Category: Blog

Corporate relocations are a frequent occurrence within global companies as 80% surveyed by Atlas Canada relocated employees between countries.

Making a move for your career can be a scary adjustment; picking up everything you own and moving somewhere you’ve never been. That being said, it can also be a great opportunity and a fresh change in your life. You may be asked to relocate across town, across the country or even overseas. The distance will all depend on the needs of your particular company. When deciding on whether relocating is for you, be sure to do as much research as you can before making the decision, and use all the resources available. Here are a couple ways to discover if a corporate relocation is for you.

Use Your Connections

When preparing for a move, there are many ways you can get ready just by using what you already have around you. One of the easiest resources available to you is reaching out to your coworkers that have relocated before, for tips on how to prepare for the moving process and what to expect. Maybe someone in your workspace has worked in the location you are relocating to and knows the office culture. Another great way to use your connections is by reaching out to people outside of work that might have lived in or visited the city before. This way you can get an outside look at the social atmosphere of the location.

Explore the City

Feel free to go check out the location as looking on the internet and word of mouth can only tell you so much. Take a trip out to the city and get a real look and feel of the area. There’s no better way to know if you will suit the city other than seeing it for yourself. Also, visit the office and the expected neighbourhood you will be living in; take a look at the commute and the social atmosphere. Maybe you’re into fitness for example. Take a look at the gyms or trails in the closest proximity of your new potential home. Don’t be afraid to also try something new. Perhaps you are moving somewhere up north and you’ve never lived in a colder climate before and always wanted to try skiing. Try to look at the move as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Taking a trip out to visit is the best way for you to know if the location suits you and/or your family.

Managing all your expenses can be one of the biggest challenges when moving to a new home.

The best way to control costs and stay in budget is make a list of all your potential expenses. This will allow you to see which areas are essential to spend in and which areas you can cut down. Below are 4 surefire ways you can cut costs and save money on your move without compromising on quality.

Hire a Credible Moving Company

If you are planning to hire a mover it’s important to be extra cautious in your research to make sure you choose a credible company. When searching the internet today, there are just as many rogue movers as there are legitimate ones. Rogue movers are attracting customers by creating slick websites, offering low ball prices, setting unrealistic service expectations and then holding a shipment hostage for more money. You will end up spending way more than you bargained for to get your belongings back and quite often items will be lost or damaged. Hiring a credible moving company from the beginning will ensure your belongings are in good hands. There are steps you can take to ensure the mover you hire is a credible company. Take a look at our “How to Choose a Mover” video for more information.

Sell Old Furniture and Knickknacks

Moving is a great opportunity to go through your belongings and discard of any old, unwanted items. Instead of tossing these items, consider selling them. A garage sale is one of the easiest ways to dispose of old junk and make some money while doing it. Just like the expression goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”! If you don’t have the time for a garage sale, try selling your items online instead. There are many free, user-friendly forums where you can buy and sell directly from your computer. If you prefer to donate, a local charity is a great option for any non-perishable items. The more you donate the more money you will end up saving in moving expenses.

Do Your Own Packing

Although many movers offer professional packing and unpacking services, the additional cost may be out of your budget. A great way to save some extra money during a move is to do some or all of your own packing. Ask family and friends to lend a helping hand; it can make the process much quicker. Remember to give yourself lots of time! Rushing through the packing can result in damages to your belongings. Ask your Atlas Agent for helpful brochures and visit our Packing Tips page for some great advice.

Collect Your Own Packing Supplies

Before purchasing any boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, tape, etc. take a look around your house to see what packing supplies you have. The earlier you do this step, the more time you will have to start saving and collecting supplies. Give your local dollar store or liquor store a call to see if they have any spare boxes. Your workplace could also be a great option for extra materials. It never hurts to ask!

About one-quarter of Canada’s population are millennials; those born between the early 1980s to the early 2000s. With most of them finished or on the verge of finishing school, many are now taking a more active interest in home ownership. Already we are seeing trends in the way millennials are purchasing real estate and the location they are choosing. These young Canadians are paying close attention to the market and areas where they see growth in employment and affordable real estate. The majority of millennials are looking to purchase a home in the very near future, also taking in the investment opportunity that comes with purchasing real estate.

Purchasing

Today more millennials are expressing their confidence in purchasing a home, with the buying intentions increased by the economy, job security, and their parents. Young Canadians are saving and planning their finances for their future, especially for home buying. Millennials are watching the housing market closely with interest rates rising and the price of homes going up and down. Along with student debt on their backs, millennials are showing an interest in home buying as a top financial concern, with just over a quarter of them putting money toward this goal and saving for a down payment. On top of saving, many millennials are looking to their parents for some assistance in home buying. Most of their parents at the perfect age to start downsizing and give their kids a step up on the property ladder.

Location

Millennials are all about modernization and convenience; they are migrating to cities that are adapting to a new more modern way of living. When looking for real estate millennials are showing a trend in looking for multi-purpose rooms and unique interior designs such as ceilings. Millennials are looking at large urban centers such as Toronto and Vancouver (expected to expand into Ottawa and Montreal), for condos as they are more affordable and in their budget. These cities offer a large social atmosphere and an expanding work on public transit to make it easier to get around. In the larger cities, they also look at where job growth is happening and become more pulled to looking at real estate in these areas. If you’re looking for more information, on these large urban cities be sure to check out our City Guides page.

There is a lot going on when moving into a new home from relocating, to unpacking, to cleaning and everything in between. Now imagine having to juggle all that without lights, in the freezing cold and unable to find the paperwork for your utilities company. That’s a scary thought! To avoid these types of scenarios and make the transition a little easier on you, we’ve put together a list of 3 important tasks to complete before your move in date.

Create a Folder of Important Documents

Moving doesn’t just involve changing houses; it usually involves switching other major places as well like doctors, banks, schools, etc. Doing so requires a ton of paperwork – yuck! The best way to get ahead of all this paperwork is to start collecting and organizing it right away. Create a folder with labels and file your records accordingly. Don’t forget to make extra paper or digital copies in case something is misplaced in the hustle of the move. Some of these important documents include:

• Medical records – doctor, optometrist and dental
• Bank records
• School records
• Pet records
• Home/car insurance
• Utilities
• Moving paperwork

If possible, personally take this folder with you to your new home so that you have the information readily available should you need it.

Discontinue and Transfer Utilities

Utilities such as hydro, electrical, gas, internet, cable, phone, etc. are often forgotten about during the process of moving. Not only do you have to cancel the services at your old address, but also arrange for the reconnection at your new address. A simple address transfer may be possible if your current provider services your new neighbourhood. But most likely you will have to research new local suppliers in the area, especially if you are moving to a different city or country. Begin this process at least 3 weeks before your move in date, as notice is usually required for both discontinuing and setting up utilities. During peak moving season it can take up to 2-3 weeks for the arrangements to be made. Don’t risk moving into your new home without these essential utilities; it would be quite the challenge!

Find a New Specialist/Establishment

When it comes to important issues like your health, education and financial well-being, don’t take these matters lightly! Just like you would do your research before selecting a mover, do the same to find the best specialist/establishment for you and your family. Once you’ve found the right one, have your records transferred over to the new administration. Use your folder of important documents we discussed above to make this process quicker and easier!

Ultimately, there is a lot to think about and accomplish during the moving process.

Stress levels are high and a spare moment is hard to come by. Making sure the 3 tasks above are completed prior to your move date will make the transition much easier and less stressful.

Change the Locks

Being handed the keys to your new home is a very exciting time! However, don’t forget these keys once belonged to someone else. The previous homeowner may have given a spare key to family, friends or neighbours. The best way to feel safe and secure in your new home is to replace or rekey the old locks. Rekeying is an alternate way of changing the locks without having to fully replace them. If you want your locks to be a different colour or design, consider replacing the hardware completely.

Spring Cleaning

Take a day or two before moving in to give your house a good thorough clean from top to bottom. It is best to get this done before your belongings arrive so you aren’t stuck migrating around furniture. Start by tackling rooms that collect the most dirt such as the kitchen and bathroom. Buy new cleaning supplies like brooms, mops and sponges to get the best results.

A Fresh Coat of Paint

Don’t underestimate the power of paint! A fresh coat can change the shape, size and atmosphere of a room all at once. It is also a great budget friendly way to add personal style to a space. Generally, light, cool colours make a room feel bigger whereas dark, warm colours tend to create a small, intimate setting. Once you have selected a colour scheme to match your taste, paint away!

Feng Shui

Create a happy well balanced home through feng shui decorating. The first rule in creating a good feng shui is eliminating all signs of clutter. Next, try incorporating as much natural and layered lighting as possible to make the room feel bright and airy. Finish the look by choosing the right colour scheme to match the mood you desire. For a more advanced feng shui, try adding dimension with shapes and texture.

Change the Landscape

Does your home have enough privacy and curb appeal? Consider adding fencing, trees, bushes and flowers to create a more private setting. Commemorate the year you arrived at your new home by planting a tree!

Have a Housewarming Party

Celebrate your new home with family and friends! Throw a gathering to show off your new living quarters and all the hard work you put in to making it your own. A housewarming is also a great way to meet your neighbours and get integrated into your new community.

Meet the Neighbours

The next time you see your neighbours, don’t be shy just say hi! All it takes is one friendly face to make a new setting feel more comfortable. Find out how long your neighbours have lived in the area and what they like or don’t like about it. Do they have a favourite restaurant or local shop? Are they married with young children? Perhaps a play date for the kids or double date for the adults is in your future! Ask these types of questions and you’ll find yourself not only building new connections for your family but getting acquainted with your neighbourhood at the same time. Who knows, you might be introducing yourself to a lifelong friend or at the very least someone to collect your mail while you’re on vacation.

Find Your Local Amenities

There are many free mobile apps that will search the surrounding town and nearby cities for all the local amenities available to you. Atlas also has a number of City Guides that provide you with all the essential information about your new city. These can be great resources to help you find things like your new favourite coffee shop or local recreation center and gym. Take advantage of our partnership with Welcome Wagon, a national Canadian service company designed to help families get familiar with their new community since 1930. Welcome Wagon offers personal visits, coupons to local stores and restaurants, organized events to meet your community and many more exclusive deals and services. Visit our Bonus Offers page to learn more about Welcome Wagon and more value added programs.

Transportation Options

Figuring out a new neighbourhood is a bit like finding your way through a maze. Take a walk or drive down the nearby streets to get familiar with the names of the roads. Map out how to get to and from important places like the local hospital, work, grocery store, pharmacy, gas stations, etc. Google Maps is a great tool to help you navigate throughout your city. With real time traffic updates, directions and route options, you will find your way around in no time.

Give It Time!

It’s important to realize that adapting to a new environment doesn’t happen overnight and it could take several months before you feel fully settled. There is no need to rush through or pressure yourself to feel comfortable right away. Take the time to enjoy the process of figuring out your city and truly make it your own.

Packing up the entire contents of your home can be quite overwhelming. You might be thinking to yourself, “Where do I start?”

The best way to tackle the anxiety of such a large project is to begin as soon as possible, stay organized and remember to take on one task at a time. To help make the process easier on you, we’ve created a start-to-finish guide on how to pack like a pro.

Gather Lots of Packing Materials

Before jumping into the actual packing, it is important to gather all the packing supplies needed to keep your belongings safe and organized. Doing this ahead of time will save your from unnecessary delays or disruptions. Some of the most basic supplies include:

• Sturdy boxes in a variety of shapes and sizes
• Bubble wrap/packing paper for wrapping breakables and filling small unused spaces
• Permanent markers
• Packing tape
• Scissors
• Labels
• Plastic baggies to keep small pieces together

You will be surprised at how quickly you use these supplies so don’t forget to stock up!

Purge

Go through each room and decide which items to keep, donate and toss. Keep in mind the layout and space you have to work with in your new home. Set aside all the items you will be donating and toss the ones that no longer have any use. Look at this process as a good spring cleaning that will leave you feeling lighter!

Start Packing a Low Traffic Room

Choose a room that isn’t used often such as a storage room or attic and start boxing rarely used items like seasonal décor, etc. As a general rule of thumb, always pack the items you seldom use first such as fine china in the kitchen or decorative pieces in the living room. The last thing you want to do is unpack a box before arriving at your new home to find something! Make sure to pack as much as you can in one room before moving onto another.

Weight

Be conscious of how much weight you are putting into each box sticking to 50 lbs. max per box. Control the weight by packing heavy items into smaller boxes and always make sure the lid closes flat so the boxes can stack properly in the moving truck.

Packing Items with Small Pieces

When disassembling furniture, packing electronics, etc. there will be small bolts, cords, knobs and pieces. It is very easy to lose or misplace these pieces if they aren’t packed properly. Use a plastic bag to keep all the loose items in one place making it easier to locate during the unpacking and reassembly process. Clearly label each bag so that you aren’t guessing what it belongs to! We recommend you have a “set up” box to put all the bags and pieces in.

Pack the Essentials Last

When packing a room you use all the time, make sure to leave your must have items to the very end; clothing, towels, toiletries, tissues, paper cups and plates, medication, etc. Pack the important, everyday items in a box clearly labelled as “essentials”. This box should ideally be carried with you to your new home. If it will be transported on the moving truck, set the box aside making sure it is loaded last and therefore the first to be unloaded at your new home.

There are many emotions that can surface during the process of relocating your family; excitement, stress, joy, anxiety, and relief, to name a few.

Processing all these emotions can be difficult, especially on children. After all, leaving friends, family and familiar surroundings behind isn’t easy at any age! While there are many steps you can take to help your children cope with the ups and downs of moving, the key is in communicating using the five W’s.

WHAT

The most important way to prepare a child for a move is to tell them what is happening well in advance. The more time they have to get ready, the easier the change will be. Call for a family meeting over a casual dinner and share the news. Children are very aware and receptive to behavior. As a parent, your attitude about the move will have a tremendous influence on their reaction. Being optimistic about the new experience will have a positive effect on everyone’s wellbeing.

WHEN

Start the countdown! Mark your move and important dates in the calendar for your children to see. For instance, if you are having a garage sale to purge some of your items, add it to the calendar and ask your children to help make flyers. Help them go through their belongings to decide what to keep and what to donate. Creating a timeline of events will eliminate surprises and allow your children to prepare for big occasions and changes.

WHERE

Get your children excited about all there is to see, do and explore in a new town/city! Learning all there is to know about the new destination prior to the move will help your children adjust quicker to their new settings. If your children like to play sports or go to the park, find the local recreational facilities and the nearest park to your new home. Sit down with them and do a little research on interesting attractions, restaurants and events happening nearby. Be thorough in your research so your children can get familiar and comfortable with their new home. If you can, it’s a great idea to take your children to visit the new neighbourhood before you move. If not, take pictures of your home, school, and neighbourhood to show them. Involving your children in the process as much as possible will make the transition smoother.

WHY

As the decision to move often lies in the hands of the parent(s), it is common for a child to feel forced into the situation without an opinion. Being open and truthful about the move from the beginning will help make the change seem less forceful. Start with explaining why the move is happening. Whether the reason is a job transfer, the need to downsize or upsize, etc., an explanation will help them digest and come to terms with the circumstances. This discussion should be an open and ongoing dialectic between you and your children. Make sure they are aware they can come to you anytime with questions, concerns, or to simply talk and express their feelings.

WHO

Saying goodbye to the people and places you love is never easy. It can be especially hard on children who are inexperienced in the process of moving forward. Help your children get closure and say goodbye to their friends, relatives and neighbours. Do so by preparing a list of phone numbers, emails and mailing addresses to reassure your children they can stay in touch. Coordinate a time to visit their favourite places and people, and take pictures for them to look back on. Once your move is complete, make a constant effort to help your children meet new people/children in the neighbourhood. A great way to do so is by getting involved in your local community support groups and activity clubs.

1. How long have you been in business and are you affiliated with any professional associations?

Ask if the moving company has any affiliations with credible and well-known organizations such as the Canadian Association of Movers (CAM). CAM requires all members to be in business for at least two years prior to joining and must also meet a strict set of requirements and standards. Take a look at their rating on other credible sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

2. Do you own a warehouse with trucks and equipment?

Credible movers have their own warehouses, trucks and equipment necessary to properly service your move. Rogue movers do not have these essential tools increasing the likelihood of loss or damage to your belongings.

3. How do you estimate the cost of my move?

Long distance moves are priced based on weight and distance where as local moves are priced on an hourly basis. When possible, credible moving companies will arrange for a moving consultant to perform an in-home visual survey of the items you are moving. Each item will be recorded with an approximate weight and the moving consultant will assess whether any additional services are required to meet your unique needs. Arranging an in-home survey is one of the most effect options to deliver an accurate estimate. Without one, you will likely accumulate additional costs.

4. What kind of additional moving services do you offer and at what price?

Inquire about additional moving services offered by the company to help during your move. Some of the most common additional services include packing and unpacking, disassembly and reassembly of furniture, storage if your new home is not ready for occupancy and shuttle services when the large moving truck is unable to access your home and a smaller truck is required.

5. What kind of transit protection plans do you offer?

Sometimes, no matter how careful we try to be, accidental loss or damage may occur on your move. Carefully look over the valuation options and select a plan that covers all your needs in case of any accident. It is always recommended to take full value protection to give you peace of mind knowing your possessions are protected.

6. What would I do if something were to break or go missing and who is responsible?

Sometimes accidental loss or damage to your belongings may occur on your move. The extent of liability for damage will depend upon the type of coverage you select. Make sure to clarify these details with your mover and find out whom to contact in the organization in case a claim needs to be filed.

7. How do you pack delicate items?

Valuable, delicate and sentimental pieces require extra care when handling. A credible mover will arrange for specially designed containers, crating or protective packing material to ensure these items do not sustain any damage during your move.

8. When will my belongings arrive?

For long distance moves, the timing depends on many factors including the time of year, the distance between your homes and the size of your shipment. Your mover will give you a range of dates called a delivery window until they are able to narrow down the exact date usually available 24-48 hours before the arrival. Local deliveries will normally arrive on the same day.