An article posted today by Kathy Tomlinson of the CBC, reminds me again about how important it is to research your moving company. In the article Tomlinson reports about an Ontario moving franchise, based in Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto owned by Himanshu (Lucky) Batta, part of the parent company Two Small Men with Big Hearts, that has been "lambasted by a judge for what he said amounts to extortion, fraud, theft, and blackmail against one of its customers".
"They said, 'Give me money and I will give you your stuff.' You don't give me the money, then you obviously don't want your stuff,'" said customer Natasha Mitchell of Kitchener, Ont.
With the Moving Industry ranking number 7 on the Better Business Bureau's (2010) most complained about industries in Canada and the general confusion that packing up your home causes, it isn't surprising that moving day can be so dreaded! So I thought I'd post a few tips on how to make the whole process a little more enjoyable. Hope they help!
1. If using movers, do some research and book early, ask your friends for referrals, and keep in mind that often prices vary based on day of the week and time of the month (the end being more expensive). Check out BlogTo's "The Best Movers in Toronto" list for some suggestions.
2. Pack an essentials box. This box should contain the basic essentials for a 24 hour period, items like toiletries, basic kitchen utensils, coffee and coffee maker, dish soap and scissors and a craft knife (to help you get into the other boxes!).
3. Keep all your electronic cables and remotes together.
4. Arrange for your pets to be looked after on the day of your move, moving is stressful even for our 4 legged friends!
5. If you live in a building with an elevator make sure you book it ahead of time.
6. Label all of your boxes with the room that they will be in at the new location. If you're using movers you may want to consider colour coding the boxes with ribbons on door handles of your new home, that way you won't have to worry about movers not knowing which room is being used for which purpose.
7. Start early, don't leave packing for the last minute. The more you do early on the more organized you'll feel as the day approaches.
8. Arrange for utilities to be transferred to your new home.
9. Make a check list early on and keep it up to date so everyone in the family knows what needs to be done.
10. Get and submit a change of address form from the post office.
11. If at all possible take the day or two around moving off of work! It'll give you some time to organize and the peace of mind of being in your new home when the movers deliver your stuff.