Moving Tips

It’s a bit of a cliché that a house is not necessarily a home. But once you’ve spent a long time in your home, you connect memories (both good and bad) to experiences you’ve had there that make your home such a special place. 

That’s why it can be so hard to motivate yourself to get your house ready to sell and to put it on the market. There is an attachment to your current home built around these memories that hold connect you to a house even when it no longer meets your needs. 

Here are steps you can take to say goodbye to your home and get yourself ready to start the next stage of your life:

1. Create a Scrapbook — Our memories have a strange way of warping over time. What we thought was true in our brain may not actually be the reality. One way to preserve the true memories of your old home is to create a scrapbook. You can save images digitally or you can print out the pictures professionally and then place them in a physical scrapbook. As you prepare to leave this home, make sure to document the move itself in pictures and record the empty rooms before you finally leave.

2. Have a Going Away Party — Many people who move into a new home will have a house-warming party. But a better idea might be to have a party to say good-bye to the old house. You can sit around with your friends and reminisce about your memories in the old house. This is a great chance to have one last bash before you leave.

3. Take a Memento — You can always take something with you when you leave. This doesn’t have to be anything major. But if you have a special doorknob to your bedroom (or your children’s room), then take that with you. (Be sure to replace it with a new one for the new owners.) Another idea might be to take a plant (or a trimming) from the backyard or garden so that you can transplant a piece of your old home into your new one.

4. Leave Your Mark — This one isn’t something you can take with you, but it is more about something you can leave behind. One way to do this is to find an obscure corner of the house and sign your name or have your children leave a handprint as a reminder that you were there. Another idea might be to write a letter to the new owners of your home. Share your personal story of life in that home and wish them the same kind of happiness you’ve had prior to your move.

Moving Can Bring Up a Mix of Emotions. Honour Your Feelings.

Moving out of a home, especially one you have spent years in, can be a very emotional time. So, if you are planning a move, don’t ignore those emotions. Say good-bye to your old home with a proper farewell so that you can start the next stage of life in your new home.

You’ve found the moving company with over 40 years of experience, BBB-accredited and certified in Canada!

Crescent Moving & Storage has been in business for many years providing reliable, timely, and safe moving services for businesses and homeowners in the Vancouver area. Find out why so many trust Crescent Moving to care for their most valuable assets. Contact us for a FREE, no-obligation moving quote.

A move across town might seem like a major undertaking, especially with everything going on in the world. But what if you’re planning to move long-distance to another province all the way across the country? That can be incredibly intimidating, and many people don’t even know where to get started. 

Here are tips on how to overcome challenges as you move long distances in Canada:

Start Budgeting and Get a Quote — The first thing you want to do is number crunching. Determine exactly what your budget will be so you can know from the start how much you have on hand to spend. As part of this process, you’ll want to get multiple quotes from different moving companies so you can make the call as to which company to go with.

Read the Reviews — As part of the process of getting a quote, research everything you can about long-distance moving companies in your area. These are the people you’ll be trusting to carry your prized possessions, so you want to make sure they’re deserving of that trust. Look at reviews to see if there have been any major problems for other people who used them to move. 

Here are questions you should be asking a potential long-distance moving company: 

• Are they licensed and bonded? 
• Are they insured? 
• How long have they been in the moving business? 
• Do they offer extra insurance for your especially expensive items? 

All these questions need to be answered to your satisfaction before you make your decision. Also, be sure to check their standing with your local Better Business Bureau and movers’ associations to see if they are a legitimate company or a group of scammers looking to take you for a ride.

Research the New Area — Another major step you need to take is to learn as much as you can about your new home. Many of us take for granted knowing neighbourhoods, stores, and other essentials in our hometown because we’ve always had it around us. 

When you move, you need to know simple things such as: Where’s the closest grocery store? What are the best restaurants/cafes? Who should you choose as your new personal doctor? Is there a public transportation system in the area or are you going to need to keep your car? Make as many of these decisions as possible and learn as much as you can about your new area.

Transfer Your Documents and Services — Once you’ve set up your move and are ready, transfer your documentation and services. Be sure to update your new address with your bank and creditors. 

Also, schedule time to get a new driver’s license/ID card with your new address. Finally, make sure once you have chosen a new doctor’s office to set up an initial appointment and have all of your current prescriptions transferred to a local pharmacy so you don’t run out.

Planning Ahead Will Save You Trouble When Moving Long Distance in Canada

When you’re planning any kind of a move, you should plan ahead and do your research. But if you’re doing a long-distance move, these are so much more important. Taking the time to plan and compare moving companies will protect your belongings before your next long move.

Use Experienced, Professional Movers Who Know Your Area

Crescent Moving & Storage has been in business for over 40 years providing reliable, timely, and safe moving services for businesses and homeowners in the Vancouver area. Rain or shine, we’re there for you! Find out why so many trust Crescent Moving to care for their most valuable assets. Contact us for a FREE, no-obligation moving quote.

If you’re like us, you probably couldn’t be happier to say good bye to 2021! This year, we’ve been busy providing you with tips and our best advice based on over forty years’ experience to help you navigate problems during a move, especially during a pandemic. 

In case you haven’t seen all of them, we’d like to give you a run-down of our top blogs. We work hard to ensure you have as much information as you want so you can make the most educated decisions when it comes to your move within Canada.

Here’s the best of Crescent Mover’s blog in 2021:

Moving Tips

• Complete Moving Checklist  – If you’re looking to move in the New Year, this blog is the place to start. It provides you with a handy rundown of each step and includes an easy checklist to get you organized and started.
  
• What to Look for in a Moving Company – One of the biggest decisions you’ll make (aside from where to live) is what company to trust with your belongings. Too often, people choose the first one they see or the one with the best reviews. But here are a few things to look for in addition to those basics.
  
• What to Ask a Moving Company — Another important part of your decision should be made based on talking to the moving company to find out key information. Of course, if you’ve never done this before, you might not be sure exactly what to ask them. This blog will give you a list of some of the common questions that you need answers to.
  
• Combining Households When Moving – If you’re moving in with a new spouse or significant other, then it can be tough to know how to combine your two households. This post will give you tips on how to make sure the combination is easy so you can start your new life together on the right footing.
  
• Preparing Small Children for a New Home — For small kids, a move to a new home can be an adventure, but it can also be traumatic. Here are great ideas on how to get them ready for the new home.
  
• Moving with a Roommate — Here’s another specialized set of tips for those of you who might be planning on moving in with a roommate (or moving out on your own). College students may find this blog especially helpful.
  
• Across Town Moving Checklist — This is a checklist for those who are planning just a short-range move across town (as opposed to a new town or part of the country).  Don’t forget anything when using this list!
  
• Speedy Packing — If you’re a procrastinator and you wait until the last minute to do your packing, then you’ll need some help getting everything ready. Be sure to read this blog for tips on how to pack quickly and keep everything protected.
  
• Moving During the Holidays — Moving during the holidays can be insane. But it doesn’t have to be. This blog will help you with the special problems of moving during the most wonderful time of the year

“How To” Guides

• Guide for Seniors Downsizing After Retirement — If you’re a senior citizen looking to move into a smaller home, then this guide is for you. It will give you tips on what to do with all the stuff you’ve accumulated over the years and how to move safely and efficiently.
  
• Guide to What Your Movers Want You to Know — Professional movers are just like any other company in that they have their own guidelines that they work by. It’s their job to know what you need. But this guide will help you understand exactly what they can (and can’t) do and how you can help make their job easier (and keep your bill down in the process).
  
• How to Prepare and Pack Your Outdoor Furniture — Not all furniture is the same. If you have a lot of patio furniture or accessories, this guide will help you with the particulars of how to get this ready for moving day.
  
• How to Spot Red Flags When Considering Moving Companies — Not all moving companies are the same either. And the problem here is that there are some companies that will try to scam you out of your money. Here is a list of what to look for to prevent being cheated.
  
• How to Estimate Your Moving Costs — One of the biggest questions we get is how much it will cost to move. This guide will explain how you can estimate your moving expenses so that you can budget better.
  
• Guide to Moving to a New Province — In Canada, moving from one province to another brings its own set of headaches. Here are tips on how to make this move easier and make sure that all the governmental agencies are updated about the change.
  
• Guide to Creating a Floorplan for Your New Move — This is a great tool for setting up your new home. That is a floor plan. Here are tips for creating a floor plan that your movers can use to get you set up efficiently in your new home.

Educational

• Moving Terms and Abbreviations You Should Know — Every business has its own lingo and moving is no exception. Here’s a list of the most common moving terms and abbreviations that will help alleviate confusion.
  
• Moving Services You Might Not Know You Need — Many times, customers don’t even know what services movers actually offer. Here’s a rundown of things your moving company can do for you that you may not even realize.
  
• What Makes Movers Great — Still not sure what movers to hire? Here’s some advice from a company with 40 years of moving experience.
  
• Steps to Prepare for a Move in 2022 — Finally, as we bring in the new year, here are important steps to take to get ready for your next big move.

If you’re planning your next move, then we’ve got you covered. Check out these informational blogs to learn everything you need to get moved in safely and easily.

Use Experienced, Professional Movers Who Know Your Area
Crescent Moving & Storage has been in business for over 40 years providing reliable, timely, and safe moving services for businesses and homeowners in the Vancouver area. Rain or shine, we’re there for you! Find out why so many trust Crescent Moving to care for their most valuable assets. Contact us for a FREE, no-obligation moving quote.

One of the hardest parts of life is watching your parents get older and less able to care for themselves. As the years go on, we are made to watch those vibrant people from our childhood and youth lose their health and relocate either to a smaller home or an assisted living facility. 

The move itself can also be problematic and stressful, just as a regular move can be. But this time, it’s compounded by having to navigate your parents’ emotional state as they must leave the home they’ve probably lived in for years. 

Here are tips for how to help your elderly parents move into their new home:

1-Downsize carefully — One of the toughest aspects of the move for your parents will be trying to downsize their home. Most seniors have kept their home “just so” for years and are emotionally attached to the things they see each day. 

Many also keep mementos of the past and of their loved ones. But it may not be practical to get rid of everything just as it may not be practical to take it all to the new home. 

So, give yourself plenty of time to sit with your parents and reflect on each item deciding what to keep and what to do away with. Also, consider getting a storage unit so that your parents don’t have to feel like they are throwing all their cherished belongings away.

2-Hire a team of professional movers — Another thing that will go a long way to easing the move is hiring a team of professional movers. Obviously, your parents may not be able to handle moving any of the boxes or belongings that are going to their new home. But, it’s also important that they trust whoever is moving them. Hire experienced professional movers with an inscrutable reputation that can be trusted to move the belongings without breaking or scuffing them.

3-Handle the medical side before the move — Obviously, health and medical concerns are of utmost importance with your elderly parents. Before they move, you need to help make sure that their health needs have been cared for. 

To that end, make sure that you have updated their new address with their insurance company and all their doctors. Have their prescriptions updated to go to a pharmacy closer to the new home? 

You may also want to see if you can have these filled so that they don’t have to worry about refills during the move itself. Give them some time to get acclimated to their new home without worrying about tasks like that. Also, make sure you have found them a new doctor in their area (especially if they are changing cities)

4-Make the new house feel like home — The best thing you can do is make this transition a smooth one. Your parents may be going into their first new home in decades. If possible, don’t let them move in until you have had time to set everything up. 

Plan out where they want things to go and then have the movers place these exactly as they wish. When they move in, have personal pictures and mementos placed around the home to remind them as much as possible of the old home. Also, as you set up furniture, make sure the locations are safe with plenty of wide spaces to prevent trips and falls.

Helping Your Parents Move Can Make All the Difference

If your elderly parents are preparing to move, then it’s essential that you help them get ready for this. Preparation means a lot more than just packing up the boxes. It also goes toward preparing them emotionally for the changes they will experience.

You’ve found the moving company with over 40 years of experience, BBB-accredited and certified in Canada!

Crescent Moving & Storage has been in business for many years providing reliable, timely, and safe moving services for businesses and homeowners in the Vancouver area. Find out why so many trust Crescent Moving to care for their most valuable assets. Contact us for a FREE, no-obligation moving quote.

Moving a home is a challenge whether you’ve been living it for a year or a decade. And it goes without saying that moving during 2020 and 2021 presented special problems and considerations that no one saw coming. COVID-19 certainly changed a lot of the “normal” practices for moving and other industries. 

While there are still COVID precautions that need to be taken, there are other things to keep in mind when planning any type of a move, regardless of the date. 

Here are steps, along with our best tips, to get you ready for a move in 2022:

Use your apps — It’s 2022, so be sure to take advantage of all the technology that you can. Be sure to ask if your realtor/real estate agent can offer online tours of the property. This is great if you’re moving long distance and it’s not practical to visit in-person or if you’re concerned about touring in-person because of COVID. 

Also, take advantage of any apps that help you track your boxes so that you can keep a digital list of all your packed items, making it easier to find items later.

Research your options — Speaking of the Internet and technology, now is the best time to start looking at researching your moving company. Look online to check out if a potential moving company has this list of red flags that might show you that a company isn’t the one for you. 

Also, make sure to read reviews closely to find the best movers in your area. Finally, be sure to ask your potential moving companies what precautions they are taking with regards to sanitation and COVID prevention.

Create your budget — Next, you need to figure out exactly how much money you can afford on the move and budget accordingly. A big part of this is to find out the best times to move. 

It’s generally cheaper if you move during the winter and during the week as opposed to the weekend. You can also check out more tips on how to properly budget for your move from one of our previous blogs titled How To Estimate Your Moving Costs.

Make your checklist — Another very important thing to do is to create a checklist for each step along the way. This would include supplies you need to buy, how to best pack your boxes, how to label everything so you can find it easier later, and what you need to do to get your utilities switched over. Make sure to include cleaning both your old home before you turn in the keys and your new home before you get everything set up where you want it.

Sit back and let the pros handle everything — One of the things we’ve found over the years is how awkward some people are having others come in to move them. Many customers aren’t sure what they should be doing while the movers are packing their items. 

The reality is that the pros are here to take care of your move. Just give them room to move  and be ready to answer questions as they may occur. Basically, you can just sit back and let your movers handle everything.

Use The Tips to Prepare for a Smooth Move in 2022

If you’re planning to move during the coming year, it’s important (as always) that you do your homework and prepare before you pack up. There’s been a lot of chaos in the world, so in 2022 you can put order into your own personal environment and create an organized moving experience.

Easily Move Without Worry or Stress. Hire Experienced Movers That Care.

Crescent Moving & Storage has been in business for over 40 years providing reliable, timely, and safe moving services for businesses and homeowners in the Vancouver area. Find out why so many trust Crescent Moving to care for their most valuable assets. Contact us for a FREE, no-obligation moving quote.

A question that has come up recently is if floorplans are a good idea for preparing to move. Let’s look at how to use this tool to your advantage.

Creating a floorplan for your move can be an important step in the process. After all, when you’re moving into a new home, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by how much work there is ahead of you. Understanding what needs to happen and where everything goes will keep things organized and running smoothly on move-in day. 

By knowing exactly where each piece of furniture belongs, you won’t have to worry about putting something away in the wrong place or having a bunch of empty boxes left over after your big day. That being said, creating a floor plan doesn’t need to take up too much time or effort if you know what steps are necessary from the beginning! 

What advantages can floorplans provide during a move? 

First, let’s talk about what a floorplan is and how it can help you. A floorplan is a map of your new home’s rooms which allows you to map out where each piece of furniture should be placed. 

Completing one of these early on can be a huge help. As your professional movers are bringing in your furniture, you can give them a detailed description of where you want the furniture placed. Too often, clients vaguely say “Put it over there and we’ll move it later.” 

But then, when it comes time to set up your room, you must break your back moving the furniture across the room. Having a plan upfront can make moving in go smoother and easier because you can have your movers place the furniture exactly where it needs to go.

How can you make a floorplan? 

In the past, floorplans were created using graph paper, a ruler, and a pencil. But now, technology has made this process even easier. These apps allow you to create an accurate map of your room with proper dimensions so that you can lay out exactly where everything should go. 

Three of our favorite floorplan apps include:

• Amikasa 3D Room Designer
• RoomScan Pro 
• magicplan 

Any of these can give you a quick (and highly accurate) floorplan you can use to plan your room’s layout.

More tips and tricks for creating a floorplan for your move

One of the biggest things you need to do is ensure you have accurate measurements for every aspect of your floorplan. If you plan to place a couch along one wall, make sure you measure not only the wall but also the couch itself. 

Use these measurements to put together your room like a set of building blocks. But you should also be willing to change things up on the fly if you realize something doesn’t look right once you place it. 

Look for other aspects other than space. For instance, if you plan to place a big screen TV along one wall, you’ll certainly need to know the dimensions. But, you will also need to know if there is a window along any of the other walls that may let in light that will cast a glare on the TV. This can be fixed with blinds or curtains, but it is something you need to take into consideration. Also, don’t feel that you have to use the same furniture set-up in your new home as you had at the old house. Some pieces may work better in a different room. Have the flexibility to look at all your options.

Including a floorplan as part of your move prep is worth your time

A floorplan of your new home is a great way to plan out your house’s floorplan and where you plan on putting everything. It can also save you a lot of time and energy. There’s already so much to do during a move, you will thank yourself for planning ahead and saving yourself another hassle.

Easily Move Without Worry or Stress. Hire Experienced Movers That Care.

Crescent Moving & Storage has been in business for over 40 years providing reliable, timely, and safe moving services for businesses and homeowners in the Vancouver area. Find out why so many trust Crescent Moving to care for their most valuable assets. Contact us for a FREE, no-obligation moving quote.