Moving checklist

This is the companion to The Toronto home buyer checklist, which takes you up to the day you get your keys.

1. 8 to 12 weeks before: make the plan

• Pick your move date with your closing date in mind. Keys usually arrive in the afternoon of closing day, and a day of overlap with your old place gives you room if anything runs late.
• Set a budget and decide how much help you want. Choose between doing it yourself and a full-service move, and list any special items like a piano, a safe or art.
• Get 2 to 3 written quotes from movers. Confirm their insurance, what packing and assembly includes, and how they value your belongings if something breaks.
• Clear out what you won't take. Sell, donate or recycle, and check the City's rules for oversized and metal items before you put large pieces out.
• Make a room-by-room inventory. Photograph your valuables for insurance.
• Start a move file. Keep quotes, receipts, floor plans, serial numbers, insurance policies and contacts in one place.
• Sort out school and childcare. Tell your current school, request records and arrange enrolment in the new area.
• Line up medical care and the vet. Transfer records, find a new doctor, dentist and vet if you need them, and refill prescriptions.
• Moving into a condo: book the elevator and the loading area with management. Many buildings only allow moves at set times and ask for a deposit.
• Moving into a house: plan for the yard and outdoor items, and check how the street parking works for a moving truck.

2. 6 to 8 weeks before: get organized

• Buy your supplies. Boxes, tape, wrap, packing paper, bubble wrap, mattress bags, markers, labels and a box cutter.
• Choose a labelling system. Mark each box with the room, a few words on what's inside and a priority (now, next or later), and flag anything fragile.
• Measure the new place. Check that large furniture fits through doors, stairs and the elevator, and sketch where the big pieces go. Your pre-closing visit (buyer's visit) is a good time to take measurements.
• Schedule your utilities. Arrange disconnection at the old place and connection at the new one for hydro (Toronto Hydro), gas (Enbridge Gas), water, internet and waste. In Toronto, water and waste are on the City's utility account.
• Line up insurance dates. Your new home insurance should start on closing day, and check that your policy covers your belongings during the move.
• Start a master list of everyone who needs your new address. Use the list at the end of this page as a start.
• Use up food and liquids. It's less to pack, and movers won't take most of it.

3. 4 to 6 weeks before: start packing

• Pack the things you won't need. Start with seasonal items, books and décor, number the boxes and keep a simple index.
• Plan for fragile and special items. Flag glass, art, TVs and electronics, and arrange crating if needed.
• Book a technician for appliances. Gas and water hookups, like a gas stove or a washer, need someone qualified.
• Confirm access at both ends. Check truck clearance, parking and any elevator booking window.
• Gather what you're leaving behind. Put manuals, paint codes, spare keys, fobs and remotes in one place for the next owners.

4. 2 to 3 weeks before: tie up loose ends

• Change your address, first wave. Start with your bank, insurance, employer and subscriptions, update the Canada Revenue Agency, and set up Canada Post mail forwarding.
• Return and collect. Library books, borrowed items and anything out for repair.
• Set aside your valuables. Passports, jewellery, cash and hard drives travel with you, not on the truck.
• Dispose of hazardous items properly. Paint, solvents, propane, bleach and aerosols go to a City drop-off depot, not the garbage.
• Arrange the kids and pets. Book sitters or boarding for moving day, and plan how everyone gets to the new place.
• Service your car if you're driving a long distance.

5. The final week: confirm everything

• Confirm with your mover. Arrival time, crew size, elevator booking, parking, payment and insurance.
• Confirm closing with your lawyer. Make sure your funds have arrived and you know when to expect the keys.
• Pack an open-first kit. Toiletries, medication, snacks, a kettle and coffee, basic cookware, towels, bedding, toilet paper, chargers and light bulbs.
• Pack a tool tote. Small tools, hardware bags, hooks, tape, a measuring tape and scissors.
• Empty and defrost the fridge 24 to 48 hours before the move.
• Back up your devices, and photograph how your cables are set up.
• Do the laundry and set aside clean linens for the first night.

6. Moving day: leaving the old place

• Protect the floors and corners. Put down floor runners and corner guards, and point out fragile and do-not-stack items to the crew.
• Walk the crew through. Show them each room, what isn't going and any special pieces, and check the inventory.
• Read the meters. Note the gas, water and hydro readings, follow any shut-off instructions and turn off the lights.
• Do a final check. Open every closet and cabinet, and check the attic, shed and garage. Gather the keys, fobs and remotes.
• Sign the bill of lading. Check that the destination address and your phone number are right.
• Lock up. Leave instructions and contacts for the new owners.

7. Moving day: arriving at the new home

• Get the access ready. Elevator pads, parking for the truck and something to prop the doors.
• Direct the boxes. Stand at the door with your floor plan and send each box to its room by label.
• Set up the basics first. Beds, a safe spot for kids and pets, the router and the fridge.
• Connect the appliances. Hook up water lines, with a professional if needed, and test the stove, laundry and heating or cooling.
• Photograph any damage and report it to the mover the same day.

8. The first 48 hours

• Check safety first. Test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and find the electrical panel and the main water shut-off.
• Change the locks or have them rekeyed.
• Confirm your services. Make sure the internet works, and look up your garbage and recycling days on the City's collection schedule and where the mail is delivered.
• Unpack the essentials. Kitchen, bathroom, clothing, and what everyone needs for work and school.
• Meet the people around you. Introduce yourself to the neighbours, or to the superintendent or concierge in a condo, and read the building rules.

9. The first month

• Change your address, second wave. Memberships, loyalty programs, online shopping and streaming accounts.
• Update your driver's licence and vehicle permit within 6 days, and your health card within 30 days. Ontario requires it, and you can do all three through ServiceOntario's online change of address.
• Make sure the property tax and utility accounts are in your name. You can look both up on the City's buying, selling or moving page.
• List small repairs and touch-ups, and book the trades you need.
• New build or new condo: submit your Tarion 30-Day Form within the first 30 days of possession, and the Year-End Form in the last 30 days of your first year.
• Review your home insurance now that you know what your belongings are worth.

Good to know

What movers usually won't take. Fuel and propane, paint and solvents, bleach and ammonia, aerosols, fireworks, ammunition, and perishable or open food. Many won't take live plants on long moves either. Confirm the list with your mover.

Documents to carry with you. Passports and ID, birth certificates, SIN records, insurance policies, wills, your closing documents (and condo documents), banking items, medical records and prescriptions, school records and your device backups.

Packing tips.

• Measure twice, and know the tight turns and the elevator size.
• Put heavy items in small boxes and light items in large ones.
• Fill gaps with soft items, and tape the seams in an H.
• Label the top and one side, and colour-code by room.
• Put hardware in labelled zip bags taped to the furniture it belongs to.
• Mark the boxes you'll need first with an "open first" sticker.
• Number the boxes and keep a one-line index, for example "Kitchen 12: spices and tea."

Who needs your new address. Your employer, bank and credit cards, the Canada Revenue Agency, ServiceOntario (driver's licence, vehicle permit, health card), insurance companies, doctor, dentist and vet, schools and daycare, phone and internet, subscriptions and memberships, and family and friends.