As the weather starts to finally warm up, Quebecers’ minds start to turn away from ice and snow (and the oh so regrettable Habs’ season) and instead look to the season of love and festivals and to enjoy the endless possibilities that the province has to offer.
For many, one of those promises will be the allure of a brand-new space to live in. In Quebec, the coming of Spring signals the time of year when those looking to move from one rental unit to another need to get out and start hunting.
That’s right, Moving Day is coming, and it’s coming fast. So, you need to get out and get in front of it if you don’t want to get caught without the proper resources to make the day go by smoothly.
MoveBuddy is here to help. Here are a few suggestions to help you navigate the Moving Day rush with your pocketbook and sanity intact.
Sure, it may be tempting to call up your buddy from college who just bought a new pick-up truck, but let’s be real. It’s Moving Day. Everyone is going to be calling them up.
They’re pretty generous, but they have limits. And even if they can help you out, you don’t want to be squeezed into a 45-min block of time when you hastily toss all of your belongings into the back of the truck before rushing down Highway 20 at breakneck speed in a desperate attempt to get to Trois-Rivières by 4pm!
So look into hiring a professional mover. A little bit spent upfront could end up saving you a bunch down the line.
This is the same anywhere in the country, but it’s especially the case in Quebec where, due to a longstanding tradition, the vast majority of leases end on the same day. So, as they say, le monde appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt.
You need to book your movers as soon as possible if you are going to try and do it on July 1.
This might not be possible for everyone, but if you have the ability to delay the move by a few days or even a few weeks, then you can stand to save big time.
So, give mom and dad a visit for a couple of weeks! Or, better yet, find a local storage solution through MoveBuddy, move out of your old place a couple of weeks early, and go see if Paris is as beautiful in Spring as people say it is!
When you get back home, you can book a mover at a fraction of the cost than you would have paid on July 1.
You’re going to need supplies and, again, these will be at a premium.
Your instinct might be to run down to the liquor or grocery store and grab some free boxes.
To a point, that’s OK. To a point. There can be unseen damages to used boxes that can weaken the structure and put your belongings at risk. Is saving $2 on a box really worth the possible damage to an item with 100 times that?
If you’re only moving a small amount of things a short distance, maybe you can get away with it, but why risk it when boxes are a small expense in the overall move.
This is one space you should look for quality. So, order your supplies early and avoid watching your PS5 fall out of the bottom of a banana box.
Before we wrap up this article, a quick word to students coming to study at McGill University or Concordia University. This article might be confusing to you because you are unfamiliar with the traditions of Quebec just yet. No worries, here’s a quick summary.
For many years, it was legally mandated that leases ended on July 1 in Quebec. Due to that, the day became informally known as Jour du déménagement (Moving Day).
Although it is no longer mandated as such, the tradition of moving on that day remains strong and many Quebecers will still operate as such. When you are looking for student housing after your first year in residence, you should keep this in mind and follow the rules we’ve outlined above.
Happy Moving!
