension Cords
├── Utility Knife & Basic Tools
├── Pet Food & Water Bowls
└── Coffee Maker, Mugs, & Snacks7. Notify Insurance Providers and Financial Institutions
Your property insurance coverage must mirror your physical location. Failing to update your insurance policies correctly can leave your belongings entirely unprotected during transit or leave your new asset exposed to uninsured liabilities.
Contact your insurance broker at least a month prior to closing. You will need to cancel or transfer your current homeowners or tenants insurance policy and establish a brand-new policy that takes effect on the morning of your closing day.
If you are a move-up buyer transitioning from a condo corporation to a freehold detached house, remember that your insurance needs will shift dramatically, as you are now personally responsible for insuring the entire exterior structure, roof, and foundation, rather than just the interior contents. Concurrently, notify your auto insurance provider, as a change in postal code can alter your premiums based on regional actuarial data.
8. Arrange Safe Accommodations for Children and Pets
Moving day involves open exterior doors, heavy furniture being carried through tight spaces, shifting logistics, and high-stress environments. This combination can be incredibly dangerous and anxiety-inducing for young children and domestic pets.
Our team profiles often highlight our commitment to young, growing families and pet owners building their roots in core neighborhoods. To protect the safety of your little ones and your furry family members, arrange for them to stay off-site on the actual day of the move.
Book a trusted local pet daycare or coordinate with a family member to watch your dog or cat for the day. Similarly, arrange a playdate or have grandparents look after young children. Keeping them out of the physical chaos ensures the moving crew can work efficiently without obstruction, prevents accidental pet escapes, and allows you to focus your full attention on directing the movers and inspecting the property.
9. Perform Final Home Tasks (Clean, Repair, and Document)
Whether you are a seller handing over the keys to a new buyer or a tenant vacating a rental unit, leaving your property in a respectful, compliant state is a hallmark of a professional transition.
Once the rooms are completely empty, execute a final walkthrough of the property to handle these concluding details:
Thorough Cleaning: Vacuum the carpets, sweep the floors, wipe down interior cabinets, and clean out the refrigerator. Leaving a clean home is a professional courtesy that sets a positive standard across the real estate ecosystem.
Working Order Inspection: Verify that all appliances included in the purchase agreement are clean and in good working order.
Document the Condition: Use your mobile phone to take clear, high-resolution photographs of every empty room, the interior of appliances, and the final utility meter readings. This photographic evidence serves as an important administrative record that protects you against any potential post-closing property disputes or utility billing discrepancies.
10. Confirm Closing Details with Your Real Estate Team and Lawyer
The final step before your moving day involves aligning your financial and administrative timelines with your professional advocates. Real estate trades rely on smooth coordination between your real estate team and your real estate lawyer to execute electronic registrations and transfer funds securely.
Ensure that your lawyer has received all necessary documentation from your mortgage lender well in advance of closing day. On our team, our licensed transaction coordinator, Noah Hoffman, systematically manages these timelines from contract to close, working to ensure that paperwork flows seamlessly to your legal counsel without unexpected delays.
Confirm the exact process for collecting your new keys. While physical key handoffs were standard in the past, modern real estate practices frequently utilize electronic lockboxes hung on-site, with your agent or lawyer releasing the digital code as soon as the land registry office officially confirms the title transfer. Stay in close phone contact with your team throughout the day so you can react immediately if any minor logistical delays arise at the bank or the registry office.
Some final tips and tricks of the trade
Color-Code by Room: Assign a specific color of duct tape or label to each room in your new home. Place this tape prominently on the sides of your moving boxes. When the movers arrive, hang matching colored sheets of paper on the doors of the new rooms so the crew knows exactly where to deposit each box without asking for constant direction.
Never Use Unmarked Boxes: Always write a brief inventory of contents on the side of every box. Avoid vague labels like “Miscellaneous” or “Kitchen.” Instead, write “Kitchen: Pots, Pans, Baking Sheets.”
Protect Your Legal and Financial Documents: Keep your passports, birth certificates, closing check copies, legal contracts, and valuable jewelry in a dedicated accordion file. Transport this file personally in your front seat; never pack irreplaceable personal documents in the back of a moving truck.
Defrost Your Refrigerator 24 Hours Prior: If you are moving your major appliances, unplug your refrigerator and freezer at least 24 hours before moving day. Allow it to defrost completely, wipe up any internal moisture, and secure the doors safely with bungee cords to prevent mechanical damage during transit.
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