Totally Important Preparation Steps (T.I.P.S.)

Why pay to move items you don't really want to keep? Save yourself unnecessary moving time & costs by donating or disposing of items you no longer have a need for - before you move to your new home. We can also drop off your donation items to various charitable organizations, after we are done your move (see below for the list of charities we support). 

Clothing: 

Collect all your clothing (including shoes) in one area and assess your collection. Go through each piece of clothing and ask yourself: 

• Do I like/need this? 
• When is the last time I wore this? 
• When would I wear this? 

                                                Purge what doesn't make you happy.

Books:

Collect all your books and magazines in one area. Go through magazines and check their dates. Recycle any magazines that are older than 6 months old. Go through books and decide which ones you are still interested in reading, are in need of or have sentimental value to you. 

Paperwork:

Tax Records need to be kept for at least 6 years, including supporting tax return documentation. All other financial information should also be kept for 6 years. Ensure names and any other identifying information is removed from discarded paperwork. 

Toys:

While packing, go through your children's toys to purge any items they may have outgrown or are no longer interested in. Selling items on Kijiji, Used Ottawa or Facebook Marketplace are great ways to earn some money back for your items. We can deliver any unsold items you would like to donate to a local charity at the end of your moving day.

Tools:

Collect your tools in one area. Sort them by type and see if you have any duplicates. It's always good to have a spare tool or part but maybe you have more than that? Consider disposing of or donating any extra tools you may have.

Chemicals:

We are sometimes unaware of the amount of chemicals and hazardous waste we may have collected in our homes. When packing, group together chemicals into a plastic bin. Store the bin in a cool location. 

Empty paint cans and other expired chemicals can be disposed of properly at City of Ottawa Hazardous/E-Waste Disposal events and certain stores. 

2020 Disposal Dates and Locations are listed here: 

https://ottawa.ca/en/residents/garbage-and-recycling/hazardous-waste-and-special-items

Moving is in the Top 10 Stressful Life Events! 

Pack My Move wants to make sure it's not in YOUR Top 10! Here are some tips to help you prepare for moving day, these can help you save time and money too!

• Move all packed boxes to a room nearest the entrance, this saves you time and keeps dirt being tracked into your home to a minimum (we have floor runners but they don't cover everything)

• Make sure your movers have a clear path to where their truck will be parked for loading - indoors and outdoors, ie. clear of snow, debris

• Disassemble as much furniture as possible: Beds/bunk beds/cribs, exercise equipment - treadmills/ellipticals, remove mirrors from dressers, remove legs from tables. Not to worry, we always disassemble necessary pieces we find anyways.

• If you live in an apartment - make sure that your elevator is confirmed as booked!