Moving Made EasyIf you don't want to feel that the roof is caving in on you come moving day, you have to plan everything. Of course, you can't empty the refrigerator a month ahead of time, but there are a number of small details that can be taken care of beforehand. Planning is the key As soon as you decide to move, you also need to decide whether or not you will use the services of a professional mover. If so, ask friends who may have hired professional movers for advice and references. Then get cost estimates and, when you have decided on the mover you wish to use, book your move as soon as possible. Demand for movers is high and you do not want to find yourself without help when M-Day arrives. If you are planning a move into or within Québec, you may wish to avoid July 1st, Quebec's infamous moving day. This way, you will likely get better rates from the mover. A winning strategy Once you have chosen your new home, take the time to draw a detailed plan for each of the rooms, identifying each room on he plan and indicating exactly where you want major pieces of furniture and appliances. Then, be sure to indicate on each box that you pack the exact room in which you want it taken and unpacked. This way, you will save time, money and energy. Overcoming the packing Packing does not have to be a dreadful experience. Look at it as an opportunity. Take your time and take advantage of the situation to do that major cleanup you have been postponing. Return borrowed items to their rightful owner, give away to charitable organizations any piece of clothing or other item you no longer want and get rid of dangerous garbage such as paint and oil cans, chemical products in an ecological manner. Most cities provide for special collections of such garbage from time to time. Consult your municipal office for information. Also, clean up your medicine chest and return to your pharmacist any prescription or other drugs that have expired. Place in one or more boxes all items that are intended for a specific room. Identify the contents of each box on at least two sides of the box. And do not forget that magic word "Fragile" whenever necessary. Always wrap dishes and porcelain in clean paper. Avoid newsprint. Use towels and blankets to protect fragile items. And think of your back! Boxes should never weigh more than 20 kg (44 lbs). To make the boxes very easy to open before closing them with tape, place a piece of string between the flaps. Stick the tape over the string leaving both ends free. When unpacking, you just have to pull the string. To move your mirrors carefully, make an X on them with masking tape before wrapping them. In case of breakage, the mirror pieces will be held together. Getting the kids on side Moving can be stressful for kids. They may be worried about such a major change. So take the time to explain to them why you are moving, emphasising the positive changes that await them in their new environment. If they are old enough, get them involved. Have them pack their favourite toys in a bag they can later take with them in the car. You may even ask for their opinion on the decorating of their new bedroom. Your pets can also suffer from the changes brought about by a move. Try not to disturb their habits too much. On moving day, leave your cat in a closed room with food, litter and a favourite toy until you are ready to go. Then, if your cat is used to travelling by car, you are set to go; if not, you may wish to use a cage, which you will cover with a blanket. Getting ready for M-Day? Movers like to start with large appliances. So, on the eve of your move, empty the refrigerator, wash your appliances and prepare them so they can be loaded first. Precious and expensive items such as jewels and computers can be transported in the car. Do not forget to clean your home before leaving and hope that the occupants of your new home will do likewise. It is important to clearly identify those boxes that need to be opened first. Just before leaving for good, make one last inspection paying particular attention to those secret hiding places you once used and making sure you are not leaving anything behind. Once in your new home, make sure the telephone company has connected your phone properly. It is practically a sure be that you will not want to cook on your first night in your new home. The phone could come in handy to order your first pizza! Do not try to get everything done on the first day. Unpack boxes containing sheets and blankets, kitchen utensils and food. After eating, take the time to check and make sure nothing was forgotten or lost. Then, take the time to rest. The days following a move are also very busy days! Starting anew! Rare are those who have the opportunity of moving into a new house or apartment. That is why people who move often take advantage of the situation to renovate or decorate. Renovation or decoration need not be major. A touch of fresh paint and a lot of imagination can go a long way! But before undertaking any work, you will need to carefully prepare the room or rooms on which you are planning to work. Walls may need fixing, nails may need removing, holes and cracks may need filling. In order to avoid total chaos and mostly to avoid getting yourself involved in a task so overwhelming you may want to give up before you even start, we recommend you go about things one room at a time. First, the kitchen If there is one room in the house in which you spend a lot of time, it has to be the kitchen. So, inspect it carefully: walls, ceiling, floor. Determine if existing floor needs to be changed, and decide on the type of floor covering you want. Floating laminated floor coverings are a good choice because they are easy to install and maintain. Decide on wall colours now to be able to choose a matching or complementary colour for your floor covering. It is always a good thing to start with painting. To that end, carefully prepare surfaces to be painted by removing nails and screws, filling holes and cracks, removing flaking paint and sanding where necessary. We suggest you wash walls and ceilings before painting. This is especially important in kitchens where accumulated grease, which may not be visible could interfere with paint adherence. Apply a base coat to walls and ceilings before the finishing coat. We recommend pearl or semi-gloss rather than matte finishes for kitchens. And remember that two coats of paint yield better results than one, even if you are using "one-coat" paint. The bathroom If one room in your new home requires special consideration, it has to be the bathroom. Check the condition of the tiles (floor and walls). And here is a tip that will help you give that bathroom floor the in-depth cleaning it probably needs: dilute a bit of soap (Hertel) in a bucket of hot water and, using a sponge, cover the floor liberally with soapy water; let sit for about 15 minutes and scrub vigorously with a brush. Rinse and dry. Things get a little more complicated with walls, which you cannot let soak. Simply apply hot soapy water and scrub vigorously with a brush, paying particular attention to the tile joints. Be sure that the toilet works well, the taps do not leak, the ventilator fan is in good condition. Wash the walls and repair cracks and holes. Because of the high levels of humidity in bathrooms, we recommend you paint in pearl or semi-gloss finish. If ever you decide to enlarge your bathroom, you will need to be mindful of certain precautions, especially with respect to load-bearing walls. Living room, rooms and hallways Proceed in the same manner you did for the kitchen and bathroom. Inspect the floors and determine if you will leave them as they are or replace them. If you decide to replace floor coverings, do it after restoring ceilings and walls. And do not forget that renovation and decoration tend to work in tandem. If you are going to paint, think in terms of colour combinations that will bring harmony to ceilings, walls, floors and furniture. To help you achieve this feat, paint manufacturers offer families of colours especially designed to complement one another for maximum effect. You will find all the information you need on the subject in the paint department of your local Rona dealer. In addition to colour displays and samples, your Rona paint specialist will provide advice, tips and ideas to help make your colour dreams come true. Stunning faux-finishes It is now much easier to apply decorative paints, thanks to new products created especially for those who would like to add a little spice to walls and other surfaces. Well illustrated technical information is now available on our website to help master the art of faux-fini. You may also want to deal with woodwork and wood mouldings. Just imagine beautiful wood mouldings running along your living room walls, elegantly framed French doors opening onto the dining room, a fireplace to warm up both room and decor. All of this is available to you. You need only let your imagination guide you. Windows and lighting No decorating project is complete until windows are suitably dressed. But before proceeding with decorating, you need to ensure that the windows are in good condition. Wood frames may well need to be stripped, sanded and refinished. While at it, make sure they are reasonably airtight. As for drapes and curtains, there is really no limit to imagination. Any more than there are rules to guide you. You can choose among vertical, horizontal and pleated Venitians, curtains and drapes and wood shutters depending on the effect you seek. You can also inspire yourself during a short visit to your nearest Rona Ambiance Boutique where you will find a multitude of creative ideas, and be able to consult with decorating specialists. Lighting is also an important part of any decorating project. It highlights the beauty and elegance of your home. And when it comes to lighting, there are techniques you should observe, but no hard and fast rules to follow. Lighting depends on the mood you wish to create in a room, on the room's use, on the colour of the walls and ceiling and on the furniture and furnishings. As you can see, moving calls for a myriad of little jobs that require your attention if you are to live in a home that is really to your taste. To be successful, plan all the projects you need to do before you begin work. This way you can get things done at a pace that will suit you. *Thanks to Rona.ca |