Tips

Posted on by Ottawa Moving Logistics

Need to pack up your bedroom but don’t know where to start? Certain areas of the home can feel more overwhelming to tackle than others, which can lead to procrastination and last-minute panic mode. To avoid this, here are some helpful tips on how to pack up your bedroom.

Start with Non-Essential Stuff

Like with any area of your home, it’s best to begin packing up things that are non-essential. So anything you don’t use on a daily basis is where you should focus first. This can include your desk, knick-knacks, old memorabilia from your college days, your bookshelf and seasonal clothing. 

Disperse Weight

When you’re packing up your bedroom items, make sure you’re dispersing them to avoid overstuffing and adding too much weight to the boxes. For example, only place a few books in a single box and combine them with other lighter items. Keep testing the boxes as you pack by lifting them to see whether they are getting too heavy and need to be balanced out. 

Declutter Clothing

Before you start packing up your clothing, spend some time sifting through your closets and dressers to dejunk any items you don’t wear or that no longer fit. Any items that are in good condition, place them into a bag so you can drop them off at a donation center. Anything that’s too worn, discard or upcycle into rags if possible. Also, if you’re moving during the summer, pack up your fall and winter gear since you won’t be needing those any time soon. When you’re sorting through your closet, leave clothing on the hangers. It’s easier and makes the unpacking process faster since you can just hang them up right away. Bonus tip – use your suitcases to transport some of your clothing.

Pack Mirrors in Original Box

If you kept a few old boxes for electronics or mirrors, use them to place them back in for moving day. If you didn’t keep them, try to find boxes that are strong and sturdy, and use extra wrapping to protect them from moving around.

Disassemble Your Bed and Wrap Up Mattress

When you’re removing your mattress, lean it upright and wrap it up well to protect it from dirt, damage and the weather. When you’re taking the bed frame apart, make sure you keep all of the screws and other bits safely together so you don’t lose them. It can be a nightmare when you get to your new place and can’t find the right pieces to put your bed back together.

Planning an upcoming move? Book your moving date with our professional moving team at Ottawa Moving Logistics today!

Posted on by Ottawa Moving Logistics

Even if you’re an organization expert, when it comes to moving your home and entire life’s worth of belongings, it can still be challenging and overwhelming. But as with many things in life, it has to be done. And with a little bit of planning, you can make it as easy as possible so you’re not stressing to get it all done the week before. Make your moving process a breeze with these packing tips from the moving pros.

Purge Unused Stuff

We all end up hoarding stuff over the years that just sits on a shelf collecting dust. If you want to shave down time and effort when moving, start by doing a massive purge. Before you start putting items into boxes, begin with one room at a time and separate anything you have not touched or used in the past two years. Then sell your items online or donate. 

Use Linens and Towles to Wrap Fragile Items

Instead of wasting a ton of paper and plastic bubble wrap, use your linens and towels to wrap any delicate items like dishes and cups, lamps, vases and other breakables. These are excellent for adding a good layer of protection when they’re being transported to your new home.

Put Small Items in Pots

Smart packing is all about strategizing. For example, you can also place small items in your pots rather than using additional boxes. The best part is you can pop the lid on and add some tape to seal them up.

Take Photos of Your Electronics

If you’re not a tech whizz and don’t want to spend an entire day trying to hook your electronics up, snap a few photos so you can refer back to them. This way, you can easily plug in the wires and enjoy your favourite show without having to stress at the end of your big moving day.

Don’t Forget to Label the Boxes

Make sure you properly label your boxes by room so you know exactly which areas to place and unpack the boxes. This simple step can save a lot of time and aggravation.

Pack a Day Bag

Unpacking is a process that takes time. So pack an overnight bag and include all of the essentials you’ll need for at least a few days, including toiletries, a change of clothes, medications and any important documents as well.

Ottawa Moving Logistics can assist with all of your moving-related needs. Contact us today to book your moving date!

Posted on by Ottawa Moving Logistics

Kitchen Decluttering: 5 Tips and Tricks

When you’re planning to move, it’s the best time to declutter the kitchen. If you don’t know where to start, follow our kitchen decluttering tips and tricks below to help you get through it stress-free.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Decluttering can be a time-consuming process, and it can feel overwhelming if you try and tackle it all at once. To avoid feeling discouraged, break up the process into baby steps and give yourself at least a month to get through it all. By dedicating a few hours each day to it, you’ll have it all done and dusted well before moving day so you can focus on other important tasks.

Focus On the Items You Use the Most

We all have items in the kitchen that take up way too much space and rarely get used. Instead of cluttering drawers and cupboards, think about what you use frequently and what you haven’t touched in the past year or so. Consider donating, selling or discarding anything that hasn’t seen the light of day in a while. 

Get Rid of Duplicates

If you have enough dishes, cups and cutlery to accommodate a small army, it might be time to rethink some of those extras. To create an organized, decluttered kitchen that works for you, be realistic about what you need and don’t need. Think about what you only need for your day-to-day life, and maybe a few additional pieces for the holidays. Beyond that, it’s just more clutter.

Separate Items

To keep everything organized as you declutter the kitchen, have three separate bags or boxes on hand for items that you want to keep, discard, recycle or donate. This will avoid any confusion or mess as you go.

Ask a Friend or Family Member for Help

If you have a hard time saying yes or no to items as you dejunk, get a friend or family member to help you. They can help to keep you focused and think practically about what to keep and let go of. 

Planning a move in Ottawa? Give us a call at Ottawa Moving Logistics to book your date today!

Posted on by Ottawa Moving Logistics

6 Ways to Avoid a Moving Scam

Planning an upcoming move? Want to make sure you won’t get ripped off by your selected movers of choice? To keep your moving day easy and hassle-free, here are some ways to avoid a moving scam and keep an eye out for red flags.

Don’t Pay for the Entire Move Upfront

Most professional moving companies won’t require customers to pay the full amount of their moving fee upfront. Generally, customers will need to pay a deposit and then the remainder once the move is complete. If you’re getting quotes from different moving companies and they require payment all at once, consider it a red flag and keep looking. 

Are They Registered with the BBB and Canadian Association of Movers?

Before choosing which movers to go with, look them up on the Better Business Bureau or the Canadian Association of Movers. In order for businesses to be registered here, they must adhere to a strict set of standards. If you can find them listed on both of these sites, you know you’ve found a reputable company to work with.

Ask for Referrals

When in doubt, ask your friends or family members for recommendations. They will be honest about who to avoid and who they would recommend as a trustworthy company.

Be Careful When Looking at Reviews

Looking up online reviews can be a great way to gain more insight into how a moving company conducts their business and how satisfied customers have been. But keep in mind that there are a lot of fake reviews out there. When searching through them, be sure to look at the name of the reviewer and read a range of different opinions to get a thorough scope of the company in question.

Look Up Their Business Address

It’s important to hire a company that has a fixed business address and facility. If you end up hiring amateur movers who operate from their truck, it can be easy for them to disappear, leaving you scrounging.

Sign a Contract

Finally, always make sure to get an official contract with the quote, terms and any other fees that you agreed on when speaking with the movers. This way, you won’t be caught off guard with any surprise charges.

If you need a professional moving company that you can depend on to get you and your belongings from A to B without any problems, our team at Ottawa Moving Logistics has you covered. Contact us today to book your date or to learn more about our services!

Posted on by Ottawa Moving Logistics

6 Tips for Downsizing

Downsizing is something that we all have to face at some point or another. And letting go of certain possessions can be stressful and emotionally taxing. But with a little bit of planning, you can minimize the stress and make the process as simple as possible for you or your loved one. When you’re ready to take on this process, here are some tips for downsizing,

Start Now

Downsizing isn’t something that can be done in the span of a week. You’ll need lots of time to peel through your belongings and determine what to keep and let go of. This process can take an emotional toll, so give yourself extra time to reminisce as you purge. Begin this process at least four weeks prior to moving.

Take One Room at a Time

When you think about the process in its entirety, it can feel very overwhelming. To avoid this, break the process down into baby steps. Start with one room at a time and focus on one section of the room at a time. For example, having to downsize your entire living room can be overwhelming. Simplifying it to a clean-up of the bookshelves or TV console might be a better place to start. 

Understand What You Need

While you’re sifting through your possessions to figure out what to keep and get rid of, make sure you’re fully aware of what you need for your new home. You don’t want to end up discarding items that you’ll actually use once you relocate. 

Don’t Keep Duplicates

One easy rule to help minimize excess stuff is to get rid of any duplicates. Whether it’s in the kitchen, bedroom, or bathroom, think about whether you really need that extra hair dryer or if it’s just adding to the clutter.

Keep Separate Bins For Recycling and Donating

To keep everything organized as you go, keep bins or bags handy so you can separate and organize the stuff that you’ll be recycling, donating or discarding. 

Choose a Few of Your Collectibles to Keep

If you have collectibles that are taking up a lot of space, consider keeping just a few of them. You could snap photos of the rest to create a book as a keepsake to remember them. Otherwise, they might just end up being stuffed away in storage again where you won’t get to see or appreciate them at all.

Get the professional and reliable moving services you can count on at Ottawa Moving Logistics. Contact us today to book your moving date or to learn more about our services.

Posted on by Ottawa Moving Logistics

6 Things to Consider When Planning a Long-Distance Move

Moving a couple hundred miles across the country is a completely different experience than simply relocating within your current city. If you’ve never taken on a long-distance move before, it’s important to have an understanding of what’s involved and how to begin the process so you can stay organized and on track. Here are some key things to consider when planning a long-distance move, whether to or from Ottawa.

Make a Detailed Plan

A long-distance move is a big undertaking that requires a plan. Take some time to write out all of the tasks that you have to do and prioritize them. We recommend using a spreadsheet to keep everything organized and clearly outlined. Some basic tasks to include in your plan are creating a budget, scheduling in-home estimates from a few different moving companies, requesting time off from work, and talking to your kid’s teachers to make arrangements for their new school. 

Create a Schedule

Next up is having a schedule that you can stick to. Certain things are time sensitive during the moving process, like enrolling the kids in their new school and swapping out your utilities. With a detailed plan and schedule, you can stay on track and make sure you don’t forget any important dates. You can plug your schedule into your phone and set reminders so you won’t forget.

Be Extra Careful When Packing

Clearly label every box according to the room where it belongs. Mark off any fragile items on all sides of the box, and as an additional precaution, put your name on each box. 

Dejunk

Don’t keep anything that you don’t use nor really care about. Take advantage of this time to purge and let go of junk that just accumulates dust. By doing this now, you will make the packing and moving process easier and faster.

Find the Right Moving Company

When you’re moving everything that you own over a long-distance, you want the right moving team that you can depend on to keep everything safe, organized and as stress free as possible. Make sure to do your homework so you can choose the best movers to suit your needs. Look at online reviews and get a few in-house estimates before making your decision about long-distance residential movers.

Keep Important Documents Safe

It’s easy to misplace things during a big and hectic moving process. To avoid any headaches, keep all of your important and sensitive documents, such as your will, insurance papers, birth certificates, and passports in a safe and separate container so you can easily identify where they are. We also recommend using a sealed waterproof container to make sure they won’t get damaged by moisture at any point. 

If you’re moving long-distance, Ottawa Moving Logistics can assist you with the entire process, including packing and unpacking services. Contact us today to learn more about our services or to get a quote.

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How Much Does Moving Cost?

When hiring a professional mover, the costs can vary depending on the distance of your move, the volume of the load, and the moving company’s experience and pricing structure. To get a better understanding of how much moving costs and what you should expect, we’ve put together a quick guide to help you.

Local Moves

Most moving companies charge an hourly rate and estimate the cost based on the size of the truck, time required, and the number of movers needed. At Ottawa Moving Logistics, we do it differently to save you money. We charge a one-time, one-hour standard travel fee that covers the cost of travel for our crew. This includes moving anywhere within the city limits of Ottawa including Orleans, Kanata, Barrhaven, and more. 

Long-Distance Moving

Long-distance moves are priced differently than local trips. At Ottawa Moving Logistics, we charge by the kilometre for the travel portion and then hourly for the actual moving portion. Charges per kilometre will factor in the gas, number of crew, and the hotel accommodations if needed. By pricing ourselves this way we can save you thousands of dollars in fees compared to the other moving companies who charge a flat fee or by the weight of the goods, plus distance travelled and accessorial charges. Our pricing method also ensures that you have a good idea of how much you’ll be paying upfront instead of after the move has been completed. 

Commercial Moves

If you’re planning to move your office equipment, you’ll need a professional who specializes in commercial moving. At OML, we understand the special requirements of a commercial move and have the proper equipment and crew for the job. Because each project is unique, we price based on the type of services and equipment that will be required. A walkthrough is performed by our team to help get clarity and to assist you in planning the move. A quote will then be prepared based on our best rates.

The Extras

You should also budget for an extra couple hundred dollars if you plan to use packing services, short term storage solutions, or home delivery services offered by your mover. At OML our moving coordinator will help you plan accordingly and ensure you know how much you will need upfront to pay for any additional services during your move.

Insurance

Don’t forget about insurance. Some movers pass the cost on to you, others don’t have enough coverage to fully replace damaged items. Our team goes the extra step to make sure you have all the coverage you need.

Contact us today at OML for a free quote!

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5 Things to Look for in a Moving Company

There are endless to-do tasks that come along with every move, and one important task to focus on first is choosing the right moving company. But it’s not always easy to know which one is the best option for you. To help you determine who to choose for your upcoming move, here are a few key things to look for in a moving company so you can get professional and reliable service that you can count on.

Look for Positive Reviews

When you’re considering who to hire, it’s a good idea to read reviews from previous clients. This gives you direct insight into how they have conducted themselves in the past, and whether they’re worth hiring. When searching online, make sure to look at both positive and negative reviews. This will give you a better scope instead of focusing on a few disgruntled clients that might overshadow a majority of positive experiences.

Good Recommendations 

One of the best ways to feel good about your moving company is by getting recommendations from someone you know. Start by asking around through your family, other relatives, friends, or even colleagues. They can tell you exactly how their experience was and whether you should book with the company or keep looking.

They’re Transparent

Moving companies can differ when it comes to how they provide a quote. For larger moves, they might send someone out to see exactly how much there is to move and then provide a quote. Many movers will also offer a base rate estimate over the phone depending on how many movers you will need and the time frame involved. However, there can always be additional fees added. Always inquire about extra costs and how those fees are calculated. The company should be open and upfront about this.

They Provide the Specific Services You Need

If you’re moving a large three-story house across the country or moving into a small apartment that’s only a few blocks away, your needs will vary. Take some time to fully understand what you need from your moving company and then write out questions to ask. This way, you can be sure that you’re hiring a company that’s the right fit and offers all the assistance you’re looking for.

Are They Licensed and Covered?

Finally, and most importantly, always make sure that the moving company is licensed and has adequate insurance coverage. This ensures they are legally responsible for your belongings and will give you peace of mind during the process.

Thinking about your Ottawa move? Contact us at Ottawa Moving Logistics for professional, dedicated moving services.

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When Should I Start Planning My Move?

Wondering when you should start getting ready for your move? We suggest starting as early as you can. Like anything in life, the more time you have to prepare, the easier it will be. If you need help outlining and breaking down your planned move, here’s a general rule of thumb to follow.

Six Weeks Until Move

Book Movers

Once you’ve found your new home, it’s time to book your movers. Six weeks is usually a good amount of time to ensure you get the movers you want and aren’t competing for the date you need. If you’re planning to move in the busy season, any time between May and September, you might want to book even earlier. 

Dejunk

We recommend starting on the dejunk stage no later than six weeks from your moving date. At this point, you should be starting the process of going through your home and purging what you won’t be taking with you. It’s best to start in the areas that tend to accumulate the most amount of junk, like the closets, garage, basement, and attic. Keep separate bags or piles for items that you will be donating or discarding.

Four Weeks Until Move

Send Notices, Change Address, Change Utilities

Four weeks out is when you should begin notifying others about your move, such as your employer and kids’ school personnel. Also, notify your bank, insurance providers, accountants, etc. You’ll need to change your address and/or disconnect subscriptions and utilities such as gas, water, cable, internet and so forth. Collecting medical and dental records is recommended at this point too.

Three Weeks Until Move

Start Packing

Packing is the part of the moving process that most individuals dread, but it’s most important that you start this task early to avoid extra stress on moving day. If you’re not hiring movers to pack for you, give yourself plenty of time to get it done gradually. Start packing up the items that you don’t use daily. Make sure to have the majority of everything packed the week prior to moving.

One-Two Weeks Until Move

Finalize Packing and Clean

You’re at the home stretch which means most of your belongings should be packed with only a few things left to throw in a box. Don’t forget to leave out the broom, mop and cleaners so you can give your home a good cleaning before you move out.

Day Before Move

Prep for Movers

Finally, it’s the day before your move! At this point, the only thing left to do is prepare for the movers. Shovel the walkways and salt and have rugs or blankets ready to place down to protect your floors. 

Need professional and reliable movers to take care of your upcoming move? Ottawa Moving Logistics has you covered. Contact us today!

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6 Tips for Getting Settled in Your New Home

Those first few days after you’ve moved into your new place can come with a whirlwind of emotions. One minute you’re beaming with excitement and the next, you’re feeling flustered, overwhelmed and don’t know where to even start. If this sounds like you, we have some helpful tips for getting settled in your new home. These will help you focus, prioritize your tasks and feel excited about your new, fresh slate.

Transfer Utilities and Services

If you haven’t done this already, one of the first things you need to do before you can get settled into your new home is to transfer any of your utilities and services over to your new address. This will include gas, water, electricity, phone, internet and cable. If you can do this before you move, even better.

Clean Before Unpacking

Before you open any boxes, it’s a good idea to clean your new home. Even if it looks decent, chances are it’s not as clean you want it to be, and it will feel more like home once you’ve gone over everything yourself. We recommend wiping down the shelves and cupboards before you unpack as well! 

Get Unpacking Done ASAP

Unpacking can be tedious, but having boxes lying around for months after you’ve moved in will definitely prevent you from feeling settled in. Make a plan to get the unpacking done as soon as possible. To start, prioritize the boxes that are most important, like the kitchen and bathroom items. Then work your way through the rest of your belongings each day so you can chip away without feeling exhausted.

Check Safety Features

When you move into a new home, it’s a good time to check your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector. Take a few minutes to see if they work and have functioning batteries. And make sure your fire extinguisher isn’t expired. 

Explore Your New Neighbourhood

Moving to a new place is exciting! So get out to explore and learn more about your new hood. See what amenities are close by, where the closest park is, along with public transportation and other features that will be close to home.

Celebrate

Once you’ve endured and survived the moving process, make sure you take time to relax, celebrate and enjoy the feeling of being a new homeowner. You deserve it!

Ottawa Moving Logistics is here when you need professional moving services for a local or long-distance move. We offer competitive rates and professional movers that will take the best care of your belongings. Contact us today to book your move!