The 8-week moving checklist
Eight weeks sounds like a lot of time — until the elevator is booked solid, the packing still is not started, and moving day is next Friday. This week-by-week checklist is built for Greater Vancouver moves, including strata bookings and the BC-specific admin most generic checklists miss.
8–7 weeks out: book the big pieces
Choose your mover and lock the date. Request quotes now, compare crew sizes and minimums on equal terms, and confirm your moving date in writing. Summer and month-end slots go first.
Start the great sort. Walk every room, closet, and storage locker and divide belongings into move, donate, sell, and discard. The less you move, the less you pay — and unwanted furniture can be scheduled for junk removal before packing begins.
Notify your strata or landlord. If either property is strata-managed, ask about move-out/move-in procedures now: elevator reservations, permitted move windows, deposits, and concierge notice periods.
6–5 weeks out: paperwork and packing plan
Decide on packing help. Full packing, partial packing for fragile items, or DIY? If you want professional packing, book it now — packing crews schedule out just like moving crews. Gather boxes and materials if you are packing yourself.
Book the freight elevator. Many Vancouver-area strata buildings require elevator reservations weeks ahead, with deposits and specific time windows. Confirm the elevator dimensions too — oversized furniture may need disassembly to fit.
Arrange time off. Book moving day (and ideally the day after) off work now.
4–3 weeks out: addresses and services
BC Hydro. Set up your electricity move online — arrange disconnection at the old address and connection at the new one so the lights are on when you arrive.
Internet and TV. Book your provider transfer or new installation; technician appointments in Metro Vancouver can take a week or more.
Canada Post mail forwarding. Set up mail forwarding so nothing important goes to the old address during the transition.
Update subscriptions and services. Banks, insurance, subscriptions, and delivery addresses — work through them in one sitting.
Start packing non-essentials. Seasonal items, books, décor, and rarely used rooms first. Label every box with its destination room.
2 weeks out: confirm everything
Reconfirm the mover. Confirm date, arrival window, crew size, addresses, and any access notes (stairs, elevator booking reference, parking plan).
Reconfirm the elevator. Double-check the strata elevator reservation and move window at both buildings.
Pack most rooms. Aim to be 70–80% packed, leaving only daily essentials, a few days of clothes, and kitchen basics.
Plan for kids and pets. Arrange care for moving day — a busy home with open doors is stressful for both.
1 week out: the final stretch
Pack a first-night box. Bedding, toiletries, medications, chargers, basic tools, toilet paper, and a change of clothes — the things you will need before any box gets unpacked.
Defrost the freezer and finish the pantry. Plan meals around what is left; dispose of anything that cannot travel.
Set aside valuables. Documents, jewelry, passports, and small electronics travel with you, not on the truck.
Confirm parking and loading. Make sure the truck has a legal place to park and load at both addresses.
Moving day
Do a final walkthrough of every room, closet, balcony, and storage locker before the truck leaves. Keep your phone charged and accessible, keep pathways clear for the crew, and do one last check that the elevator booking is active. At the new home, direct boxes to their labelled rooms so unpacking starts organized.
After the move: the BC-specific admin
ICBC. Update your address with ICBC — in BC you are required to update your driver's licence and vehicle registration address after moving. It can be done online and is easy to forget in the unpacking chaos.
Voter registration and health. Update your address for voter registration and confirm your MSP and family doctor records reflect the move.
Strata move-in inspection. Many strata buildings require a move-in condition report — complete it promptly to protect your deposit.