How to Make a Moving Inventory for Your Ottawa or Gatineau Quote

By 6Thirteen Moving & Storage

A bedroom count is a starting point, but it does not tell movers whether you have a sectional sofa, a workshop or a full storage locker. A useful inventory shows what is actually coming with you and what will need extra planning.

When you request a quote from 6Thirteen Moving & Storage, a room by room list and a few clear photos help explain the move. You do not need to catalogue every spoon. Focus on furniture, packed containers, unusual items and access at both addresses.

1. Walk through each room

Start at the entrance and work through the home in one direction. List each large piece separately and add quantities. “Bedroom furniture” leaves room for confusion; “one queen mattress, one bed frame, two nightstands and one tall dresser” is much clearer.

Include closets, balconies, sheds, garages, basements and separate storage lockers. For a condo in Ottawa or an apartment in Gatineau, note whether the locker is on another floor or in another building.

Mark anything you plan to sell, donate or move yourself as “not included.” If a sale falls through, update the list rather than assuming there is room for the extra piece.

2. Count boxes, bags and bins separately

Ten small book boxes take up a different amount of space from ten large plastic totes. Group containers by type and approximate size. If packing is unfinished, label the count as an estimate and identify the rooms still left to pack.

Count suitcases, wardrobe boxes and large moving bags too. Avoid counting the same belongings twice: if the contents of a bookcase are included in your box estimate, list the bookcase itself separately without adding those books again.

3. Describe furniture that needs a closer look

Flag large, heavy, delicate or complicated pieces. Useful details include:

• Whether a sectional separates into sections.
• Whether a bed has drawers, a lifting mechanism or an adjustable base.
• The make and model of exercise equipment, when known.
• Glass tops, stone surfaces, mirrors and other removable parts.
• Furniture assembled inside a room that may need to come apart to leave it.

Use manufacturer information for weight when available. Otherwise, say the weight is unknown. Do not lift a heavy item or dismantle equipment just to gather details for a quote. Ask the team what information is needed first.

4. Take photos that answer a specific question

Take one wide photo of each room, then closer photos of items that need explanation. Show the full piece rather than only the top or front. For a large sofa or cabinet, include approximate width, depth and height with units clearly marked.

Photograph tight turns, narrow doorways and stairs separately. A furniture photo cannot show whether the route out of the room is workable. Measurements help with planning, but a single doorway measurement does not confirm that an item can make every turn.

Keep personal paperwork, faces, entry codes and other private details out of the photos. Send your inventory privately to the moving team rather than posting it publicly.

5. Add an access note for each stop

Keep your furniture list and access details together. Record the pickup and delivery addresses, floor levels, stairs, elevator reservations and the route between the entrance and truck parking. If you do not know a detail at the new property, mark it “to confirm.”

For moves between Ottawa and Gatineau, include full addresses and any additional stops instead of describing the trip only by neighbourhood. If belongings are going to storage, label those items clearly.

A simple inventory format you can copy

This is an illustrative example, not a customer move. Replace the entries with your belongings:

• Living room: 1 sofa, 1 coffee table, 1 TV stand. Add sofa dimensions and identify any glass top.
• Bedroom: 1 bed frame, 1 mattress, 2 nightstands. State bed size and whether dismantling is needed.
• Containers: 12 small boxes, 8 medium boxes, 3 bins. Estimated count; kitchen packing not finished.
• Storage locker: 2 shelving units, 4 bins. Separate floor; confirm elevator access.

Before you send it, check what has changed

Date your inventory and send one consolidated update if you add or remove items. Mention packing help, dismantling and extra stops explicitly. A written list helps the team plan, but it does not by itself confirm truck size, crew arrangements or the booking. Wait for the team to review those details with you.

For the rest of your preparation, follow our Ottawa and Gatineau moving checklist and review our moving services.