Congratulations on your new apartment! All that’s left to do is move in and that starts with packing up the entirety of your current living space and magically getting it to your new place. Piece of cake, right?
If this isn’t your first move, then you probably know where to dive in, but if you’re a bit intimidated by the idea of moving out of your apartment and into another one, not to worry!
Our apartment moving guide is sure to calm your nerves and keep you organized for your most successful move yet.
Step One: Schedule the Move
The first thing you need to do when moving out of your current apartment is to make sure you get out of the lease successfully. Read your full lease prior to calling your landlord to see if there are any rules about breaking it early. Most landlords in highly rented cities will be happy to see you go, because it means they can re-list your apartment for a little bit more money than you were paying.
If you have any trouble getting out of your lease, though, do some research about your local tenant laws, and consult a professional.
Once that’s all taken care of, you’ll need to alert your building of your move.
Most apartment buildings have rules set in place for moving in and out, defining the weekdays they prefer you to move on and which elevators you can utilize.
- Find out if you can move any day of the week, or if it’s confined to Monday through Friday.
- See if you can move at any time, or if there are strict rules about the time of day you’re allowed to move.
- Buildings have these rules in place to protect the peace and quiet of the neighbors; you wouldn’t want to anger the other tenants on your last day and risk losing your security deposit!
Your landlord, management company, or supervisor will be able to tell you when it’s okay for you to move out, so you can then go ahead and hire your professional movers in Vancouver BC.
Step Two: Get Organized
Once you figure out all of the logistics of moving, it’s time to start planning the actual move. Write down a list of any repairs you need to make to your current apartment, so that those items don’t get lost in the shuffle. If you painted your apartment red but need to restore it to its original cream-white condition, pick a weekend ahead of time to do so and plan around that.
Moving is a great opportunity to purge your closet and junk drawer of things you no longer need. A good rule of thumb is, if you haven’t used the item in a year, you should let it go. You could even donate the following:
- Clothing and shoes that you haven’t worn in a while or maybe even forgot you had
- Surplus pots and pans that are collecting dust
- Knick-knacks that just add to the clutter
- Anything else you’re ready to let go of!
Dump out your junk drawers, or wherever you tend to accumulate extra items, and be picky about what you keep and what you toss: every extra box will be an extra few bucks you’re spending time and money on to move.
Sell any valuable furniture that you’re not planning to bring with you to the new place and ask your trustworthy friends to babysit or borrow from your liquor cabinet.
Another thing to think about here is the transfer of items you can’t physically move:
- Change over your utilities to the new place. Call all of your electric, gas and cable companies to learn about the process of moving your account to a new address and set up appointments ahead of time as necessary.
- Forward your mail. You can fill out a change of address form for the post office online or stop by in person.
Step Three: Start Packing
Once you’ve completed all of the necessary preparations, it’s time to start packing! Pick up a large number of boxes (more than you think you might need), tape and bubble wrap or packing paper at your local hardware store. Make sure to keep the essentials in an easy to reach place, like an overnight bag. This will be helpful on moving day because you’ll be able to put a set of sheets on the bed and locate your toothbrush and toothpaste immediately upon arrival.
Start early, and don’t forget to label everything. You don’t want to be rummaging around for the coffee pot on the first morning in your new place!
Part of making your move stress free and simple is hiring the right movers. Highland Moving is here to help! Contact us today to learn more about our packing and moving services and request a quote today for your Vancouver BC moving.!
