Preparing to Move: 6 Steps to Making Your Move A smooth and easy process

Moving is one of the most stressful experiences we willingly take on. For some of us, moves are precipitated by an unexpected job change, a new posting, going off to college, or a big family change. Moving to a new home is a thrilling time in anyone's life, but can prove to be extremely stressful and taxing if you're not properly prepared. To help you get ready for an easy move, we offer 6 tips that have saved us time and again from having our moves drive us insane.

1. Set a Packing Quota

You'll never realize quite how much stuff you have until you need to take it all out, organize it into boxes, and move it. To prevent packing from becoming a daunting, soul-sucking experience, set yourself a daily quota of boxes you will pack. Setting a daily quota will prevent you from having to pack nonstop for 72 hours when you realize that crunch time is upon you. Start small and aim for three medium boxes a day.

To stop yourself from getting bored or overwhelmed with this task, move around the house and try to pack even a little bit from the most used rooms in your house. Even if you feel you use everything in your kitchen or bathroom on a daily basis, you really don't and won't miss that holiday roasting pan if it's packed away for a week.

2. Don't bother with your closet

Packing clothes is daunting, time-consuming, and frankly unnecessary. Instead, ask your movers to supply you with wardrobe boxes that allow you to hang your clothing in mobile, cardboard wardrobes. Tape it up and unload it when you get to your home.

If you can't do this (or don't want to), here's another tip for packing clothes: take a clear garbage bag and snip a hole in the middle of the bottom seam. Slip that hole over a bundle of clothing on hangars (similar to a dry-cleaning bag), and then tie the bottom closed. Tie the hangars together to prevent them from slipping into the bag.

3. Switch all your utilities

This may seem like common sense, but you'd be surprised how often one essential utility doesn't get switched in a move. Make a list of all your utilities and call the companies to warn them that you will be moving their services. It's best to give them more time than less so that they can book you in for your reinstallation and you won't be unpacking in the dark.

4. Hire professional movers

If you've ever moved, you'll know what a godsend professional moving company is. While they are an added cost, the stress (and back injuries) they will prevent is worth their weight in gold. Moving to a big city (or even around a big city) can be especially intimidating, so do your research and find a reputable company that offers movers in Toronto that will care for your possessions and make your move 80% easier.

5. Pony up for mail forwarding

This is another one we see time and again that people opt out of. We assume that we know everyone we get mail from, but that's usually not the case. While you may remember the big ones (credit cards, the CRA, etc.), you may have forgotten to change your address with payroll at work or with that magazine you're subscribed to. To avoid missing any important pieces of mail, pay for at least 6 months of mail forwarding and change each address as a new piece arrives.

6. Visualize your new home

Moving is hard physically, but it's also hard emotionally. Leading behind a home where you first crossed the threshold as husband and wife or where you marked your kids' measurements on the walls can be gut-wrenching. To help you look past the pain, visualize your new home and plan for projects and changes you hope to make. Start a vision board or sign up to Pinterest to make the planning a bit more fun and help you relax amidst all the chaos