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Phone: 705-471-5044 Senior Discounts

What Our Clients Are Saying

★★★★★

Punctual and Organized

“We hired Able Moving to help us with our move yesterday. They were extremely friendly, professional, punctual, and organized. Thank you for making our move 100 times easier!”

-Sydney H.

Your North Bay Moving Guide

Moving is one of life’s most stressful days — we get it. We’ve been helping North Bay families move since 2004, and we’ve put everything we know into a simple, week-by-week plan. Take it one step at a time. You’ve got this — and we’ve got the heavy part.

Your Moving Countdown

The whole move, broken into small steps. Don’t look at the mountain — just do the week you’re in.

  1. 6 weeks before
    • Book your movers early — summer Saturdays fill up fast. Call Able at 705-471-5044 or request a free quote.
    • Start using up freezer food, cleaning supplies and pantry odds and ends.
    • Take a few phone photos of anything valuable, just in case.
    • If you’re downsizing, start sorting now (see below) — it always takes longer than you think.
  2. 4 weeks before
    • Gather boxes and supplies — and buy about 10–15% more boxes than you think you’ll need. Running out mid-pack is the most common moving-day panic.
    • Start packing the rooms you barely use: the basement, spare room, off-season clothes, books and décor.
    • Book the day off work, and arrange care for kids and pets.
  3. 2 weeks before
    • Confirm your moving date and address with us.
    • Start your change-of-address list (the Ontario checklist is further down this page).
    • Return library books, pick up dry cleaning, refill prescriptions, empty the safety-deposit box.
    • Arrange parking for the truck and book the elevator if you’re in an apartment or condo.
  4. 1 week before
    • Pack everything except what you use every day.
    • Label each box on the top and two sides, room name largest.
    • Set aside your “Open-First” box (see below) and keep it separate.
    • Take apart what you can — bed frames, table legs — or leave it for our crew.
  5. Moving day
    • Keep your Open-First box, documents and valuables with you, not on the truck.
    • Do a final walk-through: closets, cupboards, the garage and the shed.
    • Point our crew to the fragile boxes and anything that needs special care.
    • Take final meter readings and leave your keys where you agreed.
    • Then breathe — the heavy part is ours now.
  6. First week after
    • Unpack the Open-First box first, then the kitchen and the beds.
    • Finish your change-of-address list.
    • Check your belongings and tell us right away if anything needs attention.
    • Flatten the boxes for recycling — or ask us about taking them off your hands.

Packing Made Simple

Most of our customers pack themselves. A few simple habits make it far less stressful. Tap a question to open it.

How many boxes will I actually need?

A rough guide, so you’re not guessing:

  • A 1-bedroom home — about 15–25 boxes
  • A 2-bedroom — about 25–40 boxes
  • A 3-bedroom — about 40–60 boxes

Buy a few more than you think. Use small boxes for heavy things (books, dishes, canned food) and large boxes for light bulky things (bedding, pillows, lampshades) — it saves your back and your boxes.

What should I pack first, and what should I leave for last?

Pack the things you use least first: the basement, the spare room, off-season clothes, books and décor. Save your everyday kitchen, bathroom and bedroom for the last few days.

Whatever you’ll need the very first night goes in last, so it’s the first thing off the truck.

How do I label boxes so unpacking is easy?
  • Write on the top and two sides — a top-only label disappears the moment boxes are stacked.
  • Use a thick marker. Put the room name largest, then a word or two about what’s inside.
  • Mark fragile boxes clearly, and write “OPEN FIRST” on your first-night box.
  • A different colour of tape per room is a nice bonus — the crew can sort at a glance.
How do I pack the kitchen — dishes and glasses?

The kitchen takes longer than any other room, so start it early. A week or two out, stop buying perishables and eat down the fridge and pantry.

  • Stand plates on their edge, don’t stack them flat. Wrap each plate in packing paper, then set them upright in the box like records in a crate — they survive far better than a flat stack, which cracks under its own weight.
  • Cushion each glass from the inside. Tuck a little crumpled paper inside every glass first, then wrap the outside, and stand them upright — never on their sides.
  • Nest your pots smallest inside largest with a sheet of paper between each, and wrap glass lids on their own.
  • Use small, sturdy boxes and pad them well — bottom, between the layers, and the top. A “dish pack” (a tall, double-thick box, sometimes with divider slots for each glass) is worth it for good dishes, but a well-padded small box works too.
  • Do the shake test: gently rock a sealed box — if nothing shifts, it’s packed right. Movement is what breaks things. Mark it FRAGILE.
What shouldn’t go on the truck?

Keep these with you, not on the truck: cash, jewellery, important documents, medications, keys, and anything irreplaceable.

And please don’t pack these at all — they aren’t safe to transport: propane tanks, gasoline, paint, aerosols and other flammables. If you’re not sure about something, just ask us.

Your First-Night Box

Pack one box (or a suitcase) with everything you’ll want that first night, before you unpack a single thing. Load it last so it comes off first. Here’s what goes in it:

  • IDs & important documents
  • Medications
  • Phone & chargers
  • Toiletries & a towel each
  • A change of clothes for everyone
  • Toilet paper & paper towel
  • Basic tools & a flashlight
  • Kettle, coffee/tea, snacks & water
  • Bedding & pillows
  • Kids’ comfort items & pet supplies
  • Scissors & a box cutter
  • Bin bags & a few cleaning supplies
Keep a small day-of bag with you in the car, too — water, snacks, medications, phone chargers, and your paperwork and keys — so the things you need on moving day never end up on the truck by mistake.

Moving with Pets

Moving day is stressful for animals too. A few simple steps keep your cat, dog, or other pets calm and safe while the house is in motion:

  • Give them a quiet room: settle pets in one closed, empty room (or leave them with a friend) while the crew loads and unloads, so no one slips out an open door.
  • Update their ID first: make sure tags and microchip records show your new address and phone number before the move, not after.
  • Pack a pet day-bag: food, water, bowls, medication, a leash or carrier, and a favourite toy or blanket that smells like home.
  • Settle one room first: at the new place, set up a single calm room with their bed, food, and water before letting them explore the rest of the house.
  • Tell us about them: let us know you have pets when you book — we’ll plan the load so doors aren’t propped open longer than they need to be.

Downsizing & Seniors

Moving to a smaller home or a condo? Take your time — this part is emotional, not just physical, and there’s no prize for rushing.

  • The four-box method: as you sort each room, use four piles — Keep, Donate, Sell, Toss. Every item goes in one. It turns an overwhelming house into a series of simple yes-or-no decisions.
  • Start with the easy rooms: the kitchen, linen closet or bathroom carry little sentimental weight. You’ll build momentum before you reach the photos and keepsakes.
  • Measure first: check that your favourite furniture actually fits the new space before you decide to keep it.
  • Give yourself weeks, not days. A little each day beats one exhausting weekend.
Not ready to part with something? Store it with us instead of deciding under pressure — you can always sort it out later. And be sure to ask about our senior discount when you book. We’re glad to help North Bay’s seniors move with a lot less stress.

Ontario Change-of-Address Checklist

Easy to forget in the shuffle — and a couple of these are the law. Here’s who to tell, and when.

  • Within 6 days Driver’s licence & vehicle permitRequired by law within 6 days of your move. Update both online with a ServiceOntario account, or in person at ServiceOntario.
  • Within 30 days Health card (OHIP)Update within 30 days — online too, unless your card has a printed address, which must be done in person.
  • Before you move Canada Post mail forwardingForward your mail for 3, 4 or 12 months at canadapost.ca or any post office — set it up before moving day so nothing slips through.
  • 2–4 weeks ahead UtilitiesNorth Bay Hydro, Enbridge Gas, water, and internet/phone. Book the final reading at the old place and start-up at the new one.
  • Soon after Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)Keep your Child Benefit, GST/HST credit and refunds coming. Update through CRA My Account or by phone.
  • Soon after Banks, insurance & subscriptionsBank and credit cards, home/auto/life insurance, plus any deliveries or subscriptions.
  • Soon after Doctor, dentist & schoolsServiceOntario updates the province, not your family doctor — tell them yourself. And notify your children’s school or school board.
This list is a friendly guide, not legal advice — deadlines can change, so confirm the current rules at ontario.ca. When in doubt, ask us; we’ve helped a lot of North Bay families through this.

Print the Checklist

Want it on the fridge? Here’s a clean, one-page moving checklist you can print or save — the countdown plus your Ontario change-of-address list, all on a single sheet.

🗎 Open the printable checklist

Packing How-To Videos

A few short videos that show the tricky parts — watch them right here.

How to Pack Your Dishes & Glasses
How to Pack Your Clothes
How to Tape a Box So It Won’t Burst
How to Lift & Carry Without Hurting Your Back

Let us take the heavy part off your plate

You’ve got the plan — we’ve got the truck, the crew, and 20 years of North Bay moves. Get a free, no-pressure quote today.

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