Here at Tower Moving we help lots of young people coming to Toronto for a job to relocate to their new apartment. For many of them it’s the first time they’ve left their home city or town so, understandably, it can all be a bit stressful for them (as well as exciting, of course).

We try and make life as easy as possible for first time movers (and multiple time movers of course). We’re already known as a low cost moving company and to keep their living costs as low as possible, we recommend first time movers to this city heed the following advice.

How to keep down the cost of living in your new apartment

  • You know those sturdy cardboard boxes you’ve just used to move your stuff in? Well, try and find a fabric sale, but some designs you love then staple the material onto the box. You can use these newly-designed boxes as attractive storage drawers or even a smart side table for a corner lamp in a dark corner of your sitting room or bedroom.
  • Can’t afford to buy furniture from some of the new designer stores? Then why not opt for the shabby chic look by picking up an old dresser cheap at an auction or second hand sale, painting it then sandpapering it down to make it look ‘authentically’ old? Shabby chic is a look which has really come to the fore in recent years.
  • Clean mirrors and windows in your new home by using vinegar and newspaper. This works a treat and saves you buying expensive – and chemical-laden – cleaner.
  • Got a stuck drawer? Then simply rub the glider down with an old candle that you can pick up cheap in any hardware store. You’ll be impressed at how effective this tip is.
  • Keep utility costs down by affixing ceiling fans. They’ll help cool you down in summer without your electricity bill going sky high. And on the same subject (ie low utility bills, try to air your washing on the line as much as possible rather than use a tumble dryer (these really make the energy meter run fast). Also, never leave electrical goods on standby as this still uses up energy.
  • Another way to keep that utility bill low is to switch all the builds in your apartment to LED. This new form of lighting uses 80 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs and 50 per cent less than halogen. As a result your utility bill reduces by a substantial amount. LED bulbs may be more expensive than other bulbs to buy initially (although they’re coming down in cost all the time) but they more than make up for it in the long run since they last so much longer and, as we mentioned, really help keep those energy bills low.
  • Toilet or kitchen sink clogged up? Don’t waste money by calling out for a plumber. Instead, grab some baking powder and vinegar to successfully unstuck in. Simply pour a cup of baking soda down the plug hole then follow this up with a cup of vinegar. Cover up the plug hole with a cloth so that nothing bubbles over into the sink then after a couple of hours simply rinse the sink and drain with very hot water. Not only will your sink be unclogged, it’ll also be nice and shiny!