⚡ Quick Summary
8 Weeks Out: Book your movers, start decluttering, and request time off work for moving day.
4 Weeks Out: Start packing non-essentials, notify your school/work of your address change, and confirm your moving-day parking permit if you need one.
1 Week Out: Confirm details with your movers, pack a first-night box, and finish utility transfers.
The Action: Lock in your moving date today so the rest of this timeline actually has room to work.
Table of Contents
8 Weeks Before: Lock in the Big Decisions
This is when you book your movers, especially if your date lands anywhere near July 1st. Get a written quote, confirm the date, and start going room by room deciding what you’ll keep, sell, donate, or toss. Fewer things to move means a faster, cheaper day later on.
It’s also a good time to request the day off work, line up childcare or pet care for moving day, and start collecting free boxes if you’re packing yourself.
6 Weeks Before: Start the Paper Trail
Start your change-of-address process with the government, and make a list of every subscription, bank, and service provider that needs your new address. Order any moving supplies you’re missing: boxes, tape, wardrobe boxes, mattress covers.
If your move needs a parking reservation for the truck, this is a good time to check your borough’s requirements and timeline for applying.
4 Weeks Before: Start Packing
Begin packing rooms you use least: guest rooms, storage closets, off-season clothes. Label every box clearly with the room it belongs in and a rough sense of what’s inside. Contact your internet and utility providers to schedule the disconnect at your old place and the connect at the new one.
If you have kids in school, this is also a good time to sort out transfer paperwork or enrollment for the new address.
2 Weeks Before: Tighten the Details
Confirm your moving date, time, and crew size with your movers in writing. Start packing the kitchen and everyday rooms, leaving out only what you truly need day to day. Use up food in the freezer and pantry so you’re not moving it.
Set aside anything you’ll want to carry personally, like documents, jewelry, and medication, rather than packing it in a box on the truck.
1 Week Before & Moving Day
Finish packing everything except what you’ll need the morning of the move. Pack a first-night box with essentials: chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, snacks, and any medication. Confirm arrival time and any building elevator or loading dock bookings with both your old and new address.
On moving day, do a final walkthrough of every room, closet, and cabinet before the truck leaves, so nothing gets left behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When should I book my movers?
As early as 8 weeks out, and even earlier if your date is close to July 1st, when demand across Montreal spikes hard.
2. What should go in a first-night box?
Chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, snacks, water, and any medication. Keep it with you, not on the truck.
3. When should I start packing?
Start with rarely used rooms around 4 weeks before your move, and finish everyday rooms in the final week.
4. What should I carry personally instead of packing on the truck?
Important documents, jewelry, medication, and anything irreplaceable or highly sensitive.
