Thinking about moving from your house to a condo in Vancouver BC or elsewhere in Canada? Even after condo fees, you’ll probably come out ahead financially due to savings on utilities, property taxes and other maintenance costs.

Of course, thoughts of going through a lifetime of treasures may be your biggest challenge and may cause you headache and stress before it all begins but don’t fear. Here are some planning tips to consider to make the process of your your residential move a little easier:

1. Start with a List – Make a list of all the belongings that you can’t live without, i.e.: bed, couch, side table, lamps, TV etc. You probably have doubles of most things hiding in the basement like DVD player, TV, couches. This will make parting with the other items easier and will help with the purge.
2. Fit to Measure – Will your furniture fit in your new place? Make sure to get a copy of the floor plan and take measurements of your furniture in advance. What fits in your home now might be an eyesore in your new unit.
3. Declutter – Remember less is more! This will be a fairly time consuming project, and an emotional one at that. Don’t overwhelm yourself and plan a few months in advance. Choose a room per day/week and make it your priority to go through every nook and cranny. Don’t forget the attic and that hidden room in the basement!
4. Purge – How much should you purge? If you use it regularly then it is a keeper. Ask yourself these questions as you go through the process:
   • Do I really need this?
   • Is this sentimental to me?
   • How many of these do I have?
   • Have I used/worn this in the past six months or a year?
   • Am I keeping this for someone else?

   Give yourself a quota – you’re allowed to keep only so many sentimental items, the rest must be donated or given away. This forces you to be more disciplined when going through your belongings and puts a limit on how fast you accumulate “stuff” over the long term.

   This would also be a great time to call the children and let them know it is time for them to claim their old keepsakes from their rooms.

5. Recycle, Sell or Donate – Don’t throw it away, think about the environment and what you will be saving from our dumps. Clothing, books, sheets and blankets are always accepted at most Shelters or Good Will. Furniture, tools or accessories are accepted at most Habitat Centers.The garage will have lots that you can purge. Garden tools, ladder, lawn mower, rakes, and shovels can be sold or donated.Make separate boxes for Recycle, Sell and Donate, you might be surprised how much you can clear out. Challenge yourself, once placed in the box you are not allowed to pull back out. Your trash might be someone else’s treasure.
6. Label EVERYTHING!  Once you have decided what is for keeps, you can start packing it away. When packing up boxes months before a move, you will never remember where you put that favourite vase that aunt Martha bought you. Write detailed item lists on the boxes and colour code the boxes for each room. Trust me, this will save you time and frustration.
7. Storage Space –  After packing it all up, you realize you still have more than you thought. It isn’t easy to let go of sentimental items and memories that are attached to them. You might want to consider renting a storage unit. Whether is it short or long-term, think of a storage unit as a temporary off site extension of your home.

About our Company

Viktoria Professional Movers Vancouver is a professional moving company in Vancouver BC, providing high quality local and long distance moving services throughout Canada. By helping to educate our clients on topics that can help them plan and execute a successful move, we are fulfilling our directive of taking the stigma out of hiring professional movers in Vancouver, and helping to make the moving process a stress-free experience overall.

Call Viktoria Professional Movers Vancouver BC at: (604) 628-6543 or Toll Free: 1 ( 877) 399-1315 or fill out our Free Moving Estimate form for a FREE Consultation in regards to your next local or long distance residential move in Vancouver BC or elsewhere in Canada.