Did you miss me? I’m still around but I have to go out for internet access. As you may know, I recently packed everything and moved 4000KM from Toronto to Vancouver. I hate moving. This was a real trial and now that I’m in my new home on the other side off the country, I’m reflecting on what could have been done differently. Here are some tips you may find useful should you find yourself in a similar situation.
DIY or professional movers
After a week of driving and another week without furniture I wish I hadn’t gone with a moving company. it’s been a real hassle dealing with this company and there’s not much I can do about it at this point, they have all my stuff! They were 4 days late picking up our stuff, (I was already in Moose Jaw by then) I have no idea when they plan on dropping my stuff off in Vancouver, or how many thousands of dollars it will cost since they don’t return calls.
Lesson learned: if you need your things right away, you have to move it yourself.
Packing
You have way more stuff than you think. Don’t leave packing until the last few days, start at least a month early putting things up on craigslist. Donate what doesn’t sell. We took a pickup truck full of stuff to Salvation Army at 9pm on the night before our move.
As for your studio gear, I hope you kept the boxes and original packing material for your gear. Those will protect your gear better than any kind of cardboard contraption you can scrap together last minute.
I found heavy-duty kitchen wrap to work really well to bundle up my large acoustic treatment panels, mic stands and various furniture pieces.
If you’re using movers, bring the essentials with you.
I packed what my sleep deprived mind thought was the essential studio gear.
Computers, external drives, MIDI controller, audio interface, computer cables, clothing, bedding, pets. Our van was packed to the ceiling with essentials but I wish I had a few more things.
A microphone and cable
A guitar cable
A guitar pick
Headphones
A chair
Coffee Maker
A light jacket or second sweater
Its pretty hard to do any work sitting on the floor with nothing but the macbook speakers. 🙁 I really miss my acoustic treatment too.
Internet
If you’re an internet addict like me you NEED to order the installation at the new address way before you move. I put off doing this for a week and now I have to wait 10 more days. I feel so out of touch with the world. Starbucks only gives us 2 hours a day and make you wear pants in the store. Of course you also have to buy something when you go there and it’s too loud and crowded to actually get work done.
Least. Productive. Week. Evar.
Oh yes, the moving process itself usually does suck. I like your tips – I would only add that labeling all the packed boxes is very helpful, too. So are any kinds of lists. By the way, I seriously think almost everyone is an internet addict nowadays.
Dude …
I hear ya – and unless you’ve got a house that fills an entire truck, then they’ll be doing the milk-run on their way out here.
Give us a call when you get a chance – love to hook up with you! Maybe you can come over and sit on our furniture for a while. 🙂
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the 10 – 14 day delivery estimate has turned to “Sometime in July”.
I never would have used movers if I knew that.
Welcome to BC. I follow your tweets and podcast. Ryan’s kid did a good job filling in for you but you’re more believable.
LOL – Yeah, I was telling Ryan he better not go down the path that Eddie Van Halen did and start replacing everyone in the podcast with family members… 😉
This moving sounds like a bad dream…
4000KM – those distances in Canada are for us Europeans hard to imagine.
Miss your voice in the podcast.