Top 10 Moving Tips for the GTA

Moving in the Greater Toronto Area has its own playbook. Narrow downtown one-ways, mandatory condo elevator bookings, summer 401 chaos, two-hour parking on residential streets — every one of these can blow up your move day if you’re not ready for them. After thousands of moves across Toronto, Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham and Brampton, our crews have developed a short list of habits that consistently turn a stressful day into a calm one. These are the ten we wish every customer knew before we showed up.

1. Book your condo elevator the moment you have a date

Almost every condo board in the GTA requires a written elevator booking with the property manager — typically 1 to 2 weeks of advance notice, plus a refundable damage deposit (usually $200–$500) and proof of mover’s insurance (a Certificate of Insurance). Buildings with strict rules also restrict moves to weekday daytime hours, which can blow up a Saturday-only plan. The instant your closing date is firm, email the property manager — both at origin and destination.

2. Avoid westbound 401 between 2 PM and 7 PM in summer

If your move window touches a Friday afternoon between May and October, plan for the truck to be on the highway before 1 PM or after 8 PM. The westbound 401 between Toronto and Mississauga regularly slows to walking pace by 2:30 PM and stays that way until past 7 PM. A 25-minute drive becomes 90+. Crews still bill by the hour.

3. Label by destination room, not by content

Resist the urge to write “books” or “kitchen utensils” on the side of every box. Instead, write the destination room in big block letters: BEDROOM 2, KITCHEN, BASEMENT-OFFICE. When the truck arrives, our crew can place every box in the right room without asking you 50 questions. You’ll save 30–60 minutes on a typical 3-bedroom move.

4. Keep one “first night” box per person

Pack one clearly labelled box per person with: pajamas, phone charger, toothbrush, medication, a change of clothes, slippers, and the coffee maker. This box rides with you in the car, not in the truck. After a long move day, you do not want to dig through 80 boxes looking for the toothpaste.

5. Photograph electronics before unplugging

Take a quick phone photo of the back of your TV, gaming console, modem, router and home theatre setup before disconnecting cables. Reassembly at the new place takes 5 minutes instead of 45.

6. Empty drawers, but only the breakable stuff

Common myth: empty every dresser drawer. Reality: clothing in drawers is fine — your dresser is built to handle that weight. What you do empty is anything liquid, fragile, valuable, or sharp. Heavy books, glass, and sports equipment come out so we can move the dresser safely.

7. Defrost the fridge 24 hours before the move

This one trips up almost every customer. Fridges and freezers need to be unplugged, emptied, defrosted and dried 24 hours before transport — otherwise you arrive to a puddle in the truck and a broken compressor at the new place. Same goes for washing machines: drain and shut off the water lines the day before.

8. Park-ban-bylaw check at both addresses

Toronto and most GTA municipalities have residential parking bylaws — usually no parking on the street between 3 AM and 7 AM, or only 1–3 hours during the day. The truck needs a clear stretch directly in front of the house for the entire move window. Apply for a temporary parking permit through your municipality’s website (typically $25–$60) at least a week in advance.

9. Don’t pack the cleaning supplies

You’ll want them on both ends. Keep your vacuum, all-purpose spray, paper towels, garbage bags and a roll of toilet paper accessible — last item out of the old place, first item into the new one. The 30 minutes after we leave is when you’ll do the final clean.

10. Tip your crew if they did the job right

Tipping isn’t expected, but it’s customary in Canada when crews do good work — typically $20 to $50 per mover for a half-day local move, more for full-day or long-distance jobs. Cash is appreciated since electronic tips often get split through payroll over weeks. A cold case of water or Gatorade in summer also goes a remarkably long way.

Bonus: tell us before move day, not on it

The single biggest predictor of a smooth move is what we know before we arrive. Stairs at the new place? Tell us. Piano? Tell us. Locked elevator window? Tell us. Driveway too narrow for a 26-foot truck? Tell us. Surprises slow everything down; advance notice means we bring the right truck, the right crew size and the right tools.

Have a move coming up in the GTA? Send us your details and we’ll come back with a transparent quote within one business hour.