Your Complete Packing and Moving Checklist
As you plan to sell your home, it’s easy to place your focus on all that is involved with the listing process. From photography and videography, to finding the right real estate agent, scheduling viewings and more, there is much to be accounted for.
The importance of packing your belongings and planning for a successful move should never go overlooked. That is why we have created the complete packing and moving checklist, for once the sale of your home is complete!
The Importance of Being Prepared
With Kathy Long & Luanne Hancey, you can expect nothing less than a positive, informed and well-rounded experience when listing your home. We often encourage our clients to begin planning for the list and sale of their home months, if not years, in advance.
This approach provides more than enough time to not only prepare your home for sale, but also you and your family for the packing and moving process that comes with selling.
Being prepared can help to create a smooth transition from one home to another, all while reducing your stress during this busy time. Not only that, but it can also help you downsize some of your personal belongings, contributing to a less overwhelming move and a more minimal lifestyle.
Your Packing Checklist
Some homeowners choose to begin packing prior to listing their home, while others choose to wait until the sale is complete. When you choose to begin the packing process is completely up to you and is often dependent on your lifestyle.
1. Downsizing and Purging
What better way to begin the packing process, than with a little downsizing?
We suggest going through your home, room by room, to sort through your belongings. You can decide what will be kept, sold, donated, or disposed of, at a pace that works best for you.
As you sort through your closets, drawers and storage containers, you may even want to take this time to get a jump-start on packing!
2. Organizing Belongings
The best way to set yourself up for success in the packing and moving process is organization. Once you have purged and effectively downsized, it will be much easier to organize the items within your home for packing.
You may want to consider organizing by season, room or purpose. For instance, all home decor would be organized together, while seasonal items, camping gear, and kitchen supplies for instance, would be packed together.
Once your items have been sorted and organized, chances are that you will find it’s not only easier to pack, but move as well!
3. Packing Items
Now that you have set yourself up for success with purging, downsizing and organize, it’s time to pack! We suggest taking things one room at a time, starting with the items you are less likely to need for the time being.
For some, it makes the most sense to begin packing in the basement or bedrooms, and end with more high traffic areas such as the kitchen or bathroom.
Keep in mind that items from each room may need to be left unpacked until a day or two before you actually move. This is often the case for dishware, hygienic products and other items that are used on a daily basis.
You may find it helpful to set aside several reusable bags or bins for the items that you are more likely to need the day before and after your move takes place, such as shampoo, toothbrush, chargers, shoes, clothing, etc.
As your boxes, bins and bags are packed, be sure to sort and organize them in a way that allows for easy access on moving day. They should also be placed along the walls or stacked, allowing you and your family members room to move around and function in the home until moving day arrives.
4. Acquiring Storage
For some homeowners, certain items will be better kept in a storage facility. This may be a temporary or long-term solution, based on the circumstances.
For instance, a snow blower, lawn mower, outdoor furniture, or other piece of equipment may be better stored at a facility while a shed or garage are being built.
Begin by performing research about the storage facilities in your area. Once you have found a reputable establishment, you may want to consider moving your items at least a month prior to your moving date.
5. Preparing for Moving Day
As moving day approaches, there are a number of things that you will need to prepare. With these final preparations in place, you can take unnecessary stress away from the big day and help the overall process go as smoothly.
We suggest the following preparations:
Create a detailed documents folder
Pack and dispose of food as needed
Defrost chest freezers
Arrange a tune-up for vehicles
Make a list of items to have on-hand
The more prepared that you and your family are, the better!
Your Moving Checklist
As the reality of moving from one home to another sets in, so does the need for a comprehensive moving checklist.
1. Selecting a Day
The first step is identifying your moving day. This generally is dependant on the closing dates that you are working with. You may want to ensure that the closing date for your new home is prior to the closing date on your current home, or end of the lease.
This will provide you with enough time for certain changes and updates to your new home, moving in and performing any updates to your previous home. This can range from repairing damage and filling holes, to painting and more.
2. Arranging a Moving Team
The members of your moving team can depend on your lifestyle and overall situation. If you have a small house with limited boxes and pieces of furniture to relocate, you may be able to solidify a small group of family and friends to help on moving day.
On the other hand, if you have a full house of items or expensive belongings and pieces of furniture, you may want to consider hiring professional movers. Either way, we suggest arranging your moving team at least a month in advance, if not longer.
3. Changing Your Address
Once your new address has been solidified, you can begin to update your accounts. For some, you may need to update your address once you have taken possession of the property. In this case, putting mail forwarding in place can be exceptionally helpful.
Be sure to notify and complete change of address forms for the following:
Drivers license
Health card
Insurance
Employer
Doctor
Bank accounts
Credit cards
Canada Revenue Agency
Educational facilities
For more information about updating your address and mail forwarding, contact your local Canada Post office.
4. Take Inventory of Belongings
Crucial, yet often overlooked, it is very important that you take inventory of your belongings. This will help to ensure that all is accounted for once you have moved in. If you notice that something is missing months or years after the move, it will be much more difficult to report the loss to your insurance company or relocate it.
5. Clean Sweep of the House
Once the moving van has been loaded and on its way to your new home, you can begin to do a clean sweep of your previous home. This will help to ensure that no belongings are left behind and that all moving duties are accounted for.
This includes repairing damage, filling holes, painting walls, removing certain items, and, of course, cleaning.
Our Final Thoughts
With the right strategy and approach, moving can be an enjoyable experience. Gone are the days of feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and stressed, all with a little planning and preparation.
The most important piece of advice that we can leave you with, is how important it is to find the right local realtor or real estate team to work with. The right agent can provide you with guidance and support every step of the way!
For more information or help getting started, contact our team today! We’re proud to specialize in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.
