After 18 years of Ottawa moves, the problems we see on moving day almost always trace back to the same decisions — made days or weeks earlier. A crew that arrives to a half-packed home, a box that wasn’t labelled, a piece of furniture that won’t fit the new door, a fridge that wasn’t defrosted. None of these are complicated to avoid. This is the moving day behaviour guide we give every Foosun client: what to do, what not to do, and why each one matters.
Do: Be Completely Ready Before the Crew Arrives
The billing clock starts when the crew arrives. Every minute spent waiting for you to finish packing a room, seal a box, or decide what’s going with them is billed time. A crew arriving to a fully packed, labelled, staged home loads 20–30% faster than one arriving to a work-in-progress.
“Mostly done” is not done. Every unsealed box, every item still sitting on a shelf, every piece of furniture that needs a decision adds friction. The night before should be the final opportunity to find something unpacked — not the morning of. For a full timeline from eight weeks out to move day, the Ottawa Moving Checklist covers every step.
Do: Label Every Box on at Least Two Sides
Label with the destination room and a brief description — not just “Kitchen” but “Kitchen — glassware, fragile” or “Kitchen — pots and pans.” Labelling two sides means the information is visible regardless of how the box gets stacked in the truck.
Numbered boxes with a corresponding list on your phone give you the ability to spot a missing box before the crew leaves. This matters more than it sounds — a missing box is much easier to locate when the truck is still at your old address than two days later.
Do: Pack an Open-First Box and Keep It With You
Pack one clearly marked box with everything you’ll need in the first 12 hours at your new place: medications, phone chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, important documents, and whatever your household needs to function on night one. Keep this box in your personal vehicle — not on the truck.
This box is the single most effective way to avoid the frantic unpacking of every other box looking for one specific item at the end of an exhausting day. The full Open First box checklist covers everything to include.
Do: Clear the Path Before the Crew Arrives
Bikes, shoes, and clutter in hallways and doorways slow loading. Tight stairwells in Ottawa’s older housing stock — common in the Glebe, Sandy Hill, Westboro, and older Nepean streets — are already a challenge for large furniture without added obstacles.
Clear a clean path from each room to the exit. If you have doormats or area rugs near the exit, roll them up or move them — they catch dollies and slow the crew. If your building has a specific loading entrance, confirm the crew knows which one before they arrive.
Do: Communicate Access Issues Upfront
Tell the crew about anything that could affect their work before they start: a parking situation that’s different from what was quoted, a stairwell that’s narrower than it looks, a building rule about padding the elevator, a piece of furniture that needs disassembly. None of these are problems — they’re information the crew needs to plan correctly.
The worst time to surface an access issue is when the crew is already mid-load. Foosun Moving reviews these details at the quoting stage, but move-day conditions sometimes differ from what was described weeks earlier. A quick walkthrough with the crew leader when they arrive — before loading starts — catches anything that wasn’t anticipated.
Do: Keep Valuables and Documents With You
Jewellery, cash, passports, legal documents, prescription medications, and small electronics should travel in your personal vehicle — not on the truck. Standard cargo insurance is weight-based and does not reflect replacement value for high-value items. More practically, these are items where a problem on moving day creates serious inconvenience that can’t be resolved quickly.
Photograph high-value items before the move and keep a folder of receipts and appraisals accessible.
Do: Measure Before Move Day
Measure large furniture against doorways, hallways, stairwells, and elevator dimensions at both locations before the crew arrives. A sofa that doesn’t fit the new apartment door, or a wardrobe that won’t clear the stairwell turn, discovered on moving day adds significant time and sometimes requires on-the-spot disassembly that could have been planned in advance.
Foosun’s furniture disassembly service handles anything that needs to be broken down — but it’s faster and cheaper when it’s planned rather than reactive.
Don’t: Overpack Boxes
A box that’s too heavy to lift safely without straining is a liability — for the crew’s backs and for your belongings. Keep boxes under 20kg (roughly 45lbs) as a rule. Small boxes for books, files, and anything dense. Large boxes for pillows, linens, and light items only.
Half-empty boxes are also a problem — they collapse under stacking weight and let contents shift and break. Fill gaps with towels, packing paper, or clothing before sealing. Use the Foosun Box Calculator to estimate how many boxes you need before you start — running out mid-pack and buying mismatched sizes at the last minute is one of the most common causes of poorly packed loads.
Don’t: Hover Over the Crew
The most helpful thing you can do once the crew starts loading is stay available but not in the way. Be present to answer questions, direct where items go in the new place, and make decisions when needed. But following each crew member room to room, offering real-time commentary, or handling items yourself while the crew is working creates confusion and slows loading.
Professional movers work in a coordinated system — who carries what, in what order, and how it loads into the truck. Interrupting that system, even helpfully, costs time.
Don’t: Leave the Fridge Full
Refrigerators need to be emptied and defrosted before move day. A full fridge is heavy, makes the appliance harder to move safely, and risks spills during transit. More importantly, a fridge that hasn’t been defrosted will leak as it warms during the move — damaging the truck floor and potentially other items.
Empty the fridge the day before. Turn it off the night before to let it defrost. Leave the door open overnight. Arrive on move day with the freezer dry.
Don’t: Forget the Final Walkthrough
Before the truck leaves your old address, do a complete walkthrough: every room, every closet, the storage unit, the basement, the garage, the attic. Check under beds, in bathroom cabinets, behind doors, and in any space you don’t use daily. Check outdoor areas — the garden shed, the balcony, the side of the house.
Items found after the truck has left require a second trip, which is billed time. Items not found at all are simply lost. The walkthrough takes five minutes and is worth every second of it.
Don’t: Leave Prohibited Items for the Crew to Discover
Propane tanks, liquid paint, open fuel canisters, pressurized aerosols, and fireworks cannot go on the truck. If these are present when the crew arrives, they get refused on the spot — and the clock is still running while alternatives are arranged. Dispose of hazardous household items at the City of Ottawa Hazardous Waste Depot before move day. For the full list of what Ottawa movers won’t transport and what to do with each item, see the prohibited items guide.
Ready to book your Ottawa move?
Foosun Moving has served Ottawa since 2008. Rated 4.9/5 on Google. Written quotes, no hidden fees, and a crew that shows up prepared.
See the smart ways to save on your Ottawa move before you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the single most important thing to do before the movers arrive?
Be completely packed and ready — every box sealed, labelled, and staged near the exit. A crew arriving to a fully prepared home loads 20–30% faster than one arriving to a partially packed one, which translates directly to fewer billed hours and a lower final invoice.
What should I put in my Open First box?
Medications, phone chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, important documents, and anything you need to function on night one at the new place. Keep it in your personal vehicle rather than on the truck so it’s guaranteed to be accessible the moment you arrive.
How heavy should moving boxes be?
Keep boxes under 20kg (roughly 45lbs). Use small boxes for books, files, and anything dense. Large boxes for pillows, linens, and lightweight items. A box too heavy to lift without straining is a risk for the crew and for your belongings — overpacked boxes are also more likely to fail at the bottom during transit.
Do I need to defrost my fridge before the movers come?
Yes. Turn the fridge off the night before, leave the freezer door open to defrost overnight, and arrive on move day with both compartments dry. A fridge that hasn’t been defrosted leaks as it warms during transit and can damage the truck floor and other items nearby.
Should I help the movers carry things?
Stay available but not in the way. Professional movers work in a coordinated system — following crew members through rooms or handling items alongside them disrupts that system and costs time. The most helpful thing you can do is be present to answer questions, direct where items go at the new place, and stay out of the loading flow.
What items should I never put on the moving truck?
Jewellery, cash, passports, legal documents, prescription medications, and small electronics should always travel in your personal vehicle. Hazardous items — propane tanks, liquid paint, aerosols, fireworks — cannot go on the truck at all. See the prohibited items guide for the full list and Ottawa-specific disposal options.
How do I do the final walkthrough before the truck leaves?
Go through every room, every closet, the storage unit, basement, garage, attic, and all outdoor areas. Check under beds, in bathroom cabinets, behind doors, and in any space you don’t use daily. The walkthrough takes five minutes and catches items that would otherwise be left behind — which then require a second trip or are simply lost.
What should I do if I find an unpacked item after the crew has already started?
Tell the crew leader immediately. If the item can be loaded without disrupting the current workflow, they’ll incorporate it. If it’s a significant addition — a box that wasn’t in the original inventory, or furniture that wasn’t listed — it may affect the time estimate and should be flagged as soon as it’s identified, not at the end of loading.
Moving day conditions vary by home size, access, and location. These guidelines reflect Foosun Moving’s experience across 18 years of Ottawa moves and are intended as general advice — specific situations may require different approaches. Always discuss your specific circumstances with your mover at the quoting stage.