Are you moving into a new Toronto Condo from a house?  Downsizing into a condo can be an extremely difficult task!  You will inevitably be faced with the big question; what do I do with all of my extra stuff?

As Toronto’s condo moving specialists we have faced this problem and helped dozens of clients battle this epidemic. So, we have lots of experience in this area!

Here are 5 great suggestions;

  • 1. Lockers | Take time to organize and setup your storage locker. It is easy to just dump items into their not realizing how quickly it fills up. If your locker doesn’t afford you enough space, check into renting an additional locker from either property management or some of your neighbours.
  • 2. Storage | We all look to save money on storage but some items that have sentimental or high monetary value are worth the storage fees. When it comes to storage there are typically four options; local self storage facilities, storage through your moving company, garages/basements of family and friends for rent and portable storage companies.
  • 3. Sell | With the internet, it has become increasingly easier for people to sell their unwanted goods. Kijiji allows you to post ads free of charge and find people willing to buy close to everything you may not want. Facebook has an application called Marketplace that provides people with the same function. You can also post a bulletin in your current residence/neighbourhood or hold a contents or garage sale prior to your move. Use your own social media outlets to post messages about the items you want to sell.
  • 4. Donate | There are charities such as Salvation Army and Goodwill that have multiple drop-off locations throughout Toronto and the surrounding area. There is also a local charity called the Furniture Bank located in the heart of downtown Toronto that will also accept delivery of used furniture and other belongings as well. Make sure to contact these charity agencies before scheduling a delivery as they may not accept certain items and have specific hours of operations.  City of Toronto (http://www.toronto.ca/reuseit/orgs.htm) has a very detailed webpage that provides potential donators with all of the information they will need to schedule drop-offs and make donation arrangements with various charities throughout the city. Some charities do provide free pick-up options, as well.
  • 5. Dispose | For those of you that cannot find a use for any of the options posted above, the easiest and most straightforward alternative is disposal. There are a few ways you can go about doing this – firstly, if you don’t have a lot, talk to your existing or new property management about using the buildings waste bin or waste room. If either buildings do not allow this, you can order a residential waste bin of your own from dozens of waste managment companies in the GTA. Make sure that you know how much you wish to get rid of and what parking access for a large waste bin is like in your area. You can always haul your stuff to any City of Toronto Transfer Station. Click here for locations, hours of operation and other details. Finally, there are full-service disposal companies that are able to look after your disposal needs from start to finish – they provide the manpower and the vehicle to dispose of your belongings. 1-800 Got Junk and JustJunk are 2 popular companies that provide this service.

In our experience these 5 options give Toronto condo buyers the flexibility required to make decisions regarding storage and disposal that best suits their needs. Plan ahead before moving to avoid complications after your move. Being proactive is the best way to take the stress out of moving!

Learn more about our Toronto Moving Services.  Happy Moving!