Top 5 Moving To-Do's You CAN'T Afford to Sleep On

When you’re moving there’s a lot of, well, moving parts. There’s the endless packing, you’ve booked movers, changed your details to your new address for all the important stuff, etc. (Clients - see portal for my check-able Moving To-Do PDF 😊)

For any home that is not a new build, I recommend my clients give themselves a few days to a week between closing to move-in. Not taking painting, renovations, or other super fun cosmetic changes they are planning into account. Here’s my list of the extras that will make a HUGE difference to your enjoyment of your new home. None of the glamour, all of the grit of homeowner-ship. These aren’t hugely expensive tweaks, and they will improve your quality of life and peace of mind on move-in. However, moving costs add up so I have included some average costs to write into your moving budget. Don’t forget to account for taxes. Featuring quotes from local businesses in Ottawa.

I recommend you use these 2-7 days to …

  • Re-Key

    • You never know who the past homeowners gave them to. And if you want your next door neighbour to have your spare key in case of emergencies, you can give it to them once you know a bit more about each other.

    • Average Cost: Expect to spend ~$120. Things get more complicated if the previous owners had keypads, a bunch of double deadbolts, or you need to get 10 extra keys for your whole family.

      See our local Ottawa Pop A Lock franchise.
      Base service charge of $90 + each lock $20. Comes with 2 keys, $5 for each additional key. They do minor adjustments like tightening handles & generally make sure it’s all working well.

  • Carpet Cleaning

    • Especially those with allergies & young families with a sweet little “rugrat”. This is key. This service can save you from wanting to re-do your floors RIGHT AWAY.

    • Of course, you can do this after you move in and definitely should every 12-18 months, but once you move in it is done around your furniture. Great to start fresh before you get your stuff in.

    • Average Cost: Expect to spend 100-500+. Hard to pin an average down as every home is a different size / has a different amount of carpeted rooms.

      See award-winning local business Clean Freaks Ottawa. They’ve been rated Consumer choice every year since 2017. Start at $99.95 + tax. Mention my name to save the tax 🙂

  • New Toilet Seat

    • You don’t need to replace the whole thing, just the seat! Do I need to elaborate on this one? For added luxury, try the anti-slam version - my absolute must-have when moving into a new house!

    • Average Cost: $50 or Less - make sure you have the shape and size right. Take a pic and measure before heading out.

      See local business Preston Hardware.

  • Check Furnace Filter

    • The air that circulates in your house goes through your furnace filter consistently. It typically needs to be changed out every season since it builds up dust over time.

    • Average Cost: Around $20 per change. You can pick it up at a hardware store & change it yourself OR for the forgetful/hands-off types get on a yearly plan for high efficiency furnace filters with local business Country Gem.

  • Duct Cleaning

    • We’re still on about the air that circulates your house.. HEALTH and MONEY my friend..
      I don’t want to terrify you but the air circulating your place could be incredibly unhealthy if the previous owners haven’t taken care of this. This is totally fixable and does not make your place worth any less. It’s also not something that a home inspection will uncover. Ducts can have loads of dust, pet hair, and mould leading them to be totally blocked. This makes your heating efforts pretty useless which can cost you a lot of money if you keep jacking up the heat and it’s just not doing anything! Once you move in this should be done every 4 years.

    • Average Cost: Around $3-400, for large homes expect to spend more.

      See local business Country Gem.

Cheers to a smooth move and welcome to home ownership!

Steve Peippo