From the Régie du logement Many households will be moving during the last week of June and the first week of July. There are a few legal provisions to consider. A new tenant's right to occupy a dwelling begins on the first day of the lease and the tenant who is moving out does not have a day's grace to vacate the dwelling. That said, it is obviously not possible for everyone to obtain a moving truck at the same time. That is why the Régie du logement encourages everyone to be polite and civic-minded and to exercise their rights in a reasonable manner. It is advisable for the owner to set the terms and conditions for the move with the tenant who is leaving and the new tenant, given that the owner must make the dwelling available to the new tenant on the agreed date. The owner is obligated to deliver the dwelling in clean condition and good repair. This means, for example, that windows and doors should open and close properly, flooring should be suitable, walls should be clean, smooth and without cracks, the hallway should be clean and the balcony should be safe. Any household or heating appliances provided for in the lease must be in good working order. Source: Régie du logement

Every year in Quebec, thousands and thousands of people pack up and move on July 1. It’s a 30-year tradition in this province.

Actually, the idea of moving en masse goes further back than that. Leases used to end on April 30 in Quebec, says Marie-Andrée Jobin of the Régie du logement.

Back then, the headache of a move was only exacerbated by the fact that kids were being yanked out of classes before their school year was up.

So on Jan. 1, 1974, a new Quebec law came into effect. It made all leases signed till April 30 of that year valid till June 30. Ever since, moving day in Quebec has been July 1.

Although there is no obligation to have a lease end on June 30, it does, in some ways, make finding a new home easier when leases finish on the same date.

Although there is no definitive way to count just how many people move every July, Hydro-Québec can perhaps give us a clue. They have records of accounts that have changed from one person’s name to another.

And in July 2004, almost 120,000 accounts were switched over across Quebec, according to Hydro-Québec spokesperson Josée Morin.

Address the stress

Changing living space can be one of the most stressful events in someone’s life. It ranks right up there with divorce, losing a job, or even the death of a close friend or family member, according to moving expert Ted Wright.

“The hardest thing is that people do not know how to prepare. Then stress begins and makes everything much worse. Get more people to help than you think you'll need. If you are the one moving, if you can, walk away from the move itself. Let a trusted or paid person do everything,” suggests Wright.

You can come back to do a final walk through of your old apartment for legal reasons, he says.

“This way, the stress and pain of leaving somewhere you loved, old neighbours, old friends etc., will be lessened. The excitement of the new home may offset the strain of loss, moving, throwing things away, and the transformation from old to new,” Wright says.

Contact Checklist Make sure to provide your new address to the following: Phone Company Hydro-Québec Canada Post SAAQ (Driver's Licence) RAMQ (Health Card) Cable / Internet Bank

If you do hire movers to get the heavy work done, don’t forget: movers are in much better shape in the morning. The work done at 7:30 a.m. will be more efficient than the work done by the same employees at 4 p.m.

This is a good time to teach a family how to manage stress, says organizing expert Susan Portnoy. “Always emphasize the positive. Children can learn from this experience how to deal with all new situations in life (a new school, a new camp, etc.) from the way you handle this move. Remember that we, as parents, are an example to our children who watch us,” she says.

Know what to toss

One sure way to lessen the load of a major move is to get rid of any unnecessary belongings – especially things like furniture, old clothing, and books.

“Be ruthless about discarding things before packing them. Remember that everything you bring will cost you time, space and money. Only bring what you use and love. Leave everything else behind,” advises Portnoy.

Places like the Fondation Québécoise de la déficience intellectuelle and Share the Warmth will pick up things that you may no longer need but that may help the underprivileged.

Sun Youth, located at 4251 St. Urbain, has a clothing bank where clothes can be dropped off.

Moving tips When packing, colour-code boxes by room. Keep, in one binder, a list of the contents of every box by number so you can retrieve anything you need in the new location. Make a list of every phone call you have to make (in the same binder on a separate page) to set up accounts such as hydro and cable. “When you think it, ink it”. It doesn’t matter if you make all these calls immediately, just recording them on paper helps enormously. Start the three Ps the day you learn you are moving: planning, preparation, and prevention. If a considerable amount of time is spent on this stage, you will save yourself hours of time and aggravation in the long run. Source: Susan Portnoy, Organized Success

And of course, the Salvation Army (514) 935-7425 is always ready to send a truck to pick up furniture or clothing, although perhaps drop-off is best around July 1 moving day.

Sparing kids the trouble

If at all possible, try to have children babysat during the move. If they do want to be part of the process, put them in charge of their own things. Give them the boxes, the markers and anything they need to feel like they’ve played a role in the move.

Make your children your priority, urges Portnoy. "Let their toys and rooms be the first you unpack so that they feel settled into your new space immediately. Once children are happy and comfortable, your stress is immediately reduced," she says.

Keep in mind that this might be a tough time for children. Moving away from the school, playground and friends that give them comfort might be a challenge for them.

On moving day have a picnic in your new home in an empty room, Portnoy suggests.

Photo Finish

“Take pictures. As each room is unpacked take more photographs so that you record the progress. It is important for everyone to remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Portnoy says.

“Celebrate each victory of unpacking and organizing!”