Moving Tips

Over the past few years, there has been a surge in the collectibles market as people have come to realize that collecting different items of memorabilia can be a fun experience for anyone. Be it sports enthusiasts who collect baseball cards or football jerseys or movie fans who collect original posters or props, some of these people have collections that are valued in the thousands of dollars (or more)!

But, when you go to move from one home to another, packing up and transporting these collectibles can be a daunting task. How do you move them without potentially damaging them and ruining their value?
Here are tips to help you with moving your valuable collectibles:

Hire a professional moving company — One of the easiest ways to move your collectibles safely is to hire a professional moving company. Movers have the know-how and the equipment to make sure your items are moved safely.

For instance, they have special moving boxes and packaging that can ensure your items are not dented or damaged. They can also store the items in a climate-controlled environment if they need to be held until you move in.

Most importantly, if you choose a professional moving company, then your items will be insured so you can receive compensation if they are accidentally damaged. (If you move them on your own and damage them, then you’re just out of luck.)

Get the right equipment — If you decide to move your collectibles yourself, you’re going to need to buy extra supplies for the packing. First, invest in lots and lots of bubble-wrap. This is important not just for breakables such as vintage figurines and dolls, but also to protect the boxes that some of your items come in. (As any collector of geeky toys will tell you, it’s not as valuable if it isn’t still in the box.)

If you have items that are hollow inside, such as vases or cups, make sure you fill them up with foam packing peanuts to protect them inside and out. But you also should invest in acid-free packing paper. This will prevent other colors from bleeding into your packaging as well as prevent heat from distorting the coloring of the items and their boxes.

Get strong boxes and label them appropriately — Some collectibles are heavy and need to be placed in reinforced boxes that won’t break. Nothing could be worse than moving your fragile items and have the bottom of the box rip and everything crash to the floor. Label the items if they’re fragile and include a list of what is inside so you can find them easily.

Other considerations — Some items do not travel well and may need special packing containers. This is true for vintage posters, for instance, that will lose their value if they are creased. To that end, pack items like posters in specially designed mailing tubes which keep them neat and crisp. Collectible baseball cards, stamps, or currency should be kept in albums to prevent them from being lost or damaged.

Investing in Your Collection Gives You More Than Peace of Mind

When it comes to moving, you want to make sure that all your belongings make it to your new home safely. But this is especially true of collectibles. If you have invested time and money into putting together a collection, then professional movers are your best bet to protect them. Barring that, there are specific things you need to do to keep them safe.

Easily Move Your Collectibles Without Worry or Stress. Hire Experienced Movers.

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.

As you prepare to move into a new home, there are a lot of things that have to be taken care of. You’ve got your furniture and valuables being moved by professional movers, so that’s not something you have to worry about.
But what about repairs and rooms that have to be made ready for your new home? There’s a lot of tasks that ideally need to be taken care of before you officially move in.

Here’s a rundown of the maintenance you need to do before the movers arrive and you start to unpack your new home:

1. Start with a list — Before you do anything, you need to walk through your new home and make observations about all the repairs and maintenance you want to take care of as soon as possible. It’s important to take note of things now before your belongings and boxes clutter everything and you don’t have time to think about maintenance.

2. Familiarize yourself with the utilities — You should not only schedule a time to turn on the utilities, but you also need to familiarize yourself with the systems. Check out the electrical panel and make sure you have all of the circuit breakers properly labeled so you know which shuts off each circuit. Also, locate your main water valve shutoff so that you can find this quickly in case of an emergency.

3. Take care of safety — Safety is a huge concern for any homeowner. Start off on the right foot by installing brand new smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Buy a home fire extinguisher for the kitchen (and another for the garage if you’ve got one). Make sure that all your windows are properly secured and determine the best route to get out in the event of an emergency. This is also a good time to install a high-tech doorbell such as Ring that can provide you with a security camera on your front doorstep.

4. Check your air quality — Once you have these first pieces in place, you need to make sure that your air quality is off to a good start in your new home. Replace air filters with new filters and make sure the tubing you plan to set up to your clothes dryer is clean and clear. This is also a good time to clean your air conditioner condensers and evaporators. (Make sure your power is off first before you wash it down and then brush it out.)

5. Clean your floors — While you don’t have any furniture in place, clean all of your floors. If you have hardwood floors, rent a buffer so you can buff and refinish the wood. If you have carpets, rent a steam cleaner and give it a good going over. That way you can start your time in the new home with pristine floors.

6. Polish the wood — If you have large wood features such as a mantelpiece, this is a good time to use mineral spirits to clean the wood. Polish it to get rid of any built-up grime.

7. Check your electrical outlets — Now is also a good time to use a receptacle outlet checker to make sure that you have working outlets. Also, don’t forget to replace all of your light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs that will last you for quite a while.

Take the Worry Out of Moving by Hiring Professional Movers and Preparing Your New Home

When you move into a house, there are naturally going to be a lot of things on your “to do” list. But if you don’t have to worry about the hassle of packing and moving thanks to professional movers, this will give you a good opportunity to get your house in order before you move in.

For More Help with Your Move

For more tips that will help you move , contact BBB-accredited Crescent Moving and Storage. By filling out a form on our website, we can give you a virtual moving quote. Moving consultations can be done over the phone or through an online video conferencing program. This limits the face-to-face contact between our staff and your family. We can provide an accurate and no-obligation estimate without coming to your house.

When it comes to moving days, we all hope for the best weather. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out that way. And with a heavy rainy season in locations like Vancouver, it often isn’t practical to reschedule your move with professional movers. With that in mind, here are helpful tips to make your move during bad weather the best it can be:

Prior Planning

One of the most important things you can do is to have a plan in place as well as a back-up plan in case something goes wrong. Know the general weather conditions and make general plans accordingly. Look at the advanced weather forecast to get an idea of what it will look like. Obviously, this can change, but you can still get a plan in place.

Prepare the New House

It’s not enough to get your old house and belongings ready for the move. You also want to have your new home ready, especially for inclement weather. Make sure that your power is turned on and the HVAC is working. If it’s a scorching summer, you want the air blasting and conversely you want the heater going if you are moving in the dead of winter with snow and ice. Also, stock up on a change of clothes at your new home in case you get soaked in a thunderstorm. Have floor mats down on tile floors so that people with wet shoes from the outside don’t slip as they bring in boxes. And have hot coffee or cold water ready for your professional movers. Trust us when we say it will be appreciated.

Pack Accordingly

Ultimately, it’s impossible to predict the weather 100% of the time. That’s why you should pack as if the weather could turn bad at a moment’s notice. This means using durable and tough moving products such as rugged moving boxes. These should be reinforced and not  flimsy, recycled boxes from the local grocery store dumpsters. If these older, reused boxes get wet (from a heavy thunderstorm) then you could end up with your valuables crashing through the wet and torn boxes. Also, be sure that you don’t overpack boxes. This is always a good idea, but definitely one you want if you could have to move in a downpour. Professional movers will make sure everything they’re moving is wrapped and carefully transported but you must also think about when you’re moving boxes and unpacking in your new home.

Use Garbage Bags

Another way that you can help protect your belongings during a rainstorm iis to use garbage bags. If you have delicate items that you want to protect, you can wrap them up in plastic garbage bags. If you aren’t using wardrobe boxes to hang your clothes, then you can poke your hangers through the bags and keep your clothes dry as you have them moved.

Label Appropriately

If you’re having your movers handle items like electronics during a rainstorm, make sure they are clearly labeled. Obviously, you don’t want these items getting wet and extra care can be taken to ensure that they stay safely out of the rough weather.

Create Backup Plans for Your Move and You’ll Have Nothing to Worry About

Moving days are stressful enough in the best of conditions. But if you are moving in bad weather, it can be especially rough. Planning ahead of time can alleviate a lot of the problems that may come up to make any move a smooth one.

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.

You may not realize there are items that can’t be moved by professional movers. Here’s a list to help you prepare properly for your move in Canada.

Professional movers do the hard work and heavy lifting of relocating so we don’t have to. They’ve probably saved quite a few people from losing their tempers and blowing up. Unfortunately, there are some things that even movers can’t do. Either because of laws or regulations, there are certain items that professional movers are not allowed to transport.
Before your next move, take a look at this list so you can plan to throw them out or pack them up and move them yourself:

Perishable Food (and Liquor) — File these under the heading of “check first.” Some companies will not ship food at all, while others will only ship non-perishable items. When it comes to liquor, most will not ship open containers. However, some movers will ship bottles provided they are unopened and packed properly. If you’ve got a collection of fine wine or hundred-year-old Scotch, most movers will take a pass on these items because of the insurance liability.
Chemicals or Other Hazardous Materials — Another item on the “no pack” list would be chemicals or hazardous materials. This usually comes with items like gas-powered tools. Lawnmowers, chainsaws and other such equipment should have the gasoline drained before packing them up for a move. Similarly, you can’t transport chemicals such as cleaning supplies as these may not be stable in extreme heat (like in the back of a moving van).

Pets and Plants — No matter how sweet your animals are, there is no reason that they should be placed in a moving van. These vans are great for transporting items, but they don’t have the proper ventilation and heating/air conditioning for your pets. The same goes for plants. These aren’t usually taken for smaller moves either because they can’t guarantee the plants won’t die during the move.

Crescent Movers and Storage is ready to help you move. We provide support throughout your move. With over forty years of experience, we can ensure moving your belongings is one less thing to worry about.

Ready to find a BBB-accredited and certified moving company in Canada?
Contact us today for a virtual moving quote. As part of our new moving guidelines, we are offering optional virtual moving quotes in order to keep our customers and staff safe. Moving consultations can be done over the phone or through an online video conferencing program. This limits the face-to-face contact between our staff and your family. If you’re looking for a quote on moving costs, you can fill out the form on our website. We can provide an accurate and no-obligation estimate without coming to your house

The first step to Importing a vehicle to Canada is to check if your car is admissible into Canada. You need to make sure that the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) and Transport Canada has deemed your car allowable to import.

Registrar of Imported Vehicles: https://www.riv.ca/

Many cars can be imported  “as is,” while some will need metric odometers installed and daytime running lights added. There is a comprehensive list of what you can and cannot bring over the border.

Please note that there is no mention on that list of any cars older than 15 years That’s because all cars 15 years old or older are completely exempt from these rules. So if you have a classic car to import, don’t worry about the list.

You still need to fill out the forms, though.

On the website, go to “Online Portal” and then “Create an E-Form”

https://www.riv.ca/OnlineForms/Home/Landing

Register with them. That way, they will email you the completed import form.

Create a New Form.

NOTE: You will need lots of information about the car: Milage etc. Take a photo of that sticker that is inside the driver’s door. The form will ask for information that can be found on it as well.

When they email you the form hold on to it and show it to the Canadian border people.

Step 2: Check the title

The title is the single most important document when importing a car. A title proves ownership of the car. Without a title, in the eyes of the law, you don’t own the car you’re importing. The car must have a clear title to import. You cannot import a vehicle that you are making payments on.

Step 3: Check for Recalls

Check to see if there are any recalls on your vehicle.  Go to https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/ and you can check by VIN number.

You can print (or screenshot) the results.  Just hold on to it with the paperwork from RIV. 

Step 4: Getting an ITN

You must have an ITN to export a car and there are two ways to get one: Be a professional, licensed importer, or pay one. (It is much, much easier to pay one)

I recommend Simplified Trade Solutions:  https://simplifiedtradesolutions.com/

Just fill out the form on their website and they will email you a ITN number within a day or so. Pay by credit card when you get the form.

They have extensive information and instructions on their website for each of the border crossings.

They also have hours and email addresses for each.  (Just because the border crossing is open 24/7 doesn’t mean the export office is)

You must decide in advance which border crossing you will use and the approximate date.

They also have a link on their site for the Vehicle Export Cover Sheet.  There is a field on this worksheet for the ITN number.

Step 5: The 72-hour export rule

Before you can import into Canada you have to export it from the U.S. You must email the paperwork to the exact U.S. border crossing you will be using at least 72 hours before you show up with a car to be exported You will need to send them at least the following:

• A digital scan of the front and back of the title
• A completed Vehicle Export Worksheet

(Certain border crossings require additional paperwork.  Again, that information is on the Simplified Trade Solutions website)

They will reply by email if they need anything further or if you are approved and ready to go.

Step 6: The export

If you’ve already sent your paperwork ahead at least 72 hours in advance, you have a clean title in hand and the Vehicle Export Worksheet, then you are ready to export. Be sure to have the original hard copy of your title with you. Once you start this process, you cannot stop it.  You must export and import to Canada

Step 7: Import and tax

Upon driving through the Canadian customs gate, inform them that you are importing a car and they’ll direct you to an easy-to-find spot where you can park and then head inside to pay taxes. How much tax? If the car is newer than 15 years you will pay GST (and HST, depending on your province of entry) for the full amount of the vehicle as listed in the bill of sale. Customs will always fuss over the amount. Bring anything you can use to prove that you paid what you paid. Once the car is legally into the country, you have 90 days to actually go to a registry where you can register and plate the car.

If you’ve moved more than once, you’re probably thinking, “How do the pros move?”. It would seem there has to be a secret formula to moving as so many do it easily and without incident.

The pros, as it turns out, actually do have tips that can make moving slightly less stressful, but even they acknowledge that going from one place to another and creating a whole new “home” experience is intense.
Did you get caught up in the Marie Kondo Netflix special for organizing your home? Well, Netflix has done it again by adding The Home Edit with expert home organizers Clea and Joanna. These ladies take celebrities and Regular Joe’s through organizing their homes.In one episode, Joanna mentions how important it is to unpack right away after moving. This is, of course, after having performed your edit. “Edit” means that you go through all your belongings to decide if you’re going o donate, throw out or keep the item.
Here’s 6 moving tips the pros use:

Start With Your Edit – The first step the ladies recommend is the aforementioned “Edit.” Go through each room and open up everything—all the closets, cabinets, drawers, and storage areas. Look at the items and determine if you still use it or if you even like it. If not, decide if you want it because of sentimental reasons. If an item doesn’t meet any of these criteria, then you need to get rid of it. This means, you should either trash it, donate it, or put it into a yard sale. But it also means that you will have MUCH less to pack.

Next, Pre-Organize – The next step in getting ready for a move is something that Clea and Joanna call the “Pre-Organize.” Before you begin to pack, organize your items that you plan on packing into specific areas. For instance, put all your cleaning supplies into clear plastic bins that are clearly labeled. Remove everything from your drawers and use inserts into them to help stack and organize the items as you put them back in. When it comes to clothes, put them on hangers neatly so that they are hanging correctly. All of this will make it easier to organize your items as you move.

Prepare An Away Space – One of the big suggestions the ladies of The Home Edit make when setting up your new home is to set up an “away” system for your work. So many of us are working from home today and it feels like we never get off the clock. When you’re planning out your new home, you need to plan an area for your work that you can put away when you are done. This can be a roll-top desk that you simply close up when you are done or a portable computer cart that you can roll into a closet when finished. But regardless of how you set it up, you need something that you can close off to keep you from working all the time.

Pack Your Old Home – Now that you have your planning done, it’s time to start packing up the old house. Pack each room separately. You might be tempted to mix items up in boxes trying to fill the boxes up. Don’t do it! Instead, keep all your bedroom items in one set of boxes, all of your kitchen items in another set, and so on.

Also, as you pack them, label the boxes “Kitchen _____ of _____.” Then, when you have the entire room packed, fill in the blanks with the total number of boxes you packed for that room. This way, you can make sure that you get all the boxes in the right room before you start to unpack. You can even number them according to the most important items first that you need to unpack ASAP.

Unpack Quickly! – When you move into your new home, the first thing you want to do is unpack as quickly as possible. This is not the time to organize—that comes next. For now, you just want to get the boxes emptied out and then try to organize everything afterwards.

Now You’re Ready To Organize – And, of course, that means you should now start organizing your new home. Clea and Joanna suggest starting with small goals. For instance, just focus on organizing one drawer or shelf at a time. Go to the store and buy whatever you need to organize that one item. If you aren’t sure what will work best, they also suggest buying a couple of different bins or organizing inserts so that you can get the best fit. If one of them doesn’t work, you can always return it or try it out on another organizing project.

Move It Like the Pros Do
When people move, it can be very frustrating to find that your new home is just as cluttered and disorganized as your old one. By following these steps, you can clear the clutter, move easier, and then get reorganized once you make the big move.
How Can Your Local Canadian Move Go Even Easier? Hire the Best!
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.

It seems that you never really know just how much “stuff” you own until you try to pack it all up for a move to a new home. And this is especially true when it comes to clothes. 

When you stare at your closet or your chest of drawers, it can sometimes be daunting to think about where to even begin with the task of packing them. But the good news is that there is a system you can use to make the process a little easier. 

Here are 6 tips to pack up your clothes neatly and efficiently for your move:

 

Don’t move them all — The first thing you need to do is realize that you shouldn’t move all of your clothes. Start out the process by clearing out anything that you don’t really want to keep. If it’s outdated, no longer fits or you haven’t worn it in forever, then donate it.

Make sure they are clean — Once you know what you are going to pack, you should make sure to wash everything before you pack it up. If you’ve had clothes in storage for a while, they may smell musty and packing them up with the rest of your clothes may make the others smell as well. So, starting off fresh and clean is a great idea.

Don’t empty the drawers — Now that you’ve got everything nice and clean, place it back into their drawers and leave them there. It is easier to move them if you just leave them in the drawers and cover them with cling wrap. Then, you can move your clothes without having to pack them into boxes and then unpack them when you get to your new home.

Get wardrobe boxes — If you’ve never seen these little items, they are GREAT. A wardrobe box is a cardboard moving box that is generally around three feet tall. At the top of the box is a rod that you use to hang your clothes. All you have to do is take the clothes (with hangers) out of your closet and hang them on the rod. You don’t have to take them off the hanger, fold them or pack them. Just hang them up, seal the box, and then take them with you.

Grab a suitcase — Your suitcases will have to go with you to your new home and there is no reason why they should go empty. Another great way to move your clothes is to pack them into your suitcase like you are going on a trip, then simply load them up instead of having to use more boxes.

Let your clothes work for you — Consider using your clothes as packing material. Your old t-shirts and fluffy comfy sweaters can make for great packing material to protect your breakables. Simply take something like a mirror or vase and wrap them in your clothing and you can take your clothes with you and not have to spend as much on packing materials.

Use the Clothes Packing Method That Best Suits You

There is no single best way to pack your clothes for a new move. But if you do some (or all) of these items, you can be sure to make the process a lot easier. Definitely consider investing in wardrobe boxes and moving cling wrap and whatever you do, don’t just throw your clothes into trash bags that will rip and tear as soon as you move. 

For More Help with Your Canadian Move

For more tips that will help you move locations in Canada, contact BBB-accredited Crescent Moving and Storage. By filling out a form on our website, we can give you a virtual moving quote. Moving consultations can be done over the phone or through an online video conferencing program. This limits the face-to-face contact between our staff and your family. We can provide an accurate and no-obligation estimate without coming to your house.