Tips for Packing

• Pack your belongings and prepare furniture in advance to avoid rushing, accidents and damage on moving day.
• To protect your floors, cover them with drop sheets.
• Consider who will look after your kids and pets on moving day.

It’s important to book an elevator and confirm where a truck or Cubeit container can be parked, and for how long on moving day.

• Always clear snow at your current and new home to make moving safe.
• If it’s raining, cover furniture while carrying it outdoors.

Thorough planning is the best way to ensure an easy move. All you need is a timetable and a checklist. Here’s a moving day countdown:

EIGHT WEEKS BEFORE

• Contact Cubeit Portable Storage to arrange for a container to be delivered 1-2 weeks before your move. One benefit of Cubeit is that you can spend as much time packing your container as you need, and on your own schedule.
• If some of your goods are to be stored, make the necessary arrangements with your moving advisor at Cubeit Portable Storage.
• Order packing supplies in advance so you are prepared.
• Create a moving binder. Use this binder to keep track of your moving notes, paperwork and receipts.
• Start a file for the new homeowner. Use this for maintenance information, appliance manuals, etc. If you are moving at an employer’s request, verify which expenses and responsibilities are theirs and which are yours.
• Contact Canada Customs and Revenue for information on which moving expenses may be tax deductible.
• Contact schools, doctors, dentists, lawyers, accountants, veterinarians, etc. and obtain copies of your records or have them forwarded. Ask for referrals where possible.
• Begin to inventory and evaluate your possessions. What can be sold or donated to a charity?
• Have a yard sale for items you no longer need.
• Take measurements. Check room dimensions at your new home, if possible, and make sure larger pieces of furniture will fit through the door.

SIX WEEKS BEFORE

• Make a list of everyone that you need to notify about your move and begin contacting them (ie. Your friends, banks, utilities, insurance, subscriptions).
• Arrange for work to be done at your new home (ie. painting, repairs).

FOUR WEEKS BEFORE

• Submit a Change of Address Form to the post office, banks, and other institutions.
• Begin packing. Start packing the things that you use infrequently and won’t need in the next month. Clearly label each box with its contents and the room destination.
• Properly dispose of items that cannot be moved (ie. flammables).
• Start to use up things that you don’t want to move such as frozen or perishable foods.

TWO WEEKS BEFORE

• Contact your Cubeit moving advisor to review and confirm all arrangements for your move.
• Tune up. Have your car checked and serviced to make sure that it is prepared for the move.
• Have rugs and drapes cleaned.

ONE WEEK BEFORE

• Spend time packing and loading your Cubeit container at your convenience and on your own schedule. Remember to pack the essentials that you will need right away at your new home separately.
• If you’ll be changing banks, remove the contents of your safe-deposit box and put them in the safe box that you’ll take with you on moving day.
• Refill prescriptions. Stock up on prescriptions you’ll need during the next couple of weeks.
• Return rented or borrowed items (ie. DVD’s, library books).
• Pick up any dry cleaning.
• Drain gas and oil from any power equipment (ie. Lawn mower).
• Take down any fixtures on the walls or ceilings that you are taking with you.

A FEW DAYS BEFORE

• Disconnect and prepare major appliances for the move.
• Defrost your freezer.
• Pack a box of personal items that will be needed immediately at your new home and set this aside with any other items that you are taking in your car. Remember to include valuables such as jewelry and passports in your safe box.
• Pack a box of snacks, drinks, toilet paper, light bulbs, cleaning supplies, etc.

MOVING DAY

• Record all utility meter readings at your old and new home.
• Do a final clean up of your house.
• Remember to leave toilet paper and paper towels.
• Turn lights off, furnace down or off, lock windows and doors, and leave keys as agreed.
• Enjoy a stress free move with Cubeit Portable Storage. You will already have packed your container, and our delivery driver will pick up and relocate your container.
• Feel great! By using Cubeit Portable Storage, the most convenient do-it-yourself method, you have saved money and ensured a successful move.

Call today for information on available packing supplies, moving equipment & disk locks to help with loading your container.

Friendly Reminder:

Since packing is your responsibility, Cubeit Portable Storage cannot be held responsible for the shifting of your contents while in transportation.  Please make sure all of your items are properly secured.

Packing Tips:

• Use proper lifting techniques; lift with your legs and not your back.
• Move the largest and heaviest items in first and distribute the weight evenly throughout the Cubeit container. This includes appliances such as stoves, washing machines, refrigerators and dishwashers, along with any other items that require two or more people to move. Keep items upright as much as possible, and be sure to balance the container by placing heavy objects on opposite sides. Start at the rear and work your way forward.
• Next, move longer items such as box springs, mattresses, long mirrors, headboards, sofas and tabletops into the Cubeit container. Place these items against the long walls of the container to help keep them upright and save space. Use mattress covers to prevent tears in beds and sofas.
• Secure your items using rope and attach the rope to the eye bolts within the Cubeit container.
• Protect your items with packing supplies such as moving blankets and furniture padding.
• Disassemble bed frames, gather long items such as skis and poles and tape the pieces together. Roll up carpets and place these items inside the roll, then tape the carpets closed and place them on the floor of the container.
• Load the largest and heaviest boxes. Place boxes on top of appliances and furniture, making sure to fill empty spaces beneath tables, under desks and on chair seats.
• Stack lighter boxes on top of heavier ones, putting the lightest boxes on top.
• Pack the container as tightly as possible to maximize the use of space and to help prevent shifting.
• If there are specific items that you might need to access after they’re packed, carefully consider where to place them in the container.
• Pack fragile and awkwardly shaped items last.  Consider taking extremely fragile items with you during the move to prevent damage.
• Use large, soft items such as mattresses to secure the load within the container.
• Having the right lock is very important. Consider securing your container with a “disk lock”. Ensure that the door latch is slid all the way to the left before you apply the lock.

Note:

Cubeit Portable Storage is not responsible for any damage to contents placed in the container. Customers are advised to protect their property with insurance. You accept the terms of the Cubeit Rental Agreement by loading the container with your belongings. Please call 1-855-428-2348 with any questions.

NO HAZARDOUS MATERIAL ALLOWED.

Think Ahead

Pack holiday decorations separately so you can ensure easy, quick access to those items as soon as you move into your new place. This will help the whole family get into the holiday spirit and make your new house feel more like home.

Pack your items based on what you will need to unpack during the holiday season and what can wait until after the holidays, and be sure to label accordingly.

If you know you are moving well in advance, try shopping for presents earlier than you regularly would to avoid extra stress and pressure. Consider storing gifts at the home of a family member or friend so they don’t get in the way of your moving preparations.

The idea of moving to a smaller home can be nerve-wracking… where are you going to put all your belongings? Debating what to keep and what to get rid of can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. Here are a few ideas to make the process easier. Above all, remember to be kind to yourself; you don’t have to get rid of everything you hold dear. If you really love an item, keep it!

Start early.

Don’t wait until you’ve signed the contract on a new home to start downsizing. This will only add to the pressure and could lead to poor decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of. Start going through your belongings as soon as you decide to move.

Set time aside to address each area of the home. Start in the most remote spaces, such as the attic, basement and garage. Figure out which items you actually use, and which you simply store. Pack as you go, and make separate piles for the items you plan to sell, donate and discard. Label the piles. Items that you decide not to keep should be taken out of the home sooner than later so that you don’t change your mind.

Keep an inventory, and envision your new home.

Make note of what items are important to keep, and what you could easily live without. This will help you discard items. Embrace the opportunity to start fresh and declutter your life. Determine which pieces of furniture and other large items will fit in your new space, then sell or give away the rest.

Involve your family.

Don’t bear the burden alone; enlist family members to help, particularly with tough decisions. Items hold different meanings for different people, so the more people you involve in the decisions, the less likely you are to give away an item close to someone’s heart. Delegate decisions to the person who owns the item. If you’re unsure about whether to keep an item, figure out how often it’s used, what purpose it serves, what shape it is in, etc.

Avoid throwing anything in the garbage.

Recycle, reuse, sell and donate. It might be tempting to put hangers, unwanted clothes and old furnishings in the trash, but it’s not environmentally or socially responsible. Offer the items you don’t want to family members and friends, or donate them. It’s easier to part with items when you know someone else can benefit from them.

Rising fuel costs and a shortage of drivers have driven up the cost of moving and storage in recent years. Anything you do yourself–even if it seems small–will help cut expenses and leave you extra money to spend on other relocation costs.

1. Pack It Yourself: Full-service movers and packing services can be costly. Even if you don’t want to pack it all yourself, you can always do a partial pack, and have movers handle the rest. Every box you pack yourself represents money in your pocket.
2. Save on Packing Supplies: Luggage and duffel bags are perfect for packing sheets, towels and clothing. Also, the bottoms of wardrobe boxes are great for bulky, lightweight items.
3. Do You Really Need That? Check areas of your home for items that have not been used for a long time and simply get rid of them.
4. Stock Up: Make sure you have plenty of boxes and materials so you don’t have to keep making trips to buy more.
5. Time is Money: Colour-code each packed box by the room it will belong in to save time when moving boxes into your new home.
6. Understand Pricing: Be sure you fully understand any estimate you receive for any sort of moving service; find out about potential additional fees and when they would apply.
7. Flexible Move Time: You can save money if you are flexible on your moving date and time.
8. Are You Insured? Ask detailed questions about insurance. Before you purchase additional coverage, ask your home-insurance broker about what your current policy includes. If you require insurance, Cubeit offers insurance for your stored belongings.
9. Tax Deductions: If you move for business reasons, your moving expenses may be tax-deductible. Keep all receipts and consult a tax professional.
10. Get customer references: Before you decide on a moving service provider, look at customer reviews online, or talk to a friend who has used one in the past.