What to Know When Moving to a New Home

Once the big day has arrived and the green movers are pulling up in your driveway, everything starts to really sink in. Although you have probably been preparing for this move for months, the reality really starts to come to life when the moving truck arrives and the movers start approaching your door.

In order to stay sane and rational during the moving process on this big day, here are 5 tips to help you get through it.

Stay Calm While Preparing For The Move

The calmer you remain the better the process is going to be. You'll be able to remain in control and on top of things by staying as calm as possible. If you ever find that your nerves are starting to get to you, take a quick walk up and down the sidewalk outside to get a breath of fresh air. It's all going to be okay and pretty soon you're going to be in your new house getting settled.

The more you panic the less effective you’ll be. Make a list of everything that needs to get done and then break things down into separate subcategories. As you do this you can assign certain jobs to family members so that you don't end up carrying the entire burden of moving all on your own.

Gather Moving Boxes Well in Advance

Find Book Boxes

These are great boxes to look for if you're planning a move. These boxes are extra strong and can hold a lot of weight. You can head to your local bookstore and ask them to let you know when their next shipment comes in. You can pick up a load of boxes at these stores that can be used for virtually anything.

Find TV boxes

If you have a large screen TV you may want to head to a local electronics shop in the Calgary area to pick one up. When the TVs come in there are often models that need to be used for display purposes and the boxes are thrown out. These boxes can be used for TVs, mirrors, fine art, paintings etc. Anything large and flat is perfect for these boxes that you can pick up for free.

Use Classified Ads

When other people have boxes from a move they often sell them on popular classified websites like Craigslist or Kijiji. Sometimes these boxes are actually given away!

You can pick up good quality boxes for your next move and some of these ads may be offering special boxes that come in handy like the ones made for packing a wardrobe. Most of the boxes used for moving need to be moved out of the home after a move and a lot of people will be looking at recycling their boxes to a good home rather than throwing them out.

You don't have to pay full price for many of your moving boxes if you have the time to do a bit of shopping around. If you're on a moving budget and need to cut costs, getting your own boxes is one of the best ways to go about it.

Call In Some Help

Organize a moving and packing party and invite all your relatives and friends over. Let them know ahead of time that you'll be buying drinks and pizza and that anyone that comes to help is welcome to eat and drink. You’ll definitely get a lot of positive responses this way and it will be a lot of fun. You should let your helpers know as they arrive, however, that any beer or alcoholic drinks won't be opened until all of the packing is done. If you break open the drinks too soon, you may very well end up with damaged furniture or shattered glassware!

Plan Out Your Meals

In all of the hustle and bustle of the moving day you’ll need to make sure that you keep your strength up and eat meals calmly and mindfully. If you haven't yet planned on providing food for this big day make sure that you get somebody to run out and buy some take-out food to bring back. It only takes about 15 minutes to sit down, get some good healthy food into you, maybe drink some tea to relax and this will give you the strength needed to make it through the day.

Make Sure Your Animals Are Out Of The Way

The last thing that the movers need is to trip over your cat or dog as they are moving heavy furniture out of the home. Fido and Kitty both need to be secured in an area where they won't be underfoot. As well, it's common for animals to become quite traumatized when they see all of the belongings leaving the home and it is not unheard of for a faithful and loyal dog or cat to run off on moving day. Even small animals like rabbits and birds should be put in a quiet location while the move is going on.

Say Your Goodbyes To The Neighbours

If you have any last minute goodbyes to say to the neighbours, do it before the truck is ready to pull out. Once you're done, you're done and you'll want to leave the home and head on to your new life. Don't get too emotional during these goodbyes and keep everything light. With the Internet and the phone systems being so technologically advanced, you can stay in touch with everyone in the neighborhood easily once your move has been completed.

Double Check The Home

Before leaving the residence for the final time make sure that it has been double checked so that nothing is left behind. If you have already checked through the home get somebody else to do the second check. The second person may look in places that you didn't think of and with all of the commotion going on, it's actually quite easy to leave something behind in a medicine cabinet, a small storage space you've been using in the basement or even along the window ledge in one of the bedrooms. By having 2 people check for things that could possibly have been left behind, there's a good chance that everything will get cleared out and transported over to your new home.

Make Use Of Income Tax Write Offs For Moving

There's a special line on the income tax form that you fill out every year that allows you to claim moving expenses. Most people in Canada aren't aware that a lot of moving expenses and real estate commissions can be deducted in certain cases.

If you are moving and establishing a new home, and it will be closer to your new educational institution or work by 40 km or more, you may qualify. Other qualifying factors include:

You are moving to carry on employment or to be employed at a new location

You are moving to study full time as a student at a post-secondary education facility such as a university, college etc.

The 40 km must be the usual and shortest public route to the new workplace or educational institution.

Allowable Expenses That Can Be Deducted

If you qualify, a reasonable amount can be claimed for moving your family, yourself and household items to the new location. Some of the moving expenses that may be claimed include:

Storage And Transportation Costs

This includes the costs for movers and in-transit insurance and storage.

Real Estate Commissions

The costs that you incur to sell your residence such as commissions, legal fees, a mortgage penalty and advertising expenses may be deducted.

Travel Expenses

This may include meals, vehicle expenses and any accommodations required to move the household members to the new home. Temporary living costs for up to 15 days may be deducted.

Incidental Costs

These expenses may include legal document address changes, disconnections and hookups of utilities and replacing a driver’s license.

Maintaining Your Old Residence

You may also qualify for a maximum amount of $5,000 for costs to maintain the home you are trying to sell. These expenses may include property taxes, interest, insurance premiums, and expenses for utilities and heat.

If you qualify for any of these expenses, you may be able to deduct thousands of dollars on your next income tax return. You can find out more information by visiting the Canada Revenue Agency website. You should also talk to your accountant or tax lawyer and remember to keep any and all receipts associated with your move and real estate expenses if you do qualify.

It Will Soon Be Over

Envision the special day when the move will be over and when you’ll be relaxing in your brand-new Calgary home or condo. Imagine yourself sitting back with a nice glass of lemonade on your patio, knowing that you got through it all and that you could easily do it again if you really had to. Someday this move will all be over and right now you only have to get through this temporary rough spot.

Make sure that your eating habits and sleeping habits are in place. Maintain a healthy balance of food, hydration and sleep including your comfiest sleepwear and favourite pillow. If you get too run down you won't be any good to anybody. Keep your chin up and remain happy. Also make sure to keep important documents in a sturdy briefcase or quality backpack so they are all in one place. This move is a positive one - you'll get through it and be in a better place soon.