BBX Moving Moving Guide & Checklist 2024

Every move is different but we’ve decided to create a guide that covers most scenarios. Don’t read everything, (unless you want to flatter us)

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KickAss Moves

A Guide to Moving

It is said that a short pencil is better than a long memory, and with moving, it couldn’t be truer. Remembering every last detail of a move can be overwhelming, and a burden that we at BBX Moving have found to be best relieved through checklists.

That’s why we have provided a universal checklist, a be-all and end-all guide to your moving adventure. Print it out and stick it on the fridge, frame it, engrave it into a stone tablet, do whatever you need to do to make use of BBX Moving’s guide to a move that sucks less!

Set date for the move: Try to avoid month end and weekends
*File change of address and notify all service providers:
- Hydro
- Banks and Credit cards Cable & Internet
- Post Office
- Phones
- Driver’s license (ICBC)
- Passports
- Recycling/Trash pick up
- Subscriptions
- Insurance (vehicle and home)
- Security/Alarms
- Doctors, dentists, MSP
Research moving companies and reserve one
Or recruit friends and family – (you’ll need time to cozy up to one with a truck)
Return/retrieve items from friends or neighbours
Create budget for your move
Compile medical records and have them at hand.
Ask for a referral to a new family doctor if needed
Transfer school records
Transfer vet records
Fill any prescriptions in advance
Check with insurance if policy will change
End or suspend paid memberships (gyms, clubs, etc)
Locate essential services in new neighbourhood:
- Banks
- Clinics
- Supermarkets
- Pharmacy
- Vets
PURGE – Decide what is going into storage, what is clutter and what is going in the new house
Arrange for junk removal
Pick up essential moving supplies:
Cancel Internet and cable one month in advance to avoid extra charges

Put vital documents in a safe place
Start packing stuff you don’t need before the move
Put cleaning supplies and personal products aside
Pack an “open me first” box with essentials for the first night
Make an inventory list for every room nothing valuable items
Try to dismantle furniture 24 hours in advance. Put nuts, bolts and screw into ziplocks. Attach to furniture.
Unwire electronics
Start packing rooms that
do not have essential items for living first
Confirm time and place of move with mover
Empty defrost and clean fridge 24 hours before
Make sure all phones and electronics are fully charged for moving day
Start Packing!
Running low on boxes?
Call BBX Moving!

Start early, eat a good breakfast and sleep well the night before
Make sure you have cash on hand for your movers
Have keys of old and new house at hand
Strips sheets off the beds and pack them
Leave a note on the door with your new address on your old house so future residents can forward stray mail
Clear garbage before move
Give movers your cell number and get theirs to keep in touch during transit
Tell movers what goes where and point out fragile/important items
Stop, breathe, continue
Make a note of all utility readings
Have every family member do a walk through “once over” to make sure everything is out of the house
Stop at a grocery store or gas station to get a few snacks and drinks for yourself and your movers
Supervise unloading to help identify important items and boxes you want closeby or in specific locations
High five your movers and tip them well after a hard day’s work

Unpack perishable food items and essential items first
Unpack clothes and utensils necessary for next 2 days
Rewire electronics
Once you’re done, relax, BBX Moving Boxes will be out of your way before you know it
Meet the neighbours!

PACKING THE BBX MOVING WAY

Use moving as a time to purge. Do not pack things you do not use or that are no longer needed in your life. Have a moving sale about a month before you move, then you can use that money to help pay for your move. For everything you don’t sell, donate those items to charity or call the junk removal guys.

9 tips to make organizing, packing and unpacking less sucky!

PURGE

Put on some Beats!

Relieve some of that stress with your favourite tunes – it increases productivity and calms the nerves.

Gather your supplies and BBX Moving Boxes

First asses your stuff; get an idea of what you have to pack. Then, find a spot in the room you are packing and create a packing station. It is best to pack by the room. It makes it easier to get organized and unpacked later. Remember, to bring your stuff to the box not the other way round that way you won’t have boxes everywhere.

Wrapping and Packing Fragiles

Minimizing movement inside each box will keep things safe. First, use a towel or shirt to line the bottom of the box. Then wrap each item with 1 piece of Wrap. That way the paper won’t slip off and your wine glasses will stay intact. Clothes/towels will slip off. Socks are good fillers for gaps in the box. Newspaper is good for wrapping too but, beware of ink smudges on your fine china. Put dishes on their edge – they’re stronger this way. Remove all bulbs from lamps.

Label and Label Well!

Don’t waste time and get frustrated looking for things. Place labels on the ends of the boxes so that you can see what is in each box when it is stacked. Label each box by the room then its contents. Your movers will load the boxes into the truck with labels facing out.

DON’T BREAK YOUR BACK or YOUR MOVERS’

Please pack responsibly and keep each box below 50 pounds. BBX Moving Boxes are strong and will hold as much as you can put in them. It is true that you don’t have to lift them very often, but you may oc- casionally plus you want to be nice to your movers and not be a slave driver.

Use the Wheels – Roll and Pack

Using Moving Wheels, roll a stack of 4 empty es into the room you are packing. Remove all the es from the Moving Wheels except one; now begin to pack that box. Once it is full, close the lids and place an empty box on top and repeat. Once you have packed and stacked 4 or 5 boxes, roll them to your staging area and organize by how you want the truck to be loaded.

Last=First

Place one or two boxes in each room and label those as “first night” boxes. Pack all your essentials including that favourite teddy bear. Make sure these are loaded last but opened first so that you can get to your most important items right away. Load your tool box last – just in case you need to disassemble/assemble furniture on move day.

Don’t Scratch the Floors!

Place a sheet/towel/matt under your BBX Moving Boxes and don’t drag them on wood floors. You want your deposit back!

Tips and Tricks

The key to moving is preparation and organization; Label, label, label. You’d be shocked at the amount of time you can save by knowing what’s inside a box without having to sift through it. Moving is the ultimate time to clean house. Whether it is just ridding yourself of clutter or revamping your entire interior décor, a new house gives you a clean slate. Most importantly, don’t forget the kids, and use BBX Moving!

Saving Money

This is probably the most important section in our box of tricks so pay attention!

PLAN and ORGANIZE in advance. (see checklists)
Use BBX Moving because time = $$$.
If possible avoid moving during summers, beginning or end of the month and on weekends.
Tax deductions – keep receipts because you’ll be allowed to deduct some of the expenses from your income taxes.
Pack efficiently (see our packing guide).
Organize your house and BBX Moving Boxes like a mover. (see below)
Again, PLAN and ORGANIZE!

Think Like a Mover

Movers are a special breed of people. Great movers are like great Tetris players – they find the path of least resistance, are able to fit anything around tight corners and never quit! They take initiative, think quickly and have excellent lifting techniques and spatial awareness.

1.Maximize Space

Minimize Distances Mover’s like space. Take paintings off the walls, move matts, pots, furniture and anything that is blocking doors, hallways and stairs. Reserve a parking spot as close as possible to the entrance of your building. Or clear your driveway so the truck can back right up to your doors.

2.Pack Properly and Label Clearly

Pack properly and use the best boxes in the industry – BBX Moving! Mover’s don’t want to worry about boxes getting crushed or breaking apart when handled. It slows them down. Make it easy by clearly labelling the boxes by the room so they know exactly which box goes where in the new home. Set aside and group together boxes with fragile items.

3. Furniture

If you can, dismantle beds yourself. Remove all cushions from couches. Tape closets and wardrobes so the doors don’t swing open. Get mattress and sofa covers so your movers don’t spend time wrapping them up in cling film. Label furniture according to the room they belong in so you take the guess work out of it.

4.Get out of the Way!

Now watch them in action. Be helpful by taking stuff out of the way and telling them what needs to go where but don’t tell them how to do their job – nobody likes that. You hired professionals so leave it to the professionals. Finally, make a few sandwiches or order some pizza to keep your team of movers motivated till the end

Choosing a Mover

Most people don’t move very often so don’t expect your friends at the gym to be experts at it. Moving is a skilled profession so if you can, do your friends and family a favour by not asking them to be your movers. Leave it to the professionals – it’s safer, faster and can save relationships from breaking up.

Call Us! We’ve grown our business and now offer Move Services.
Choose one that is bonded, insured and licensed.
Ask for referrals – they’re usually the best… or ask us!
Check them out on review sites such as Yelp and HomeStars
Get quotes from at least 3 and be wary of very low bids.
Remember not every mover is the same. If you have pianos or if you need furniture disassembled be sure to tell the mover up front.
As hard as it is, be objective. Tell your mover exactly how much stuff you have. You want the estimate to be as accurate as possible. Include information such as access, stairs, elevators and stuff you have hidden away under the bed since last Christmas.
Ask about all possible charges i.e. travel charges, insurance, fuel charges and stair charges.
Most movers will do an in-home estimate if your home is 3 Bedrooms and larger.
Most importantly, follow your gut and go with the one you’re most comfortable with.

Moving Electronics

Getting Unwired

Shut EVERYTHING down
Map and Label Cords – Label cords before removing them with a label maker or masking tape
and a pen. Not sure what the item is called? Doesn’t matter! The labels guide you to match the cord with the device so choose a name that makes sense to you.
Roll’em Up! – Don’t just throw them into the box. Roll it up and tie it together. Use a cable tie or masking tape. Avoid packing tape as it will leave a sticky residue when you pull it off. Place the cables together with the equipment that you removed it from (all TV cords together, all receiver cords together and so on). That way you can’t get confused by which cord goes with which piece of equipment.
Dust Dust Dust! – When was the last time you cleaned behind the TV, computer or sound system? After your equipment is shut down, take a dry cloth or Swiffer and wipe it off. Pay special attention to any vents or air intake. If a piece of equipment is too dusty on the inside it can overheat and get damaged.

Getting Wired

Get your equipment into the right place. Put the TV in its designated spot and place all related TV cords beside it. You labeled every cord, remember? How easy is it to plug it all in now? This techie stuff is not half as scary anymore.
Pull up the couch, sit back, relax and enjoy!

Moving with Kids

Kids love feeling like adults so involve them in the process and teach them to manage their things. This will save you time and money. Most importantly, help them cope with change, make it fun and don’t lose them in a BBX Moving!

Getting Organized

Start the process of getting organized and cleaning up after school and on weekends. Make a “countdown calendar” with tasks and prizes when they’re completed.

Letting Go and Keeping Favourites

Kids will be attached to their things but remind them of the positives: that by getting rid of old toys, they’ll have room for new ones. Help by suggesting that they donate their old toys to charities, friends or a neighbour. They feel better when there’s a new home for their toys. Now tell them how much they can keep and ask them to choose their favourites.

Sorting then Packing

Ask them to sort their toys in “families”: Lego pieces together, stuffed toys in another pile and so on. Get them to pack each family into a box instead of piling everything into one big one. This allows them to be responsible for their own toys and reassures them that they’re not going to lose anything.

After sorting out the toys, you should be ready to pack what both of you have decided to take. Get them to pack the toys and draw the contents of each box on the sticker labels.

Day Before Moving Day

Pack a personal backpack with some toys, an ipad, and books. There should also be some clothes, toiletries and medicine. Don’t leave this bag with the movers but take it with you. There should be just enough for your kids to “survive” their first night in the new house.

Moving Day

If possible, schedule the move date where your kids are at school or with family/friends. It will be safer, faster and easier for you and your movers.

Moving with Pets

Most pets take moving in their stride and adapt to their new surroundings as long as their social group (family and other pets) remain similar. But because we love them dearly, there are a few things we can do to make it easier. Unfortunately moving them in a BBX Moving is not recommended!

Pack your pets’ sleeping area last and open it as soon as you get into your new home.
If you are buying a new crate, do that in your old house so they have time to get used to it. Avoid introducing a new bed and new home at the same time.
Visit the vet; check vaccinations, prescriptions and get referred to a vet near your new home.
On moving day, confine or get them out of the home to avoid anxiety, injury or escape. Consider a boarding kennel. Check out DogTaxi.com.
Have treats handy to distract them. This works well on kids too!
Move them in your own car for familiarity and find the shortest route.
Enter your new home before your pet and take out the food, water and some toys first. Set up the dog or cat bed. Provide an environment where all the amenities are the same as the previous home.
Schedule playtime as a distraction from the unfamiliar surroundings.
It is better to introduce the dog to new rooms and storage areas yourself to avoid anxiety chewing or spoiling of belonging’s with urine, due to your pet’s natural territorial behavior.
Keep them indoors for a few days to acclimatize to their new home.
Update microchips and tags with your new contact information.

BBX Moving Moving Guide & Checklist 2019