The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Pae THE HILLS November UN Preparing for a move requires effective planning article Is provided by local Realtors and the Ontario Real Estate Association ORE A for the benefit of consumers In the real estate market Preparing for a move Is not easy Whether youre relocating to a house down the street across town or to another city moving is a major undertaking which requires planning and organization One of the major stumbling blocks to a smooth move is procrastination If youre like a lot of people you dont like to pack too much too far in advance In case you might still need to use certain items before you tualty move Although it s frustrating to have to look through boxes to find items you packed in advance it even more frustrating to run around at the last minute frantically pitching things into boxes and bags just as your moving truck pulls into your driveway WHERE TO START Start preparing as soon as moving date is confirmed Make ad vance appointments for the final reading of your gas meter and other utilities And don t forget to make arrangements for the utilities at your new home to be hooked up prior to your arrival You should also tr to book a ing van or truck as boon as possible Keep in mind that long summer weekends are generalh the most popular times of the to move and it ma be difficult to book a mover on short notice In an effort to save monej manv people are opting to handle their moves themselves renting trucks depending on the number of possessions thev have and the distance involved If choose this route make sure that you or someone in familv knows how to operate a truck isome come with automatic and read over the rental agreement v to make sure you are insured If jou plan to hire a moving com pan to do the job shop around and compare rates Some moving com panics offer innov at packages You should also send out change of address cards before jour move and make arrangements with the post of fice to have your mail redirected to your new home starting on moving date If re moving out of town make sure you have children s school transcripts transferred Take some time to think about all the things you II have to pack It s helpful to make an inventory of all the major items I be taking with you so have a good idea of what your moving requirements are Try to estimate how boxes you need and go to local supermarket and ask for discarded boxes Try to get an assortment of different sizes You also be able to purchase boxes from stationary stores and truck rental firms If you have a typical three bedroom house you will require between and boxes Once you have obtained enough containers to get you started it time to get to work The task may seem overwhelming at first but you should try to spend at least one hour a day sorting and packing your belongings You 11 be amazed at how quickly you make progress This type of regimen will also help you weed out items that you want to get nd of well in advance of your actual moving date Make sure jou don t throw out items that you think someone else might be able to use Ask friends or relatives if they have any use for your old couch easy chair or clothing or donate them to a charitable organization You may also want to hold a garage sale PRIORITIZE Try to prioritize your packing so that you pack items first that you know you wont need until well after the move Clothing is a prime exam pie If youre moving in the fall or winter pack up your spring and summer clothing first In addition to using boxes and storage bags try to use your luggage to pack clothing as well There no sense in moving empty suitcases Its also a good idea to pack a suit case for each member with about one weeks worth of seasonal clothes This wit give access to clothing during the first fewdas following the move It s best to try and pack items from the same room together keep ing kitchen utensils in the same boxes and bedroom items in similar boxes Label each box as soon as vou re finished You can also go one step further and list of the items in each box such as a toaster or kettle so can locate them once reach new home to be innovative in jour pack ing and use household items as pack ing insulation where possible Large fragile or odd shaped items like lamps can be wrapped in dishtowels or towels to protect them verv fine breakables should be wrapped and placed in marked boxes even want to move these items car to make sure they receiv e a minimum amount of jostling during the move And make sure all breakable items are packed in boxes marked fragile Newspaper can also be used as packing insulation But make sure vou don use it on items that can become marked bv newsprint such as cotton lamp shades Some people prefer to bu large quantities of tissue paper to wrap their figurines and fine crvstal Bubble wrap is also a popular packing material and want to check vour local packaging sup pliers or jour truck rental to see if can buy some It also a good idea to make a list of items w hich should be packed and last like lions also want to make up a box of basic items needed for in such as cleaning supplies screw drivers drills a hammer flashlight light bulbs items and fuses Important papers like insurance policies passports tax receipts medical and financial papers should be kept separate You might want to transport these documents separate ly in your briefcase or a portable Hie folder That way they wont get misplaced LOADING If you are handling your own move load the heaviest items first like your fridge stove washer dryer and freezer Mattresses cart be placed along he sides of the truck Make sure you stack boxes in side the truck according to their weight Dont put heavy boxes of books on top of your breakables Moving experts recommend limiting book box weight to about 30 pounds Also try to fully utilize all the space in the truck Stack chairs and cover wooden furniture with old sheets or request special furniture pads from the truck rental company Pack things in the drawers of your Contracts important One of the major reasons for disputes over renovation work is the lack of a contract The best way to avoid this is to draw up an agree ment describing the work to be done and what it will cost to do it This contract becomes a legal document binding both parties once they have signed it According to a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation publication How to Hire a Contrac tor the contract should include Names and addresses of the buyer and the seller the con tractor Make sure the firm you have been dealing with is the one named on the contract A detailed description with sket of the work to be done and the materials to be used including all work being subcontract red such as plumbing and wiring This is an area where many misunderstandings oc cur It is extremely important to list all job specifications Agreement on who is responsible for obtaining all necessary draw ings job permits etc of the contractor for removing debris as soon a renovations are completed A statement of the contractors public liability and property damage insurance Firm starting and completion dales Price and terms of payment SAVE ON ALL HOME IMPROVEMENTS Kitchens Residential Renovations Commercial Renovations Additions Bathrooms Rec Rooms Family Rooms WindowsSidings SAVE SAVE SAVE CALL NOW j 85334oi Licenced Insured FREE Estimates You can also- pack items in your freezer or washing machine Pictures and mirrors should be carefully wrapped and placed firmly along the sides of the truck or bet ween mattresses to minimize pact When loading furniture make sure you cover your couch easy chairs and mattresses with old sheets so they won get dirty during the move Before leaving your old home make a final inspection tour to make sure you haven forgotten anything Turn off all the lights and close and lock all windows and doors If youre moving from a rental property leave your keys with your landlord If you re moving from your own home leave your keys with your lawyer Closet Carousel PUTTING MOVES ON HOME STORAGE Enter the world of moveable age and do the store more to lets pace Use of The Closet Car ousel allows you to bang front back and outoftheway ends in long narrow or team up with builtin shelving and drawer to turn walkin Into paragons of space efficiency Canada TrustRealtor Canada True Company REDUCED REDUCED A BARGAIN AT 199900 GRACIOUS SPACIOUS DETACHEDI Space and in this charming A bedroom home located slept from downtown Acton on a GO BUS Formal centre hall plan with a bright country kitchen Walkout from off the kitchen to a deck patio and huge yardl Great Income property Three separate entrances a triplex con easily back I Call Mama