Digital Decluttering Before Moving: Files, Photos & Subscriptions
Update Your Address and Cancel Unused Subscriptions
Start with the essentials: update your address with Canada Post, the SAAQ (for your Quebec driver's licence), Revenu Québec, the CRA, and your bank. Set up mail forwarding through Canada Post — the online form takes five minutes and costs about $75 for a year of forwarding. Do this at least two weeks before your move.
Review every subscription tied to your old address: meal kits, newspaper delivery, gym memberships, Amazon auto-orders, and online shopping accounts. Cancel anything you won't use at your new location. That gym near your old place in Verdun won't help if you've moved to Ahuntsic.
Back Up Files and Organize Your Photos
Moving is the perfect excuse to back up everything. Copy important documents, tax returns, and family photos to an external drive and a cloud service like Google Drive or iCloud. Delete duplicates and blurry shots — most people have thousands of wasted photos eating up storage.
Organize digital files by year or category so you can find them easily after the move. Create a dedicated "Moving Documents" folder with your lease, insurance policy, mover's quote, inventory list, and moving-day contact numbers. Having everything in one place saves frantic searching on moving day.
Preparing Your Tech for the New Home
Schedule your internet transfer or new installation early — in Montreal, providers like Bell and Videotron can take one to two weeks to install, especially during the July 1st moving rush. Book your appointment as soon as you have your new address confirmed.
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Photograph the serial numbers and settings of your router, smart home devices, and TV setup before disconnecting. Label every cable and charger with tape. At your new place, you'll reconnect everything in minutes instead of hours. If you're disposing of old electronics, bring them to an éco-centre — locations in Côte-des-Neiges, LaSalle, and Rivière-des-Prairies accept computers, phones, and cables for free recycling.
