Moving in Quebec City on July 1: 7 junk removal mistakes to avoid

Quebec’s moving day is a unique phenomenon in North America: 300,000 people move on the same day across the province. In Quebec City: rented trucks gone by May, parking impossible, ecocentres saturated, post-move stress peaks. We’ve done hundreds of July 1 interventions. Here are the 7 recurring mistakes.

Mistake #1: Not planning your junk disposal

The mistake: you spend June packing. On June 30, you realize you’re keeping the old couch, the broken microwave, 3 bags of clothes, the 15-year-old desk. The new apartment has no room. Trash or ecocentre? You improvise on July 1 morning.

The consequence: you lose 2 hours during the move looking for a solution. Or worse, you leave things on the sidewalk and get a ticket from the landlord (yes, the old landlord can bill you for what’s left in common areas).

The fix:

• 2-3 weeks before, identify what doesn’t follow you
• Book donation pickups (Renaissance, Saint-Vincent) before June 15
• Book our pickup for June 28-30 (not July 1 — explained below)
• What’s left, ecocentre trip June 29

Mistake #2: Booking the truck on July 1

The mistake: you think to rent a cube van U-Haul for the move. Calling June 15: “fully booked everywhere.”

Why: all rental companies are booked 3-6 weeks before July 1 in Quebec City.

The fix:

• Book in April or May for July 1
• Alternative: professional mover (they have their own trucks, still available in June)
• Or: rent for June 30 (easier availability) and park the loaded truck overnight — if you have access to a secure parking

Mistake #3: Not looking at what’s left at the old place

The mistake: you rush out July 1 morning, leaving behind: a couch on the curb, boxes in the garage, a fridge in the kitchen. You tell yourself “the new tenant will manage.” Or “the landlord will clean.”

The consequence in 2026:

• Your Quebec lease agreement requires you to return the apartment empty and clean
• The landlord is entitled to bill you actual cleanout costs (often $400-800 for a small apartment)
• Worse: unpaid junk disposal charges can be deducted from your security deposit if any, or sent to collections

The fix: a walk-through 48h before leaving. Anything that’s staying: decision now. Either call us, or put it on Marketplace urgent, or ecocentre trip.

Mistake #4: Forgetting parking permits

The mistake: you arrive July 1 morning with the moving truck. You find no legal parking in front of your building (downtown Limoilou, Vieux-Québec, Saint-Roch). Police truck circulates. You get ticketed. Or worse, you block traffic.

The fix:

• In Quebec City, you can request a temporary parking permit from the city (free, via phone) for your moving day
• Reserve 2-3 weeks in advance
• For dense urban zones (Vieux-Québec, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Saint-Roch): this permit is essential — ask for a 20-metre zone to fit your truck

Mistake #5: Underestimating the volume

The mistake: you tell yourself “my small 3½ apartment, it’ll fit in 1 cube van easy.” Reality: you book the 15-foot U-Haul. You finish at 3 PM and only half the stuff is in the truck. You have to do a second trip with what’s left.

Actual volume of a typical Quebec City apartment:

• 2½ (furnished): 150-200 cubic feet — 10-foot truck minimum
• 3½: 300-400 cubic feet — 15-foot truck minimum
• 4½: 500-600 cubic feet — 17-foot truck minimum
• 5½ (full house): 700-900 cubic feet — 20-foot truck or 2 trips

The fix: ask the rental company for their volume calculator (most have one). Add 15% safety margin.

Mistake #6: “I’ll take care of it Monday when I’m settled”

The mistake: you arrive at new place. You unpack. You tell yourself you’ll deal with the old stuff (mattress, old couch you kept “just in case”, boxes of papers) later.

6 months later: it’s still there. You didn’t need it. You pay to store it in your new place.

The fix: one decision during the move. Anything you were iffy about = toss or donate. The emotional cost of getting rid of it later is higher.

Mistake #7: Going to the ecocentre July 1

The mistake: you arrive July 1 at Beauport or Ste-Foy ecocentre with a loaded pickup. You queue for 2 hours.

Why: every Quebec City mover has the same idea. And the ecocentre works first-come-first-served.

The fix:

• June 28 or 29: optimal (ecocentres empty)
• Or July 2, 3 (right after the peak): also empty
• Or ByeBazar pickup: same-day no queue

Quebec City-specific extras

Renting on a tight street (Saint-Roch, Limoilou)

Some streets are too narrow for a cube van. Example: Rue des Franciscains, Rue du Pont (parts). Before renting, check Google Street View and measure in “apparent vehicle width”. Otherwise you might need a dolly and pivot to access — extra 1-2h.

The 3rd floor walk-up and narrow stairs

Typical of the Limoilou plex. The stairs are narrower than standard doorways. A 4-seat IKEA couch doesn’t pass.

• Dismantle before moving (takes 45 min)
• Or remove by window with a mover specialized in hoisting (rare, $)
• Or just get rid of it — most people’s solution

See our detailed article: junk removal in Limoilou.

The summer student solution

If your budget is tight, universities offer student mover services in Quebec City (Laval, UQAR, COOP Mouvement). Rates: $25-35/h/mover, flexible teams. Good for students with small volumes.

Ecocentre limits July 1

Watch out: the 4 free visits / year limit applies per household, not per move. If you’ve already used your quota by June, you pay per cubic metre.

Our “moving service” recommendations

Scenario A: Standard 3½ → 4½, no surprise

• Student or mid-tier mover
• We come June 29 for your discards
• You arrive in your new place July 1 clean

Scenario B: 5½ → 6½, home, much furniture

• Professional mover with insurance
• Our “major cleanout” package for the old house (1-2 trucks)
• Plan 2 days (June 30 + July 1)

Scenario C: Last-minute, no time to organize

• Mover + us on the same day
• We coordinate schedules
• Urgency rate (10-15% premium)

The final checklist

1 month before:

• Book moving truck (if self-move)
• Mover contact confirmed
• ByeBazar call for cleanout quote

2 weeks before:

• Request city parking permit
• Book charity pickups (Renaissance, etc.)
• List items for Marketplace sale

1 week before:

• Final walk-through your place
• What doesn’t follow: decision made (toss, donate, sell)
• Confirm ByeBazar pickup (ideally June 28-30)

Day before (June 30):

• Ecocentre trip if not using our service
• Truck picked up
• Cleaning supplies ready

July 1:

• Arrive at old place 8 AM max
• Load
• Final walk-through old place (empty rooms)
• Drive to new place
• Unload

July 2-3:

• Return truck
• Small items left: final resolution
• Take a breath

For a quote

For a stress-free July 1, call us now — don’t wait until June: 418 506-0077. We reserve your slot in June and everything’s scheduled.