Organisation is the Key to a Smooth Move!
Before the move:
- If renting, advise the landlord or property manager, giving them the required 14 days notice in writing.
- Select a removalist company – make sure you arrange two or three comprehensive quotes and always discuss insurance.
- If you plan to so some or all of your own packing, start well before the scheduled move date. Start with seldom used articles like excess Tupperware, books, DVD’s and board games. Label each box carefully and nominate which room it should be placed into when you arrive at your new home.
- Why pay to move items you no longer want or need? Consider having a garage sale, sell items online or donate to charity – it is amazing the amount of belongings that you will not want to take with you.
- Have a supply of notification cards on hand. It is the best method of informing people about your change of address.
- Advise gas and electricity providers to arrange final readings, disconnections and reconnections at your new address.
- Advise Australia Post and have your mail re-directed to your new home – just in case you missed someone.
- Advise telephone and internet providers for disconnection and reconnection of services.
- Advise the Australian Taxation Office of your new address.
- Look through your wallet for loyalty cards and business cards of other people or companies you may need to notify.
- Advise the Department of Transport and Main Roads of your new address – you can update this online now – and they will send you out Australian Electoral Commission address updates.
- Advise Medicare of your change of address.
- Advise banks, credit card institutions, credit unions and finance companies.
- Advise all insurance companies (health, house, contents, life, income, car etc).
- Advise solicitors, stockbrokers and superannuation funds of your change of address.
- Advise dentist, doctors and other health professionals of your move. Establish the nearest medical centre to your new home; your current GP should be able to help you.
- Advise any publications such as newspapers, journals and magazines of your change of postal address.
- Advise your local library and don’t forget to return any overdue books!
- Close or transfer club memberships (video, gym and sports clubs).
- Establish which local council area you will be moving into and they will be able to inform you which day the wheelie bins are collected in your area.
Last Week Before the Move:
- Tidy the gardens, mow all lawns, weed and remove any rubbish. It is wise to empty fuel from lawn mowers, lamps and fuel heaters, as well as emptying any BBQ or camping gas bottles – they have been known to explode in removalist trucks.
- Organise the carpet cleaners to attend the carpets before you move – this is best arranged for the second last day in the house, AFTER the removalists have been.
- Confirm arrival time with removalists.
- Arrange permits for on-street parking, if required.
- Collect/return anything outstanding (dry-cleaning, items in for repairs etc).
- Cancel all delivery services, such as newspaper, fruit and vegies or pharmaceutical deliveries.
- Defrost the fridge and freezer the night before your move, and have an esky with ice ready for the next day. Keep milk and cold drinks handy for the moving day, as well as an easy to prepare lunch.
- Don’t forget to say goodbye to your neighbours!
Moving Day:
- Arrange for children and pets to stay with friends or relatives for the day. Moving is stressful enough without extra interruptions, or worrying about children and dogs being underfoot.
- Keep valuable documents and keys handy – you may want to move any jewellery or items of value yourself.
- Check telephone, electricity and gas are all connected at your new home.
- Supervise placement of furniture and boxes – if the removalists place these in the correct rooms now, it will save the hassle of finding items later.
- Make a final inspection of the old house to ensure nothing has been forgotten – remember to open every cupboard and drawer, and to look in the garden shed and garage. Don’t forget the manhole, where you may have stored unused items, like the Christmas tree.
- Ensure everything is turned off and locked
Moving with Children:
- Discuss the upcoming move with your family – talk about where you’ll be moving to and show them pictures or take them to look at the new home if you can.
- Allocate tasks to all family members to get them involved and excited,
- Label your children’s belongings so you can find them easily when you arrive in your new home.
- If it’s a long move, ask your children to pick out a special toy to keep them company, and so they don’t feel as if everything is different.
- Take photos of your old house (with and without furniture) so your children can remember their childhood.