Moving tips
Moving tips & ways to save money.
Advice from our crews across Courtenay, Comox, and Cumberland, the small things that make move day smoother, faster, and cheaper.
Before move day
Start 4 weeks out
Book your movers, order supplies, and begin decluttering room by room. Early planning is the single biggest predictor of a smooth move.
Declutter ruthlessly
You pay to move every box. Donate, sell, or recycle anything you haven't used in a year. Less to move means a lower final invoice.
Label by room, not contents
Mark each box with the destination room and a quick priority (Open First, Storage, Kitchen A). Crews place boxes faster and unpacking day is far easier.
Pack an essentials bag
Two days of clothes, medication, chargers, toiletries, kettle, mugs, and important documents. Keep it with you, not on the truck.
Protect the fragile items yourself
Wrap valuables and sentimental pieces personally so you know exactly how they were packed. Our crews will still pad and load them properly.
Photograph electronics before unplugging
A quick photo of the back of your TV, router, or desktop saves an hour of guessing when you reconnect everything in the new home.
Save money
Ways to keep the invoice down.
You control more of your final bill than you think. Every one of these trims real time off the clock.
Move mid-month, mid-week
Month-end weekends fill first and book fastest. Tuesday–Thursday between the 6th and the 24th is almost always easier to schedule and easier on your budget.
Move in the off-season
October through April is quieter across the Comox Valley. If your dates are flexible, off-season moves free up more crew options.
Be fully packed before we arrive
Every move is billed at a 4-hour minimum from arrival. If boxes are sealed, labeled, and stacked near the door, the crew moves faster and your bill stays lower.
Disassemble what you can
Beds, table legs, and IKEA units come apart quickly with a screwdriver. Bag the hardware and tape it to the frame. We'll happily do it, but doing it yourself trims time.
Reserve elevators and parking
For condos or apartments, book the elevator and reserve loading-zone parking in advance. Waiting for access is billable time.
Consolidate stops
One pickup and one drop-off is the most efficient move. If you can drop items at storage or donation before move day, you'll save on truck time.
Use what you already own
Suitcases, duffels, laundry baskets, and totes all count as containers. Fill them with clothes, linens, and shoes before buying extra boxes.
Get an accurate estimate
The more detail you give us about your home, access, and inventory, the tighter the quote. Surprises on move day are what push budgets over.
Keep your things safe
Packing tips to protect what matters.
If you're doing your own packing, these are the habits that keep boxes intact, furniture unmarked, and fragile items in one piece from your front door to your new one.
Match the box to the weight
Books, dishes, tools and canned goods go in small boxes. Linens, pillows and lampshades go in large boxes. A large box full of books will blow out its bottom and hurt whoever lifts it.
Reinforce every box bottom
Run two strips of quality packing tape across the bottom seam and one across each edge. Cheap dollar-store tape lets go under weight, don't risk it on fragile boxes.
Pad the bottom, pad the top
Crumpled packing paper or a folded towel on the bottom absorbs road vibration. A second layer on top keeps the lid from pressing down on contents when boxes are stacked.
Wrap plates on edge, not flat
Wrap each plate individually in paper and stand them vertically in the box like records. Plates are dramatically stronger on edge than stacked flat.
Nest bowls and mugs individually
Wrap each piece separately before nesting. Two bowls touching without paper between them will chip every time on a bumpy road.
Fill every empty space
Any gap inside a box means things shift and break. Stuff paper, towels, or socks into the corners and around items until nothing moves when you gently shake the box.
Cap the weight at what you can lift
A good rule: if you can't comfortably carry it up a flight of stairs, it's too heavy. Overloaded boxes get dropped, and dropped boxes break contents and backs.
Protect glassware with dividers
Use dish-pack boxes with cell dividers for wine glasses and stemware. Wrap each glass in paper first, then slide it into its own cell.
Bubble-wrap picture frames and mirrors
Tape an X of masking tape across the glass so any accidental crack doesn't shatter, then wrap in bubble and stand upright between mattresses or padded furniture, never flat.
Take TVs apart properly
Remove the stand, wrap the screen in a soft blanket or the original foam, and pack upright. TVs travel much better standing than lying on their back.
Drain and dry anything that holds liquid
Kettles, irons, blenders, and gas cans need to be fully empty and dry. Loose liquids ruin an entire box of anything they touch.
Bag liquids twice
Shampoo, oil, cleaning products, condiments, seal caps with tape, then double-bag in zip-lock bags before packing so a leak stays contained.
Keep hardware with its furniture
When you disassemble a bed, table, or shelf, put every bolt, screw and Allen key in a labelled zip bag and tape it directly to the frame. Nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
Wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes
Hanging clothes stay on the hanger and travel wrinkle-free. Fill the bottom of the wardrobe box with shoes or handbags to use the space.
Roll rugs, don't fold
Vacuum, roll tight from the short end, and tape or tie in three places. Folding creases wool and leaves permanent lines.
Protect finished wood
Wrap dressers, tables and headboards in moving blankets before any shrink wrap goes on. Plastic directly on finished wood can trap moisture and mark the finish.
Label the fragile side up
Write FRAGILE and THIS SIDE UP with a big arrow on all four sides plus the top, not just once. Whoever grabs the box next needs to see it instantly.
Pack a separate 'first night' box
Bedding, towels, toilet paper, phone chargers, medications, a kettle, and a change of clothes. Mark it OPEN FIRST and load it last so it comes off the truck first.
Keep valuables and documents with you
Jewellery, passports, cash, hard drives, prescription medication and small heirlooms should ride in your car, not on the truck.
Photograph high-value items before packing
Take a quick photo of anything valuable or already scuffed before it goes in the box. It removes any question about pre-existing condition later.
Printable checklist
Your move-day checklist.
Print it, tick things off as you go. Six phases from six weeks out through the week after your move.
6–8 weeks before
- Request a written estimate from Comox Valley Moving
- Decide what to keep, donate, sell, or recycle
- Start using up frozen and pantry food
- Create a moving binder or folder for receipts and quotes
- Measure large furniture and doorways at the new home
4 weeks before
- Confirm your move date and deposit
- Order boxes, tape, paper, and wardrobe boxes
- Book elevator and parking at both addresses if needed
- Notify your landlord (if renting) in writing
- Arrange time off work for move day
2 weeks before
- Start packing non-essentials, off-season clothes, books, decor
- Change your address with Canada Post, banks, and subscriptions
- Transfer utilities: hydro, internet, gas, water
- Update your driver's licence and vehicle insurance address
- Refill prescriptions and gather medical records
- Arrange childcare or pet care for move day
1 week before
- Finish packing everything except daily essentials
- Label every box by room and priority
- Take photos of electronics before unplugging
- Empty, defrost, and clean the fridge and freezer
- Confirm arrival time with Comox Valley Moving
- Withdraw cash for tips if desired
Move day
- Pack an essentials bag: meds, chargers, toiletries, 2 days of clothes
- Keep valuables, documents, and keys with you
- Do a final walkthrough of every room and closet
- Check the attic, garage, shed, and outdoor storage
- Confirm the crew has the new address and access details
- Turn off water, unplug appliances, and lock up
After the move
- Unpack the essentials bag and make the beds first
- Check all boxes and furniture against your inventory
- Test appliances, heating, and hot water
- Register with a local doctor and dentist if new to the area
- Update your address on ID and voter registration
- Leave a review for Comox Valley Moving if we did well
Ready for a straight-up quote?
Tell us about your move and we'll send back a flat, transparent estimate, no pressure.