Montreal moving day checklist: what to fix, patch and assemble around July 1

The best way to survive Montreal moving day is to book early and split the work into stages: movers and helpers six weeks out, repairs to the old place two weeks out, and assembly, mounting and anchoring once you’re in the new apartment. This moving day checklist covers the handyman side of a July 1 move, from patching nail holes before you hand back the keys to putting the bed frame back together.

Why is July 1 moving day in Quebec?

July 1 is moving day in Quebec because most residential leases in the province start on July 1 and end on June 30. Since so many leases expire on the same day, tens of thousands of households move at once, on the same day the rest of Canada celebrates Canada Day, a national holiday.

The tradition goes back to the 1970s. Leases used to start on May 1, and Quebec moved the usual date to July 1 in 1973 and 1974 so families wouldn’t have to move in the middle of the school year. Today the 1er juillet, or premier juillet, is simply “le jour du déménagement” for many Quebecers, in Montreal, Quebec City and across the province.

You can move on a different date if your lease allows it. Leases can begin on any date, but most rental properties in Montreal still follow the July 1 cycle. For anything about your rights as a tenant, notices or your landlord, check your lease and the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL).

When should you book movers for July 1 in Montreal?

Book movers as early as you can, ideally by early May. Booking moving help in March or April is even better. Moving companies get fully booked for the days around July 1st, and the ones still open in late June often charge more because of high demand. Truck rental is the same story: a moving truck or a van for June 30 or July 1 can be gone weeks ahead.

If you can choose your moving date, a weekday in late June or a few days after 1 July is usually an easier day to move, and often cheaper than the day itself. Plan ahead for helpers too. Friends who said yes in April have a way of getting busy on moving week.

One thing to know: we’re a handyman service, not a mover, so we don’t move furniture or deliver anything. We take care of the work around the move.

What should you do 6 weeks before moving day?

Six weeks out, lock in the big bookings and decide what you’re bringing.

• Book the mover or the truck rental and confirm the date and time in writing.
• Book a handyman for furniture disassembly before the move and reassembly after. The last week of June fills up fast for us too.
• Go through each room and decide what you’ll sell, donate or throw out. Every piece you don’t move is one less thing to carry up a Plateau staircase.
• Start collecting cardboard boxes, tape and markers.
• Measure the new place: doorways, stairs and the spots where the bed, sofa and TV will go.

What should you fix before leaving an apartment?

Before you hand back the keys, patch the nail and screw holes, touch up scuffed paint, and take down anything you mounted. Most landlords expect the apartment back in reasonable shape, and small repairs are much easier to do before the boxes come out than on moving day. What’s expected depends on your lease, so read it first and check with the TAL if you’re not sure about your rights.

The usual list we see on a Montreal move-out:

• Fill nail holes and anchor holes from pictures, shelves and curtain rods
• Patch larger holes left by a TV mount, in drywall or plaster
• Touch up paint on scuffed walls, or repaint a room you painted a bold colour
• Take down the TV bracket, shelves and blinds you installed
• Tighten loose door handles and cabinet knobs

For drywall and plaster holes, our drywall and plaster repair service covers small patches and cracks. For paint, our interior painting team buys the paint and supplies, and you pay the store receipt. In older plexes the paint colour is often hard to match, so painting a full wall corner to corner looks better than dabbing spots.

What should you do 2 weeks before moving day?

Two weeks out, start packing and change your address.

• Pack the rooms you use least, and label every box with the room it goes to in the new address.
• Change your address with Canada Post, your bank, your employer and the government.
• Transfer or open your Hydro-Québec account for the new apartment, and book internet installation. Internet installers get busy around July 1 too.
• Book any patching and painting at the old place so it’s done before the furniture leaves.
• Check the rules at the new building. Some condos and apartments have moving hours or elevator bookings.

What should you do during moving week?

During moving week, take the furniture apart, keep the hardware together and pack a first-night box.

• Take apart beds, wardrobes, desks and tables that won’t fit through doors or stairs. Bag the screws for each piece, tape the bag to the largest panel and label it.
• Take the TV off the wall and keep the bracket screws with it.
• Pack a first-night box: sheets, towels, toilet paper, chargers, a drill, an Allen key set, snacks and water. It’s usually hot on July 1.
• Get parking sorted for the moving truck. Ask your borough about the rules on your street.
• Do a last walk-through of the old place once it’s empty and fix anything you missed.

Our furniture assembly and disassembly service handles IKEA and other brands, and we label the hardware so reassembly goes quickly.

What should you do after moving day?

After the move, put the furniture back together, anchor anything tall and get the TV and curtains up. That’s when the new place starts to feel like home.

1. Reassemble beds first, so everyone has somewhere to sleep.
2. Rebuild wardrobes, dressers and bookcases, and anchor tall pieces to the wall with anti-tip hardware, especially with kids in the house.
3. Mount the TV. Our guide on how high to mount a TV helps you pick the spot, and our TV mounting service covers drywall, plaster, brick and concrete. We don’t supply the bracket, so bring yours.
4. Hang curtain rods and blinds. Montreal summers are bright and you’ll want them up the first week.
5. Install shelves, mirrors and pictures once the furniture is in place.

We can do all of this in one visit, which keeps the travel fee to one charge.

How much does handyman help cost around moving day?

Our rate is $60 per hour with a one-hour minimum, plus a $50 travel fee per visit, with no tax added to the hourly rate. You can pay by cash or e-transfer. A bed frame or a desk is often under an hour, a large wardrobe can take a few hours, and patching a few holes plus a paint touch-up is usually a short visit. Send us photos or a list and we’ll give you a free quote. Our guide to handyman cost in Montreal has more examples.

Around July 1 our schedule fills up, so last-minute bookings are hard. Weekend and same-day visits are sometimes possible, depending on the schedule, but don’t count on it for moving week.

Moving day FAQ

Need a hand around moving day?

Tell us what needs fixing at the old place and what needs building at the new one, and we’ll plan the visits. Call +1 (514) 757-1985 or send us a message through our contact page. We work in English and French across Montreal, Laval, Brossard, Longueuil and nearby areas.