Packing for a Move Considered One of the Most Highly Procrastinated Activities for Canadians

Kelowna, BC, June 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

• 35% of Canadians admit to doing their packing in the last few days before a move
• BC residents surpass Ontario as the most likely to feel stress about moving
• 30% of Canadians consider moving to be more stressful than quitting smoking or starting a family

KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, (June 13, 2018) - The busiest moving day of the year, June 30, is fast approaching and Canadians are increasingly stressed about moving to a new home. According to research conducted by prominent moving and storage company, BigSteelBox, Canadians are 9% more stressed about moving than they were in 2017. Speaking to customers, in addition to the stress of moving, the downturn in the real estate market and the new mortgage lending rules has led to increased stress.

BigSteelBox surveyed over 1,000 adults across Canada and of the 64% who had moved recently, 75% admitted it was a stressful experience. This is a 9% increase over last year’s survey in which 66% of survey respondents found moving to be a stressful venture.

British Columbians were some of the most stressed out, with 17% of respondents saying moving is “extremely stressful”. In fact, 36% of British Columbians consider moving to be more stressful than starting a new job, quitting smoking or starting a family. British Columbians also experienced the most sticker shock when it came to their moves, with 46% saying costs were higher than expected.

“It’s not surprising that British Columbians are experiencing more stress than the rest of Canada when it comes to moving,” comments Brian Hawkins, Director of Operations at BigSteelBox. “We’ve definitely noticed the effects that increasing housing costs, new taxes and mortgage lending rules, and gas prices have had on our BC customers.”

The stress Canadians face around moving is likely a huge contributing factor to their procrastination when it comes to packing. Ontario residents are the most likely to put off packing with 38% admitting they leave packing until a few days before the move. Canadians in the Prairie Provinces take the longest to unpack with 58% waiting at least one month or more to finish setting up their homes. Some survey respondents even admitted they would rather update their social media than start unpacking immediately after a move.

Other survey highlights include:

• 55% of Canadians immediately start unpacking once they’ve finished their move, but for 17% of the country, the top priority after a move is ordering takeout
• Friends and family are on the hook when a loved one moves, with 49% of Canadians using assistance from friends and family when they move
• Unpredictable cost is the biggest concern for 39% of Canadians when it comes to hiring a moving company
• Canadian men prefer a good work out to destress while moving, but Canadian women prefer to get their house organized and have a glass of wine

Hawkins notes that, “There are ways to plan a move that can help minimize additional stress, especially when the cost of a move is a major stress point for most Canadians.”

BigSteelBox has supported over 38,000 Canadians with their moving and storage needs. With that in mind, they recommend the following tips to help avoid procrastination and minimize costs:

1. Give yourself more time than you think you need. Packing often takes longer than expected and it’s important to not leave it to the last minute.
2. Do your research! See all of the options that are out there and then make an educated decision based on your budget, capacity, and physical abilities.
3. When you’re packing, label your boxes and create a master legend. This helps make unpacking a quicker, less stressful experience because everything is already organized.
4. Don’t overwhelm yourself – focus on packing / unpacking one individual room at a time based on your individual needs.
5. Understand the different costs of moving options – most long distance moving companies will charge by weight, which is hard to estimate upfront and can lead to a final bill much larger than the initial quote. BigSteelBox charges by the size and number of steel shipping containers you use, so we can guarantee your quote will match your final charge.
6. Using a container-based solution like BigSteelBox, is one of the best ways to reduce stress, because you have more time to complete your move. The Box rents by the month, so you can have a couple weeks before and after your move day to pack and unpack at your own pace.

-30-

About BigSteelBox
BigSteelBox is a leading provider of mobile storage solutions in Canada, helping make moving and storage simple and stress free. With 27 locations across Canada, their storage options can be tailored to meet the needs of any residential, construction or commercial customer, bringing the storage to them when and where they need it and managing all aspects of transportation. BigSteelBox makes moving and storage simple.

Note to editors: Written by BigSteelBox and conducted using Google Surveys, June 2018.