Tips for Moving Across Canada

Moving across Canada is an exciting yet challenging endeavour, especially when it involves long distances. Whether relocating from Vancouver to Toronto or from Calgary to Halifax, the journey across our vast country requires careful planning and preparation. With diverse climates, varying regional regulations, and the sheer size of Canada to navigate, having the right strategies can make your move smoother and less stressful. At Trans Canada Movers, we understand the unique demands of long-distance moves within Canada, and we’re here to help you every step of the way with expert advice and practical tips. Read on to get started.

Quick Tips Before Moving Day

Moving Day is hectic! Tensions run high and the risk of forgetting something is great. Make getting settled smoother with these quick tips:

Notify friends, family, and anywhere that regularly sends you mail of your new mailing address.
Set up mail forwarding for at least 3 months to catch any anomalies from the last point.
Update your shipping address for any online sites you use (such as Amazon), especially if you have a subscription set up.
Notify services like electricity, cable, and internet providers of your move date.
Set up these same services in your new home to be active when you arrive.
Change your phone number. If you’re using a cell you can easily switch numbers in-store or at your provider’s kiosk.
Update your driving license and vehicle insurance to your new province or territory.
Speaking of driving, make sure you’re aware of any driving rules that may be different in your new province (we’re looking at you, Quebec).

Now that those things are out of the way, read on for more in-depth tips for the actual moving process.

Consider What You Are Moving

Before calling a moving company for your cross-Canada move, determine how much you’re bringing with you from your old home to the new one. Nothing? Everything? Something in between? Note that your moving costs will be determined by weight, so if you are thinking of downsizing or buying new items at your destination, this will help with the initial cost of your move. However, it could also be more cost-effective for you to move all of your furniture with you, rather than replace it. Our moving calculator can provide an estimate for the cost of your move so you’ll have more information when researching the cost of replacing furniture at your new location.

Top Tip: If you are getting rid of any furniture ahead of your move, look into donating it to organizations like Habitat ReStore to support others in your community.

Smart Packing for Easier Unpacking

When packing up your boxes, be sure to label at least two sides of the box with the room it needs to go in. This way it’s easy for your movers to see when bringing your boxes off of the van. Even if you direct your moving team to leave everything in one central area, organizing them later will be much smoother. You can write a brief description of what’s in the box on the top if you want, or consider keeping a separate list on a sheet of paper or your phone to help keep track of the contents without openly advertising what’s inside. Inventory apps like Sortly are particularly helpful for this. Boxes with delicate items inside should be clearly marked with ‘Fragile’ stickers to avoid disappointment when unpacking. If you have items that you know you’ll want to unpack first (like the one with the coffeemaker), try and keep them all in the same box with clear markings so it’ll easily stand out. Remember to read up on what movers cannot move to ensure you’re prepared on moving day.

Top Tip: Use bedding, towels, and even your clothing to wrap dishes, photographs, and other breakable objects. You’ll have excellent padding and use fewer boxes.

Getting To Your Destination

Before you finalize packing your boxes, it is important to determine how you’ll be arriving at your new home. Whether you’re driving or flying across Canada will impact some of your packing and require some advanced planning.

If you’re driving—great! Be sure to pack your pillows, bedding or sleeping bags, and towels into the car with you. Chances are you will arrive at least a day or two before the rest of your belongings, so you’ll want to have some basic comforts to get you through those first couple of days. Having towels for showering and some bedding for a more comfortable sleep before your bed arrives is key. Camping out in the new house is a fun and cost-friendly way to explore your space before your belongings arrive and unpacking begins. Driving to your destination is also a great option if you’re moving with pets and plants or need to move delicate or fragile small items.

If you instead opt to fly to your new home, you’ll be more limited in what you can pack in your suitcase. In this situation, it might be advisable to check into a hotel until your belongings arrive, unless you’re willing to check an extra bag for bedding and towels. The only drawback of staying in a hotel is that, in the event of your shipment being delayed, you might get shuffled around depending on room availability. You also have the option of purchasing new bedding once you arrive; check out the area in advance to know where your nearest stores are. You’ll still want to pack that towel though, trust us.

Top Tip: Plan out in advance what items you’ll need for a couple of days in your new place and pack them into your vehicle or suitcase, in case there’s a gap between your arrival in your new home and your furniture.

Your Across Canada Moving Company

No matter where in Canada life takes you, Trans Canada Movers’ coast-to-coast moving services will get your belongings there safely, efficiently, and stress-free. We are experts in moving across Canada, no matter which direction you’re headed. Our professional long-distance movers will help make your move as enjoyable as possible, with door-to-door pickup and delivery and a fully-equipped van to ensure all your items are optimally packed and stowed for the move.

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