Category: Apartment Rental Tips

10 Essential Steps for a Smooth Transition When Moving into a New Home

Moving into a new home can be an exciting yet overwhelming experience. Whether you’re relocating to a new city or simply moving across town, careful planning and organization can make the process much smoother. To help you navigate this transition successfully, we’ve compiled a list of 10 important things to do when moving into a new home. By following these steps, you’ll be well-prepared to settle into your new abode with ease.

Create a Moving Checklist

Start by creating a comprehensive moving checklist. This will serve as your roadmap throughout the moving process, ensuring that you don’t overlook any essential tasks. Include items such as notifying utilities, packing essentials, and arranging for movers.

Notify Utility Companies

Before moving day, contact utility companies to schedule the disconnection of services at your old home and the connection of services at your new residence. Arrange for the transfer or setup of electricity, gas, water, internet, and other essential services.

Change Your Address

To avoid any disruption in your mail delivery, notify the post office, as well as important contacts such as banks, insurance companies, and subscription services, about your change of address. Update your address on official documents and consider setting up mail forwarding to ensure you receive any mail sent to your old address.

Plan Your Packing Strategy

Develop a packing strategy to make the process more organized and efficient. Start by decluttering and sorting your belongings. Pack room by room, clearly labeling each box with its contents. Don’t forget to create an essentials box containing items you’ll need immediately upon arrival. If there are items that you want to keep but don’t necessarily want to bring to your new home, consider renting a storage unit. You can store belongings that you don’t need daily such as snowboard, bicycle, or old photos in a storage unit and retrieve these items when you need them.

Hire Professional Movers or Enlist Help

Decide whether you’ll hire professional movers or enlist the help of family and friends. Research reputable moving companies, request quotes, and book well in advance. Alternatively, if you choose to move independently, ensure you have a reliable transportation method and enough manpower to assist you.

Take Measurements and Plan Furniture Placement

Visit your new home before moving day to take measurements of each room. This will help you plan furniture placement and determine if any items need to be sold, donated, or purchased to fit the space. Having a clear layout in mind will expedite the unpacking process.

Prepare for Moving Day

As moving day approaches, pack a bag with essentials such as a change of clothes, toiletries, important documents, and any medications you may need. Make sure you have snacks and water readily available to stay energized throughout the day.

Conduct a Thorough Cleaning

Before bringing in your belongings, give your new home a thorough cleaning. Scrub floors, wipe down surfaces, and sanitize bathrooms and kitchen appliances. This way, you’ll start fresh and feel more at ease in your new environment.

Unpack Strategically

Begin unpacking room by room, focusing on the essentials first. Assemble furniture, unpack kitchen essentials, and set up your bedroom for a good night’s sleep. Take breaks and pace yourself to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Unpacking gradually will help you maintain order and make the process more manageable.

Get to Know Your New Neighborhood

Lastly, take the time to explore your new neighborhood. Locate nearby amenities such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and parks. Introduce yourself to your neighbors and join local community groups to start building a sense of belonging.

Moving into a new home is an opportunity for a fresh start and exciting adventures. By following these 10 important steps, you can streamline the moving process and ensure a smoother transition. From careful planning and organization to settling into your new surroundings, these strategies will help you create a comfortable and welcoming home in no time.

4 Moving Tips You Should Use

Although moving is a very exciting and life-changing event, the process of a move can be incredibly stressful and tiring. Oftentimes, we do not realize how much planning and work are required for a move until we are actually going through the motions of one.

To help you remain stress-free during moving, here are 5 self-care tips while moving you can use.

Create a moving checklist

Nothing says moving self-care tips like a checklist! By creating one for your move, you can more easily manage all the tasks that you’ll need to accomplish before the big day arrives. 

To get started, use our moving checklist or create your own. However you decide to approach it, it’s better to have some sort of a list to guide you through the process. As new tasks come, add them to the list. Staying organized will reduce the anxiety of moving. 

Plan the logistics

Just thinking about everything you’ll need to accomplish to pull off a successful move might send you into a tailspin, but we suggest that you start by thinking about whether you are going to hire a moving company or rent a truck. Do you think you need professional help or can you do a DIY move?

If you’re using movers, check out the moving company’s online reviews to assure that the moving company is professional and reliable.

Start packing early

Allow yourself more time to pack than you think you’ll need. The amount of time it takes depends on how many belongings you have. But most people don’t realize just how long it takes to properly pack everything. 

We recommend that you order all of the moving supplies at least six weeks before the move and start packing four weeks in advance. Put on some tunes, tackle one room at a time, and treat yourself to a takeout once you call it a day.

Declutter and organize ahead of time

Getting started with the moving process can seem like a daunting task, but don’t procrastinate. Taking the time to go through your belongings can make the move easier for your future self. Starting ahead of time and sticking to a routine means that your moving day will be less overwhelming.  Get a head start on decluttering at least five weeks before the moving day. Here are some of our tips on how to begin decluttering and organizing:

  • Go through your belongings room by room. Closets, cabinets, drawers – survey all of your belongings and note which items can go. Whether you make a list on your phone, write down what you’re keeping versus what you’re tossing or donating, or take pictures of the items you no longer want to keep, documenting goes a long way. Most importantly, think about what furniture isn’t worth moving.
  • Do a closet purge. Account for all of your closets and pull out anything that is damaged, is out of style, or doesn’t fit anymore, and consider parting ways with said item(s).
  • Make donation pickup arrangements. Donate useful items that you don’t need anymore. Anything from a relatively new and functioning computer to kitchenware – these are all items that you can donate to a local charity to help those in need.
  • Rent a storage unit. If you have many items that you want to keep but don’t want to move to your new home, consider renting a storage unit. You can rent a storage unit for long-term or short-term and you can access the storage unit whenever you want to retrieve your belongings from your storage unit, based on the storage facility’s hours of operation, of course. At U-Lock Mini Storage, we offer a wide selection of storage unit sizes such as 5’x5’, 5’x10’, 10’x10’, 10’x15’ and 10’x20’ storage units. To see which storage unit size best serves your needs, feel free to contact us and we’ll be more than happy to help.

Our facilities include storage units Victoria, storage units Parksville, storage units Nanaimo, storage units Burnaby, storage units White Rock and Surrey and storage units Chilliwack.

7 Top Questions to Ask When Renting an Apartment

Renting an apartment is a major decision and requires thorough research before making a commitment to rent an apartment.

Renting an apartment is a major decision and requires thorough research before making a commitment to rent an apartment. To help you assess whether you want to rent a specific apartment, we have come up with seven top questions you should find answers to when planning to rent an apartment.

1. When is the rent due and how do I pay it?

Usually, this is the first question to ask when renting an apartment. You might assume the answer is the first of the month and by cheque. Some landlords require an EFT direct deposit. Others might accept credit cards, but with a fee attached. Some might collect rent on the day you move in or on the 5th day of the month. Whichever one it is, it is best to find out for sure.

Also, make sure you ask about these potential extra costs:

  • Is there a grace period before a late fee is applied?
  • Are there any application fees?
  • Is there an annual rent increase? If there is, how much is it?

2. What is included in the rental cost?

Some apartments include amenities that can offset your overall cost of living. Ask if any of the following are included in your rental.

  • Garbage fees
  • Water
  • Electricity
  • Gas bill
  • Wifi or TV cable
  • Laundry
  • Parking

3. Do I need to rent a storage unit?

If your apartment needs more space for you to store your belongings, rent a storage unit. A 5 x 5 feet or 5 x 7 feet storage unit should be enough for your needs. These storage unit sizes are similar to a regular closet and can hold personal items, clothes, boxes, skis, children’s toys, small furniture items, and some work documents. If you want something bigger, you can rent a 5 x 10 storage unit. This storage unit size is equivalent to a walk-in closet and holds small amounts of furniture, sofas, chairs, chest of drawers, boxspring and mattress, business supplies, and records. It can also hold other small items and boxes.

4. Do I need to have renters insurance?

Some landlords will require you to have renters insurance, which will factor into your overall rent cost.

5. How do I give notice when I want to move out?

When you ask this question,consider the following:

  • What is the timeframe to give notice?
  • What is the security deposit return process? How long until I get it back?
  • Will there be a final walkthrough?
  • Access and tenant responsibilities

6. Will the locks be changed before I move in?

This item is one of the most overlooked, but it is an essential question to ask when renting an apartment. If the landlord says no, demand that they are changed. Also, find out who has master keys to your residence.

7. Is there ongoing or upcoming construction happening at the building?

More construction might mean more noise and less security. Now is also the time to inquire about the security of the property. Are there cameras? Are there lights in the parking lot?

8. Is subletting the apartment allowed?

When you find out about subletting, also ask if you are able to use services like Airbnb in your apartment. Finding out this information helps you estimate the additional income you may generate from subletting the apartment.

9. Who do I contact with issues regarding rent?

Find out if there is a leasing or building manager that you can contact when you have a request, or want to file a noise complaint.

10. Who do I contact for basic repairs?

Who you contact in an emergency, such as a pipe break, might be different than to whom you reach out for a minor maintenance issue, like a chipped floor tile. Find out how you submit maintenance requests.

11. Is there any existing damage to the apartment?

This question is crucial to getting back an honest security deposit. Make sure you insist on a final walkthrough with the landlord or someone on staff. During the walkthrough, make a note with the person accompanying you of any existing damage. Make sure pictures are taken and that there is written documentation of any findings of your walkthrough. Make sure this is filed with you and the landlord. This step will help ensure you do not get dinged on your security deposit return, or get surprise charges for any damage that was already present when you moved in.

12. Where are the fire extinguishers and smoke detectors located?

Safety first! Find out where these items are before you move in. If they are not present, insist that the landlord get them installed before you move in. If the apartment does not look to be up to code, make sure you report it to the city through the proper channels. Once you move in, check out this apartment move-in checklist again for additional guidance.