Tips on moving to Toronto
You’ve decided that you should move to Toronto, ON (great decision!) and now you are wondering where to start. Let us guide you through the necessary steps for moving to Toronto. Moving can be quite a stressful business, but if you research well and do a lot of preparation, you can make your life so much easier! Toronto is a dynamic metropolis, so there is plenty of neighborhoods to choose from when considering moving. One of the things that should be on your list is choosing the perfect new home in Toronto. Once you do that, moving is on!
Plan your move to Toronto on time!
Moving requires a lot of organizing on time. Avoid leaving everything for the last minute, plan ahead and in as much detail as possible. Unless you need to pack and move urgently, you probably have between 30 and 60 days for the whole process. Use the time wisely!
Come up with a moving strategy
On the day of your move, how will you transport your stuff? Depending on the distance you should think of the type of assistance (no one can move completely on their own!). If you are moving to a nearby area and you don’t have so much stuff to pack and move, a friend or relative could help you with a few rides. But if you are moving a family or if you are moving to Toronto from far away, you should consider hiring a moving company.
Keep your movers informed
Communicating details with your movers prior to your moving date can be useful. Depending on the type of your stuff, movers will come with different tools and equipment. For example, if you need to move your grand piano, it is important to let your movers in advance. Of course, making sure you hire professional and reliable movers is extremely important in order not to end up with a lot of damaged stuff.
Use the opportunity to get rid of the clutter
Moving to Toronto will be a great chance to organize your belongings and get rid off of the stuff you no longer use. If you have enough time and if the season allows, hold a yard sale. If not, consider donating gently worn clothes to Goodwill, put your unwanted furniture up to some listings, shred old documents and recycle old newspapers and magazines.
Put together a packing kit
If you have at least one person to help you with packing, you should put together a packing kit. Start by establishing a system. Prepare blank inventory sheets so that one person can tackle each room. Give each packer a pen, a black marker, and packing materials such as packing tape dispenser, boxes and old newspaper.
Make your move to Toronto green!
Make your move to Toronto green!
Moving day can generate so much waste! Cardboard, bubble wrap, wrapping tape, and newspaper all stay behind you if you don’t do anything about it. Think about which items you will keep stored once you move to your new home in Toronto. You can use reusable plastic bins for these, just remember to label them properly! You can also reuse cardboard boxes, just make sure to grab a few each time you go to a grocery store, around a month prior to your moving date.
Take inventory of your belongings
This will be very useful in case anything goes missing. Keep a spreadsheet with the content of each box. Then, assign each box a number and then all you have to do is write the same number on your box (along with the appropriate room listed, too). This will make tracking your stuff after moving in much easier. Also, label your boxes on their sides (avoid labeling the top) so when they are stacked you can easily find what you’re looking for.
Find out your condo rules about moving
In case you are moving to a condo in Toronto, you might want to find out about the condo rules beforehand. Some condos have rules which forbid moving on weekends or allow certain time of the day for moving. Make sure you know these details in advance!
Prepare your moving day kit
A separate box with essentials will be super useful to have when moving to Toronto.
Keep a separate box with essentials you will need on your moving day. It should include cleaning supplies, garbage bags, toilet paper, light bulbs, a change of clothes, your personal toiletry bag, etc.
The essential list of supplies for moving to Toronto
- lots of medium and large boxes – pick various sizes as it is certain you will need them.
- packing paper or newspaper
- bubble wrap
- packing or duct tape
- a marker
- pair of scissors Startup Stock Photos
Protect your valuable possessions
When the moving day comes, you will want to have a safe storage for all your valuable possessions. Consider insuring anything that is breakable or valuable if you are using a moving company. Especially so if you’re moving to Toronto from a distance!
Delay new deliveries
If you have any new purchases for your new Toronto home, make sure that their arrival date is after your move-in date. The last thing you need now is the mess made by furniture that has arrived too early.
Don’t mistake garbage and your belongings
This one is gold. It happened too many times that well-intended friends or relatives, or even members of your family who are moving, mistake the stuff your moving for garbage. If possible, avoid putting any belongings in garbage bags, but if you really must use them, make sure to put huge labels on them to avoid mistakes like this.
Make nice with your new Toronto neighbors
Starting with your neighbors on a right foot will make your life nicer and easier. Make sure to inform your immediate neighbors that you are moving in and if you will be causing any hustle during your move.
Do your research about the city
Explore Toronto before and after moving!
After you are done with planning and moving to Toronto, you will probably want to find out more about the city itself. Being the international metropolis, Toronto has so much to offer, suiting everyone’s taste. Just relax, do some reading, explore around, and you will definitely enjoy this wonderful city to its fullest!