Moving to a new house can be one of the most stressful events we face. It’s a large amount of change over a short time-frame. Add that to your normal daily stress from work and home chores and, as a result, you have something similar to a burnout. But things don’t have to be like that! How can you make the process of moving a little bit easier? Is there a way you can eliminate the stress so that you and your family are able to enjoy the experience of moving to a new place? The answer is yes. And it is called PLANNING. .
Organise everything you have to do before the house move in a checklist. Being able to break your tasks into small chunks will make your life easier. And we are here to help you! We are a removalist company based in Australia and would like to share with you some of our learnings after years helping people move to their dream place. We put together blocks of tasks separated by their recommended timeframe. We hope you like it!
4 to 6 weeks before the move
At this point, you might not even be thinking about the move yet. But remember that the earlier you begin, the better. Start by booking your annual leave from work - it’s important to allocate a couple of days before and after the move. If you’re going overseas, this is the also the time to start organising your notice period with your employer and all the documentation you’ll need for the new country - such as visas, passport, health insurance, etc.
Start by looking at your furniture and vehicles and identifying the large items you’ll need to transport. When you book your trusted removalist company, make sure they also transport heavy items you might have and ask them if they can assist with campervans, motorbikes and other vehicles if this is the case. Also, inquiry your removalist company about the best choices for packaging and storage, depending on your needs. Now it’s the time to start buying bubble wrap and butchers paper for packing, for example, so better start talking to the experts first!
After that, your can start decluttering your home. The best time to get rid of unwanted house items is now. Moving house is a great opportunity for sorting out what you will want to bring with you and what you definitely don’t need in your life anymore. When you start organising your items for the move, label your boxes. It looks unimportant, but will make such a big difference. Label your boxes according to their content. This is to make sure you’ll be able to find your “important items”, “sports items”, “kitchenware” or “pet items” whenever you need them before and after the move.
3 weeks before the move
At this stage, you’ll need to contact water, electricity and gas suppliers to organise the final meter readings. Ideally, these should be completed before the moving date. As we are talking about utilities, now it’s the best time to organise them for your new place too. Get in touch with service providers and don’t forget to compare so that you get the best price for the service.
Have you booked your removalist company yet? If so, don’t forget to notify them about the dates and furniture pick up times. The earlier you do that, the better. Advice your removalist about street access, steep driveaways and best access doorways. It’s important that you know everything about your new home. If you get the chance to obtain the floor-plan in advance, it will help you a lot.
3 weeks before the move is also the time to contact the insurance company and transfer relevant documents so that they have your new address and all documents are properly updated.
And if you still get the chance to, book in advance the cleaning of your current home. This is especially important if you’re leasing it. Rubbish pick up also needs to be organised. Whenever you have free time, start by packing things you won’t need in the following weeks, such as winter sports clothing (depending on the season, of course), books, old electronics and other items that you don’t use daily.
2 weeks before the move
It’s getting closer! Now it’s the time to prepare an inventory of your moving boxes. This list is important not only for you to have everything under control but also to speed up the process of the furniture unloading. In addition to labelling the boxes, we also recommend adding numbers to them so that you remember where everything is.
If you have small children, arrange for someone to take care of them during the move, as this event can be stressful for kids. Start packing kids toys, as well as clothes, shoes and other personal items you and your family are not using at the moment.
1 week before the move
Oh no! More phone calls to make! Organise to have your mail redirected or at least ask a trusted neighbour to hold it until you have it sorted. Also get in touch with babysitters, gardeners and cleaners and advise them about the change.
You still have 7 days to pack the remaining of your things (Don’t leave to do everything last minute!). As you sort and label your boxes, don’t forget to allocate one of them for NECESSITIES, with items such as towels and bed linen, and another box for ESSENTIALS, such as documents, valuables and medication.
Ideally, at this stage you would also start dismantling the beds and other furniture items that come apart. Don’t forget to place screws and bolts into a zip lock bag and put them in the ESSENTIALS box so that you don’t lose anything.
Prepare an action plan for the move date, including details such as furniture pick up time, important phone numbers to call, etc. Also, ensure that your new home is prepared. Most important thing is to check that all utilities have been connected and you have all the information you need about the new suburb. Also, if you haven’t done it yet, arrange how you will transport your pets in the moving day.
rn2 to 3 days before the move
Have you really emptied out sheds, garages, drawers and tops of cupboards? Why not do a final check to make sure? In the final days before the move, it’s time to start getting prepared for the trip. Ensure you service your car and have cash available for any last minute expenses.
Tech items such as laptops and printers need to be properly packed. This is to avoid that they break during the trip. Let your removalist company know about fragile items and preferentially place them together in a safe box.
It’s time to start saying goodbye! Farewell, your current neighbours and make sure they have your new home address just in case.
1 day before the move
Last details to check before the move day! Complete exit reports if you’re leasing your current house. Don’t forget to take photos so that you don’t have any issues with the bond. Make sure you complete the entry form for the new place as it has to be gone prior to furniture and moving boxes going in.
Also empty and defrost the fridge. If there’s any food you’d like to bring with you, it’s important to organise esky and ice to transport them. So, are you ready for the big day?
rnThe moving day
The day has finally arrived! Do a final check to make sure you didn’t miss anything, lock doors and windows and return the keys to the landlord or real estate agent. When your removalist company truck arrives, check off all items as they go into the truck. Make sure to check the condition of your furniture after the unloading.
It’s a lot to think about it, isn’t it? We know! We hope this guide helps you plan your move without stress so that you can enjoy this new phase of your life. Got any friend who is planning a house move? Feel free to share this article with them!