Moving all your belongings from one place to another, even if it’s just across the city, can often cause a whole bunch of stress and headaches. Not only do you have to get everything out of your old place and down those stairs you can’t imagine how you got anything up, but you have to clean, get the keys to the new place and of course the big one, actually getting all your stuff safely to the new place. It’s a huge project to say the least.

It is always great when you have a whole bunch of helping hands, a few friend’s with pick up trucks and a clear sunny day to make the move, but as we all know, often times things just don’t work out as planned. Those who said they would be at you place at 9 am sharp with their pick up trucks to help hump your heavy furniture out of your old place are milking a hangover from a late night at the bar. The notoriously unpredictable Vancouver weather doesn’t cooperate and all your furniture is left out in the elements in the bed of the one pick up that was able to make it. Then as you were not equipped or careful enough in securing everything down properly, you end up having your personal property scattered across the highway mid-move at 100 km/hr.

Avoiding all these potential pitfalls when making your move will save you a whole lot of stress, headaches, stained friendships, time and in some cases money. The best way to ensure a smooth move is by borrowing, if you’re lucky enough to have access to one, or renting a cargo van to transport all your stuff. By doing so you will ensure you have a vehicle capable to haul and protect all your belongings and know that come moving day it will be in your driveway ready for action. It only requires the number of people you would need to get your stuff out of your old place as packing and driving the cargo van is pretty straightforward.

Getting the large box trucks for moving is unnecessary unless you are transporting a whole household and often will go underutilized meaning you’ll pay for something you didn’t really need or use in the first place. There’s is also the difficultly of driving those large trucks and on the larger gas bill as they are thirsty beasts to consider. More times then not the large box trucks are too difficult for inexperienced big vehicle drivers to get into some driveways in through those narrow downtown alleys and can end up costing you a whole lot when the rental company notices a scuff or ding from a passing tree branch.

For most moves, a cargo van will give you all the capacity, easy of access and protection you’ll need. Some basic planning and level one Tetris skills should be all you require to get your big bulky belongings into cargo vanload. Any extra space can be filled with odds and ends and the rest of your more manageable items can be moved in your car. Worse case scenario is you need to make two trips but not being as big as a gas-guzzler as the box trucks it’s not all that bad.

Creative use of space, hinging doors and a little ingenuity… the seemingly daunting job can be done easily at minimal cost, and before you know it, with just 2 people. If you have the help of a moving dolly to save your back muscles even better! There are many places to rent cargo vans in Vancouver, but an affordable option with great customer service and availability is Pacific Car Rentals. They have two locations in downtown Vancouver so they are ideal for anyone moving to, from or in between places in Yaletown, Coal Harbour or Kitsilano… they also rent moving dollies!