Arizona here we come!
As fall approaches and the weather cools, those of us in the north prepare to our return to the sunny warmth of Arizona.
ARIZONA HERE WE COME! Get, ready, get set, .... well not quite yet but before you know it, Snowbirds will be packing up and heading south to "paradise" once more.Hard to believe it's that time of the year again but some of you, depending where you are, may already be seeing some leaves changing colour.
Many of you are old hands at the art of packing up and moving countries but for those who are new to this it can seem like a daunting task. The first thing you want to do is start a check list. Each person’s situation is different so no two lists would look the same.
Is your passport up to date? Drivers license renewed? Make sure they are valid through the entire time out of the country. These are things that really need to be planned well in advance as they take time to process.
Speaking of vehicles, if you leave a vehicle at home, look into removing the license plates and insurance. Some companies will allow you to just leave fire coverage on the vehicle. Disconnect the battery or put it on a slow trickle charger. (Check with your dealership)
Make sure your credit cards don't expire while you are away as many companies won't mail them out of the country and you'd have to call from you home phone to activate a new card so check with your own credit card companies to explore your options in advance.
Don't forget to arrange for your Out of Country medical insurance. You can’t apply until you are within 45 days of the start of your trip, but you can get quotes now. Make sure you have seen your doctor and have all the necessary drugs you will need while you are away.
If you are going to have your mail forwarded by Canada Post (Highly Recommended) You can get the form needed now and fill in the necessary information.
Check with your house insurance and find out what frequency your Canadian residence needs to be visited to keep your home insured. Make arrangements with a friend or family member to make the necessary visits. Make sure they know their way around your house and are aware of any quirks it may have.
Prepare your house and make sure the furnace has been serviced recently. Remember to turn off your water before you leave. Arrange with the phone company to either put your phone on suspension (which saves your phone number for your return) or have it cancelled completely. Another option is to arrange for call forwarding. If you have a home-alarm system, you may not be able to cancel or suspend your phone service. Check this out well in advance. Set some of your lights on timers, in different areas of your home. Make sure the cords are in good shape and the bulbs are fresh and won't burn out in a month. Arrange for someone to check and make sure flyers aren't lying around in front of your home while you're away.
Get set up in advance to have your bills sent to you electronically. It means less paper coming but also you can keep track of your bills and payments from anywhere.
Make a list, check it twice, and maybe share you list with a friend to see if you've missed anything. A good idea if you can is to set an area aside in your home where you start to store things to go south. When it's time to pack away your summer clothes, put them into large plastic storage containers which you can pack in the car rather than bulky suitcases. I keep an ongoing list of what I can't buy in the USA and need to take south with me and then once there, a list of what's not available in Canada that I want to take home.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don't be! Remember how fantastic you feel every day when you look up at the sky and see that blue, blue sky and sunshine. No snow to shovel!
Don't forget to make advance hotel reservations for your trip south, especially if you're traveling at the end/beginning of the month when traffic is heavier.
1....2....3.... Let's go!
ARIZONA HERE WE COME!
ARIZONA HERE WE COME! Get, ready, get set, .... well not quite yet but before you know it, Snowbirds will be packing up and heading south to "paradise" once more.Hard to believe it's that time of the year again but some of you, depending where you are, may already be seeing some leaves changing colour.
Many of you are old hands at the art of packing up and moving countries but for those who are new to this it can seem like a daunting task. The first thing you want to do is start a check list. Each person’s situation is different so no two lists would look the same.
Is your passport up to date? Drivers license renewed? Make sure they are valid through the entire time out of the country. These are things that really need to be planned well in advance as they take time to process.
Speaking of vehicles, if you leave a vehicle at home, look into removing the license plates and insurance. Some companies will allow you to just leave fire coverage on the vehicle. Disconnect the battery or put it on a slow trickle charger. (Check with your dealership)
Make sure your credit cards don't expire while you are away as many companies won't mail them out of the country and you'd have to call from you home phone to activate a new card so check with your own credit card companies to explore your options in advance.
Don't forget to arrange for your Out of Country medical insurance. You can’t apply until you are within 45 days of the start of your trip, but you can get quotes now. Make sure you have seen your doctor and have all the necessary drugs you will need while you are away.
If you are going to have your mail forwarded by Canada Post (Highly Recommended) You can get the form needed now and fill in the necessary information.
Check with your house insurance and find out what frequency your Canadian residence needs to be visited to keep your home insured. Make arrangements with a friend or family member to make the necessary visits. Make sure they know their way around your house and are aware of any quirks it may have.
Prepare your house and make sure the furnace has been serviced recently. Remember to turn off your water before you leave. Arrange with the phone company to either put your phone on suspension (which saves your phone number for your return) or have it cancelled completely. Another option is to arrange for call forwarding. If you have a home-alarm system, you may not be able to cancel or suspend your phone service. Check this out well in advance. Set some of your lights on timers, in different areas of your home. Make sure the cords are in good shape and the bulbs are fresh and won't burn out in a month. Arrange for someone to check and make sure flyers aren't lying around in front of your home while you're away.
Get set up in advance to have your bills sent to you electronically. It means less paper coming but also you can keep track of your bills and payments from anywhere.
Make a list, check it twice, and maybe share you list with a friend to see if you've missed anything. A good idea if you can is to set an area aside in your home where you start to store things to go south. When it's time to pack away your summer clothes, put them into large plastic storage containers which you can pack in the car rather than bulky suitcases. I keep an ongoing list of what I can't buy in the USA and need to take south with me and then once there, a list of what's not available in Canada that I want to take home.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don't be! Remember how fantastic you feel every day when you look up at the sky and see that blue, blue sky and sunshine. No snow to shovel!
Don't forget to make advance hotel reservations for your trip south, especially if you're traveling at the end/beginning of the month when traffic is heavier.
1....2....3.... Let's go!
ARIZONA HERE WE COME!