Have you found a retirement home that suits you and have you just signed the lease? Congratulations, a big step has been taken! Now, on to the concrete things: the move. To plan your move in the best conditions, here is a guide to preparing for a move to a residence.
Preparing for your move in 5 steps
First of all, moving an elderly person into a residence represents an important and sometimes sensitive step. It marks a big life change that requires some adaptation. The sooner you prepare, the smoother you will experience this transition.
Beforehand, here are several questions to ask yourself:
- What is the total area of my new place of residence?
- How many storage spaces are available?
- What help do I need to ensure my move?
- What is my moving budget?
Here are some tips to answer all these questions and plan for a hassle-free move.
1. Sort through your belongings
Going to residency often means moving to a more restricted living space. This is therefore an opportunity to clean up your belongings and choose which furniture, appliances, objects, decorations and clothes will go with you.
To prepare for your move into residence, we recommend keeping the essentials. It's a process that can be emotional, take the time to do it. Also invite your family and friends: they will support you and can be the happy heirs of the things you part with.
When sorting, consider the total square footage, appliances, furniture, and equipment planned for your new home.
For anything that's too much, think about how you want to get rid of it:
- Gifts to loved ones: children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces... Anyone who will keep your legacy and family heritage alive.
- Selling online: Kijiji, Marketplace… There are many platforms to sell your items online. Get help from your loved ones to facilitate the sale.
- Garage sale: according to the dates provided by your municipality , organize a garage sale to offer your surplus furniture and objects. This will surely make people happy, and you will be relieved!
- Donations to community organizations: Salvation Army, Village des Valeurs, Entraide… Choose the local organizations that will benefit your neighbor.
2. Terminate the current lease
Are you currently a tenant? To prepare for your move, you will also need to take care of the termination of the lease in advance. Under certain conditions, you may send an expedited termination notice .
Indeed, if you move into a residence for health reasons, you have 1 to 2 months to leave your accommodation after the notice has been sent to the landlord. For more information, discover the procedures and conditions for terminating a lease for seniors .
If you are currently the owner, ask yourself if it is more interesting to sell or to keep your property.
3. Find a moving company
A move would not be possible without the arms that take care of it. Start by notifying those around you of the date of your move and gather as many people as possible to help you. The pizza will of course be there!
Also check with your residence, as some offer moving services.
Otherwise, ask those around you to get recommendations for moving services and assess your options. When contacting companies, compare quotes and what they include.
4. Plan the final elements
To make sure that the big day goes perfectly, remember to plan the key points of your move:
- Confirm the day and time of the move with the residence and the teams of movers (volunteers or professionals).
- Create a list and inventory of things to move.
- Prepare the boxes by sorting the elements so as to facilitate installation when the movers arrive.
- Write on each box the space or room where it should be placed. This will save you from moving heavy boxes or objects into your new home.
5. Make address changes
Finally, you are ready to prepare for the last stage of the move: address changes, subscription cancellations and other administrative procedures.
Consider, among other things, notifying the following companies and organizations:
- Canada Post: to send mail to the new accommodation.
- Government agencies: Revenue Quebec, Revenue Canada, Régie des Rentes du Québec, Security and Old Age Pension , RAMQ, SAAQ.
- Electricity suppliers: Hydro-Quebec or Hydro-Sherbrooke.
- Telecommunication providers: cable, internet, telephone
- Financial institutions.
Once these steps have been completed, you are ready for the big moving day! With your home installed, you can enjoy a whole new space offering a rich and stimulating life . Enjoy!
Find your new home with Bonjour Résidences
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