Moving into a new home can be quite stressful. It usually entails thorough planning and preparation, and it involves several logistics considerations.

To help you get started on planning your move, we’re sharing a comprehensive moving checklist and a few packing tips that can help make the transition easier. We’re also offering tips and advice gleaned from our professional experience as a removalist company.

Moving House Checklist of To-Do’s

Here’s a moving checklist of the things you should do to help ensure an efficient, well-planned move.

Set a Moving House Budget

Create an itemised checklist of all your expenses, and determine what you can afford. Aside from the cost of hiring removalists, you also have to factor in one-off costs and ongoing costs. One-off costs can include disconnection or connection fees for your utilities, advance payment on rent, if applicable, and parking permits.

Ongoing costs can include utility bills, groceries, internet and phone bills, and contents insurance.

Find a Reputable Removalist

Finding the best removalists for the job can be tough, with all the options available here in Australia. To ensure that you get the right one, do in-depth research. Visit the websites of reputable and highly rated removalists and get moving quotations from them. Ask them any questions you might have, such as how they pack bulky or fragile items and what payment schemes they offer—do they have fixed rates, hourly door-to-door rates, or both?

You can find removalists and read reviews about their services on online directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, True Local, and Infobel. Additionally, you can check the Australian Furniture Removers Association (AFRA) to find removalists that are accredited by the organisation. `

On your moving day, make sure to give your removalist team a comprehensive tour of your old home and provide them with clear moving instructions. Ensure that access pointsto your houseand parking would be readily available. Also, when you get to your new location, give clear directions to the removalist team for the proper placement of furniture.

Arrange for School Transfers

If you have children, it’s best to arrange their school or pre-school transfers months before moving house. Advise their school of your move, and ensure all their records transferred to their new school.

Update Your Address Details and Consider Redirecting Your Mail

Prepare for changing the home address or contact details connected with your bank accounts, phone and internet service providers, insurance companies, and the likes. If you’re doing an interstate move, allot time for finding new utility providers.

Also, notify the electoral office, your company, and your doctors about your move.

Arrange to have mail redirection new house. Contact Australia Post and request for the redirection of all your mail and give them your new address.

Cancel Any Regular Deliveries or Subscriptions and Take Care of Any Outstanding Bills

Have a checklist of regular deliveries, activities, services, or subscriptions tied to your old house. Don’t forget to cancel them, unless you can simply update the address under those relevant accounts once you move. This checklist can include domestic services, such as gardeners or cleaners, that you acquire for your home.

Contact your utility providers, and organise your utilities’ disconnection and reconnection. Double-check if you have any outstanding bills. You can pay them off or inform your provider that you’re moving to a new address to minimise the risk of accruing any late fees.

Confirm the disconnection and reconnection details with your service providers. Details can include the disconnection or reconnection schedule, as well as your new home address for the reconnection of your utilities.

Secure Car Transport and Storage Space

If you need to have your vehicles relocated, be it a car, a boat, or caravan, book your car transport appointment before your moving day.

You may need to rent storage facilities for your move as well. If you think you’ll be needing storage, it’s also best to book them months ahead to prevent having to opt for more expensive last-minute storage options.

Create a Floor Plan for Your New Home

Another important part of your moving house checklist is coming up with a furniture floor plan for your new house to make furniture placement on moving day easier. This includes taking room measurements and checking if everything you have will fit.

This will also give you enough time to replace any furniture that won’t fit into your new configuration.

File for a Work Leave

Talk to your boss about your moving house, and apply for leave ahead of time. Your time off work will largely depend on the scale of your move. You may need a day or two off work for a small move or a few more days off if it’s a large-scale move.

Collect Packing Boxes

Assess how much you need to pack and start getting packing materials, such as sturdy boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape, and markers.

If you haven’t secured packing boxes, bubble wrap, and rolls of warning tape packing paper and packing tape, yet, you can request your removalist team to provide you with the materials you’ll need.

Consolidate and Pack Your Items

A fortnight before your moving day is an optimal time to start packing the things you’ll be bringing with you to your new home.

One of the best packing tips and one of the first steps you should take to save on time and money when you’re moving house is to declutter. See if you and your family have items that you don’t want to take with you to your new address. Sort your belongings and identify the things you can dispose of.

You can organise a garage sale for all your unwanted but still usable items. You can also opt to donate some of your pre-loved things, such as old toys or books. You can even consider selling furniture or appliances that you’d rather just replace when you move.

Also, another important piece of advice is to create a checklist for each box you’ll fill to make keeping track of your belongings easier. Make sure all your boxes are properly labelled.

Once you’re done packing, make sure all boxes are sealed and all container lids are secured.

You can hire help to take care of the end-to-end packing process. It will cost more, but getting professional services from removalists can help you save time and energy. You can also have peace of mind from knowing that all your things are properly packed and handled.

Set Aside Moving Day Essentials

Pack all the items that you would need for moving day in a separate box that you can keep with you during transit. You’d want to be able to find and access things like keys, water, credit cards, medication, and chargers quickly.

Also, pack separate bags for your partner or children. Ready a moving survival kit. Prepare clothes, toiletries, toilet paper, kitchen items, books, toys, and other items you may need during your first week in your new house.

Finally, have some extra cash on hand for any last minute expenses.

Arrange for a Cleaning Service and Prepare for Property Turnover

Before moving day, collect all the house keys to your current house, including any spare keys that you may have given to friends and family. Review your house checklist, and ensure you haven’t forgotten anything.

Hire a respected service to help you clean your current house right before or after you move to your new home.

Before going, lock all the doors and windows of the house you’re leaving. Don’t forget to turn off your hot water system, if necessary. You can also opt to leave a note with a forwarding address with contact details if you’re still expecting any mail or deliveries.

Additional Moving Tips

Here are other things that should be part of your moving house checklist when readying for moving day.

Obtain Transit Insurance

A lot of unexpected things can happen on the road, and there’s always risk with every move. Organising transit insurance for your move helps ensure that your belongings would be protected and that you would get compensated should anything get damaged during transit. Check your household insurance provider’s insurance policies to see coverage scope and conditions.

Talk to Your Real Estate Agent

Work with a reputable real estate agent to make the house transition easier. Real estate agents not only assist you in looking for new homes and choosing the best one to suit your needs, but they can also help you sell your old home. They’d also be able to offer tips that can help make moving more efficient.

Prepare for Moving Plants and Pets

If you have indoor house plants, sprinkle them with water and place them in plastic-lined containers.

If you have pets, moving to a new home can be a bit more challenging. The whole ordeal can be stressful for them as well. To help them through the trip, pack pet essentials, like food, water, and toys. If you’re moving interstate, take your pet to the vet for a thorough check-up before you leave. Invest in pet travel crates, harnesses, or restraints.

Alternatively, you can also hire a pet travel crate, particularly if you’re not taking your pet on any other trip. If travelling long distances, give your pet exercise breaks. The last stages of moving can be stressful for them. They might feel anxious or overwhelmed at all the movement involved upon arriving at your new home.

If possible, move your pets to a cattery or kennel to help keep them calm.

Clean Out Your Fridge and Properly Pack Perishables

Defrost your fridge and empty it. Use an esky to transport ice and any food you might still have. It’s best to consume perishables left in your fridge or house pantry. Read more about moving your fridge here.

Back Up Files and Organise Moving Documents and Incidentals

Make sure that all your important digital files are backed up safely before moving house. You can opt to give file copies to a friend or a family member for safekeeping.

One of the most fundamental components in your moving house checklist is your moving documents, including quotes and receipts. Put them all in one folder, preferably a waterproof one. Moreover, place all your important documents, such as medical records, car registration, and birth certificate, in a separate folder.

Other steps you should take before moving house are returning all borrowed items, such as library books or rented DVDs, collecting your dry cleaning, and preparing and refilling prescriptions, so you’d have enough to last you for a couple of weeks after transfer.

Dispose of Dangerous Items

Another house checklist essential is handling dangerous items in your home, such as gas cylinders and air bottles. Make sure to dispose of them properly. Empty them out and keep the valves open. Contact local waste disposal companies to arrange for and ensure the safe and proper disposable of any dangerous items.

Other Tips for Adjusting to Your New Home

Communicating with friends and family can be difficult during this transition period. Don’t forget to leave your contact number with them, so they can still easily reach you even if you’ve moved away. Take the time to say goodbye to your neighbours and to people close to you.

Researching on and exploring your new neighbourhood before your move ensure that you’d be prepared for the big change. Find out what amenities are available to you and where they are located. Get tips on the best food and leisure spots, and look up available modes of transportation, such as buses or trains.

If you have very young children or pets, it might help to give them familiar items, like clothing or toys, to help them settle into their new environment.

Do You Need to Hire a Removalist Service?

Handling all aspects of the moving process on your own is possible, but it can be stressful and costly, particularly if you consider factors such as hiring vehicles, buying packing boxes, and taking time off work. You also have to ensure that all your belongings, from bulky furniture to fragile decor, are properly packed and handled. Not using the proper packing supplies can cause a whole host of problems, from boxes collapsing to items getting damaged.

When moving to a new home, you might want to hire a removalist company. Professional removalists are equipped with the right knowledge and materials, enabling them to properly handle the removal process every step of the way, from packing your belongings to unloading them to your new home.

Some moving companies also offer additional services, such as packing and unpacking assistance, plus aid in securing the right packing materials.

If you’re moving interstate, it would be difficult or expensive to turn back home to collect items you have forgotten. This is why it’s important to consider hiring a professional moving company that can help you prepare and coordinate with you every step of the way.

Whether you’re moving to another suburb or you’re moving interstate, hiring professional and experienced removalists to give you moving assistance can help you achieve a stress-free move. It can save you time and allow you to focus on starting a new chapter of your life.

We at Sydney Moving understand that while every move is different, it still requires thorough planning and preparation. We take great pride in our capacity to satisfy customers through our wide range of moving services.  Our clients are usually repeat businesses or customers acquired through word of mouth. They serve as a testament to our removalist expertise.

We strive to make your transition to your new home as stress-free as possible. Contact us today and ask for a free moving quote. We’re proud to say that as an Australian removalist company, we keep Sydney moving.