Moving Calendar

Four weeks before moving

* Decide what you want to take, what you want to throw out, and what you want to donate to charity or sell.
* Start using up frozen food and staples. Don’t buy any more than is necessary before moving.
* Start planning your trip. Make airline reservations. Book hotels and rental cars.
* Arrange for important school, medical, financial, and legal records to be transferred.

Three weeks before moving

* Arrange to have your pets transported or boarded. Start preparing your plants for the move.
* Get back any items you have lent (and give back any items you have borrowed). Pick up any items that are being repaired.
* Dispose of flammable items such as paint, aerosol cans, and cleaning fluids.
* Send change of address information to the post office and other businesses.

Two weeks before moving

* Schedule a date for a service firm to disconnect and prepare the appliances you are moving.
* Start packing non-essential items.
* Arrange for a babysitter for moving day.
* Start planning to disconnect utilities.
* Draw up a floor plan for your new home and start planning your furniture arrangement. (It makes moving in twice as easy.)

One week before moving

* Finish packing suitcases and basic essentials. Make sure valuable documents, currency, and jewellery are in a safe and easily accessible place.
* Drain garden hoses, lawn mowers, and other machinery.
* Defrost and dry the fridge and freezer. Don’t forget to empty the defrost water pan.
* Take down items such as curtain rods, shelves, light fixtures, and mirrors that you are taking with you.
* Dismantle large power tools, such as lathes and grinders.
* Make sure all of your important papers, keys, medications, and plane tickets are available for the trip.
* If you are travelling a long distance by car, you may want to have the car serviced.

Packing day

* Leave a clear workspace for the packers.
* Identify fragile and valuable items, items you are taking with you, and items being left for the new owners.

Moving-out day

* Plan to stay home until the moving van has left.
* Tour the house with the van operator during inventory. Sign the bill of lading. Confirm your new address and delivery date. Check destination contact phone numbers.
* Do a final check for overlooked items. Make certain windows and doors are locked, lights are turned off, utilities are discontinued or turned off, and the keys are transferred.

Moving-in day

* Try to get to your new home the day before the moving van arrives. Make sure the utilities are connected. Take another look to see if where you want your furniture to go is correct.
* When the mover arrives, check items unloaded against the inventory. Make arrangements for installation of appliances. Confirm unpacking requirements.

Source: Royal LePage Canada

Detach your emotions
Remember, you are about to sell this house and the goal is to create a space in which as many people as possible will be able to envision as their potential home.  To properly prepare your home for sale you will have to pack away many of your personal items, including photos, souvenirs and other mementos.

Clean and reorganize
Clean your home from top to bottom and make sure all appliances are spotless.  Reorganize the closets and pack away some of your belongings.  Storage room is a priority for buyers and a full closet does a poor job of showcasing the amount of storage room available.  If you’re using a spare room for storage, pack away the clutter and ensure the space is properly furnished. .

Furnish empty properties and rooms
People buy homes not houses.  Empty rooms make it hard for buyers to get a good sense of the space.  Large rooms look cavernous and small rooms look even smaller when empty.  Oddly shaped rooms make it especially hard for buyers to visualize how to arrange the room.  Staging your empty property with the right furniture is key to ensuring that buyers will be able to visualize living in the space.

Brighten and lighten
Light-filled rooms are always appealing.  Open blinds and make sure your windows are sparkling clean.  If there are no windows in the room, make sure the lighting is adequate and keep all the lights on when showing the property, even during the day. A fresh coat of neutral coloured paint goes a long way to brighten up the space.

Spark your buyer’s imagination
Set the dinner table for a formal dinner, light the fireplace on a cold day, and add some fresh flowers to your décor.  Creating the proper atmosphere helps buyers envision themselves living in your home.

Fix minor repairs
Buyers prefer to see a home in move-in condition, even small things such as a dripping faucet can detract from the value of your home.

Don’t be too unique
Keep your décor simple and modern with neutral wall colours.  Unusual accessories and strong wall colours will limit your pool of buyers. This is also true for renovations. The right renovations can often boost the price of a home but be careful not to do it with too much flair.  Your unique style may set you apart but it will also shrink your potential pool of buyers.  Remember to keep it simple and modern.

Keep your neighbourhood in mind when renovating
Actual returns on renovations depend not only on the renovations itself but also on how your home compares to your neighbours’.  If your home is already above market value for your neighbourhood, your renovation may not yield a higher return.  Buyers looking at moderately priced homes won’t be able to pay a premium for luxury finishes. Ask your Realtor to give you an assessment of homes in your area before embarking on costly renovations.

Improve security
Household security is a sought after feature in homes and simple measures such as adding window locks and motion sensor lights outside can boost the attractiveness of your property.  In densely populated urban areas, simple additions such as blinds and shutters are good additions to provide privacy.

Source: Royal LePage Canada