Moving to Clayton? 6 Tips to Keep You and Your Belongings Safe

Moving… It’s one of the most dreaded activities of life, but it’s something that we all do at some point. Whether you’re moving to Clayton Hill, or you’re on your way out of BC altogether, there are a few things that can spring up to make your move bumpier than you might want. Here is a quick list of those top 6 things people talk about when a move jumps off track.

1. “I wish I had more time to prepare.”

Every move is hectic, but the difference between a light headache and serious catastrophe often comes down to poor planning. If you decide to take things on yourself, get advice on what works from your friends of from people like me (there’s a reason why I help so many people move successfully each year). And leave yourself enough time to plan out how you will get ready. Prepare lists of materials you plan to take with you as well as what you plan to sell or give away. If you leave yourself enough time, decluttering saves a lot of effort, and your back will thank you for it.

2. “I should have bought boxes.”

You can get boxes from just about every business out there. That’s great for saving money, but it might not save any fragile items should they wriggle their way out of a mover’s hand. Furniture stores are good for gathering new boxes of multiple sides, but leaving yourself time to order boxes online is still the best and cheapest way to acquire good boxes. You can also order the right sized boxes for some of your more fragile items.

3. “I Couldn’t find anything once I got everything moved in!”

Once you’ve got the boxes, and you’re rolling on the packing, it’s a really good idea to label your boxes so that you know what the contents are. It can get pretty frustrating having 27 boxes that say living room, when you need one piece of a specific lamp—and it’s tucked somewhere in that pile of boxes. Don’t put yourself through the trouble. Create a master list that lists the contents of each box specifically, and store it in a safe place (saving in a smartphone or email is a good idea). You don’t want anyone getting any sense of where your valuables are, especially movers.

4. “I didn’t hire good movers.”

One of the busier times for moving companies is the end of the summer. Another is the beginning of the spring. Depending on the city or province you live in, your local moving company might have a busy time of year ahead of them. Make sure you book as early in advance as possible. This will help ensure you have enough time to do background checks on the company, get referrals and plan your move. Also, not-so-great companies might overbook themselves and drop jobs later. Make sure you ask about overbooking and check reviews online to be sure that they’ve never done it to a customer—Google can be your friend, but we might know the right movers if you’re moving into a Clayton Home.

5. “I should have shopped around more.”

This is more a secondary rule to number 4, but it’s so important, that we can’t ignore it. Binding estimates are estimates that are legally sound, they detail the costs, and only about 10% more can be added to the cost. If you ask for additional services, they will charge for that, but keeping a binding estimate protects you from nefarious movers who find ways to overcharge you—sometimes in the thousands. Make sure that you get at least 3 estimates and go through the details carefully.

6. “I shouldn’t have packed the heirloom.”

Depending on what you move, your insurance provider might have damage protection over necessities and furniture. but when it comes to expensive pieces or heirlooms, things will get a little more tricky. It’s best to think about your belongings like an insurance company would. Ask yourself how you might minimize the risk to your most valuable possessions, and how can you ensure that they are protected in the case that there is damage. Handing them off to movers doesn’t appear as an option, does it? Keep valuables with you.

There are so many issues that can flare up before, during or after a move. It’s important to have a sense of where the risks are. But the easiest way to better your chances of moving success is planning and preparation time. Give yourself the time to examine your decisions so that you can make the right ones. Moving, whether it’s into or out of Surrey, can be made much more pleasant.

If you want to talk more about moving to Clayton Hill or Clayton Heights, get in touch with us and we can have a conversation.