5 important things to consider when you move in the winter around Vancouver, Vancouver Island and the North shore.
These 5 tips are the difference between a messy move and a smooth one. If you move in the winter, you definitely want to add them to your to-do list.
Our first recommendation is to pack your belongings in plastic reusable containers. On a rainy or snowy day, when movers load a truck and often have a few minutes walking between the house and the truck, you clothes, dry food, books or linens can easily get wet. The best way to protect them is to use plastic boxes. Please look at our “helpful links” page to find our partners who rent plastic moving bins.
Your mattress is an expensive and essential item you’ll want to protect when you move. It takes only few drops of rain to get it wet and develop mold. We recommend purchasing a plastic cover for all the mattresses in the house, as well as other upholstered furniture. These covers are available in a variety of sizes and shapes and are inexpensive compared to the price of a new sofa or mattress (around $10 each). If you are getting rid of an old mattress, the easy way will be to contact Canadian Mattress Recycling. They will pick up not only mattresses but headboards, bed frames, cribs, and chairs for only a few dollars.
Winter around Vancouver and Vancouver Island has a few snow storms every season. If the forecast is showing a snow storm on your scheduled moving day, try to reschedule to a day before if possible. Think about your options: are you able to get the key to your new location a day before the original date? Will you be able to stay at a hotel or with family overnight if the moving company needs to store your belongings until the weather conditions improve?
What can be worse than a mover slipping in front of your house? A mover who is losing balance while holding your most expensive china. Make sure your entrance the path to the truck is clear. Do it a night before or in the early morning prior to the move. When the movers arrive at your house, you need to spend your time directing them around your belongings, not shoveling snow.
Finally on the other side, in your new home. Movers will be in and out frequently, as well as other people. Their boots are wet and sometimes muddy. You can imagine how long is it going to take to move all your belongings in if they have to remove their shoes every time they enter your new house and put them back when they go back out to the truck. Moving companies will usually have one or two movers inside taking the boxes from the movers who are outside, but this rule isn’t always respected. We strongly suggest you protect your new floor and carpet with plastic sheets or mats (like yoga mats). Large pieces of cardboard will work as well to protect from water, mud and snow.
A planned move is a smooth move.
