MOVING INTO A CONDO
The good news is that you just bought the new home or condo of your dreams and you’re moving in three months. The bad news is that you’re moving, and you only have three months to pack and move everything you own.
Call it a mixed blessing. Moving can be stressful. To help alleviate that stress and ensure that your next move goes without a hitch, read on to find out what pros like Yves Joli-Coeur, a senior partner at Grandpré JoliCoeur and the founder of CondoLegal, as well as Martin Desfossés, a real-estate sales coach and the spokesperson for duProprio, think a well-planned checklist consists of for a home move.
“As soon as you’ve finalized things with the notary, get in touch with the condo association to let them know that you’ve bought a condo in the building, when you’re moving, and to ask them if there is anything specific that you need to do,” said Joli-Coeur, who is also the author of Condos / Everything You Should Know.
“Ask where the moving truck can be parked — and when and how the elevators need to be booked — because there are developments that will contact security if a moving truck is blocking the entrance.”
The main point, according to Joli-Coeur, is to have a respectful approach from the beginning, because if you arrive on moving day and break the rules, that will be the first impression your new neighbours have of you, and condo living is all about living harmoniously.
“It’s a collective living arrangement with rules, and the closer you follow them, the happier everyone in the building will be — including you,” he said.
Desfossés is of the opinion that planning should start the moment your move is confirmed, with the paring down and organizing of your belongings. “For me, that’s the first step: going through your stuff, because the planning is going to revolve around how much you have,” he said. The second step, he added, is making sure the space you’re moving into will be empty and available on moving day.
Step 3, Desfossés said, is renting a truck, which also means deciding whether you’re going to use professional movers or rely on friends and family.
“People sometimes try to save in the wrong areas,” he said, “and I think this is one of them. People I know recently moved and they did at least 10 trips with their own vehicle before the moving truck arrived and the movers took one hour to empty the entire place.
“I recommend hiring movers, letting them do all of the heavy lifting, and then doing one trip at the very end with your plants, flowers and other extremely delicate objects.”
If the movers you’ve hired pack as well, all the better; if not, Desfossés recommends using small boxes, not overpacking them, starting with items you rarely use and ending with the essentials, like the sheets on your bed and the leftover food in the fridge. He also suggests using recycled boxes and, if space permits, saving them once the move is complete.
“I myself have around 50 boxes folded up in storage that I’ve used for two moves and that I’ll be able to use again,” he said. “Identify the boxes to make unpacking easier, and also so that the movers can put things in the right rooms right off the bat, and you don’t have to move them around too much once it comes time to unpack.”
If you’re going to be having renovation work and/or painting done at your new condo, Joli-Coeur recommends submitting your plans to the condo’s governing board for approval several weeks before work is scheduled to begin.
“Your workers may also not be able to come through the front door, for example, to avoid tracking dirt through the building’s common areas, so make sure to be well informed well in advance,” he said. “That’s what living together is all about: avoiding conflict.”
A couple of weeks before the move, contact Canada Post to have your mail forwarded to your new address.
“It can take a while for services like the internet to be connected, especially during busy periods, so it’s good to contact all the utility companies a couple of weeks in advance as well,” Desfossés said.
Because many condos have security systems with key tracking, Joli-Coeur says it’s a good idea to contact the development’s administration in advance of your move, to get your new set of keys activated. “Because security is managed by the condo, keys often need to be reconfigured,” he explained. “If that isn’t taken care of early enough, there may be major problems the day of the move.”
Finally, there are two essential things to remember on moving day: the first is to set aside a cooler with some ice, snacks, drinks, plates and utensils, so everyone involved can stay fuelled and hydrated; the second is to be proud.
“My final piece of advice is to take pride in your home and leave it as spotless as you found it,” Desfossés said. “Make sure it’s completely empty, and clean absolutely everything, so the new homeowners are just as happy to move into their new home as you are into yours.”