Moving house checklist: key considerations when moving

Moving house can be a busy time, often requiring plenty of careful planning and physical labour. Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, sea- or tree-changing, many of us move house several times over the course of our lives and understand there are many logistics involved in any successful move. To help you on your way, we have put together a moving house checklist of some of the common things you may need to do before you close that front door for the last time.

Some of the steps you often need to take when moving house include:

1. Estimate the size and difficulty of your move
2. Decide if you will use a removalist or do it yourself
3. Collect packing boxes
4. Pack
5. Disconnect and connect all utilities
6. Arrange cleaners
7. Organise insurance
8. Update your address details
9. Redirect your mail
10. Cancel or redirect other regular deliveries

1. Estimate the size and difficulty of your move

Try to estimate how much you have to move, and how it needs to be transported. A little planning could save you money and time in the long run.

Take stock of your belongings. What can go in boxes? How many might you need, and what sizes? Is there anything you don’t want to take and could donate to charity or sell before you move? Do you have any precious items that need extra care? Are there large or awkward-shaped pieces of furniture that will be hard to wrangle out of your home?

Think about what it is going to be like to extract your belongings from your current home, and how easy it will be to access your new place. Do you have stairs to tackle? Are the doors wide enough for your furniture, or will you have to disassemble it beforehand? Can you get the fridge out the front door, or will you need to find another way?

In some cases, it might be prudent to consider what the journey is going to be like. If you’re moving a long distance, how much will it cost in fuel? Will your belongings need extra protection due to rough roads or rural features such as cattle grids?

2. Removalist or DIY move?

When moving, you generally have two choices – moving your belongings yourself (perhaps with the help of friends or family), or finding a professional removalist.

If you are opting to DIY, consider what you need to move. How will you transport everything? How many trips will it take in your car? Will you need to hire a ute, truck or trailer, and how much does this cost (and what’s the deal with insurance)? Can you get larger furniture items to the spots you had planned, such as carrying them up stairs? Do you have any friends that could help? Can you stagger the move over a few days, or even weeks? How much will all this cost in fuel?

If you would rather hire a removalist service, it could be a good idea to obtain a few estimates from different companies and find out what each includes in their deal. For example, can they help you to pack, for an extra fee? Will they reduce the rate if you are on hand to help them? Is it an hourly fee or a set-price contract? Are there mileage costs or any other travel costs (such as if you pay from depot to depot, rather than from old home to new home)? Do they carry insurance and how does that work if something of yours is damaged in the move? Word-of-mouth can be an effective way to find a removalist that has a good track record in your area. You can also check reviews online or consider using a platform like Airtasker to request people nearby to offer their services. It could be a good idea to formally agree on a price in writing before you engage a third party, to avoid last-minute confusion or haggling.

→ Related article: How much do removalists cost?

3. Collect packing boxes and wrapping

Are you packing your household items yourself? If so, you’ll usually need a supply of good-quality moving boxes and strong packing tape that won’t give way. To protect your valuables, you may need paper or bubble wrap for extra cushioning. Many removalists and storage facilities sell wrapping and boxes of varying shapes and sizes, such as wardrobe boxes with a rail for hanging clothes or special padded boxes for breakables. You may also be able to source excess boxes from local shops.

4. Consolidate and pack

When you begin to pack, you may rediscover belongings you had long forgotten about or don’t want to take with you to your next home. Think about whether you need to organise a skip bin to dispose of rubbish, arrange a garage sale for any sellable (but unwanted) items, or donate items to charity. There are also social media groups devoted to ‘free-cycling’, where people can list items the want to give away.

When packing, make sure you use adequate padding for your fragile items and double-check the weight limits of the boxes you are using. If you are moving your belongings yourself, make sure you don’t make the boxes too heavy for you to lift and carry.

Clearly marking which room the box is intended for can speed up the unpacking process at the other end.

5. Disconnect and connect utilities

When you know your move-out date, you can arrange for your utilities to be disconnected at the house you are moving out of, and connected ready for your arrival at your new house. These include:

• Landline/broadband/NBN
• Gas
• Electricity
• Water

Sometimes utility providers will require access to your new house which may mean a delay in getting connected, so it could be worth ensuring you have a contingency plan in place. Our friends at Canstar Blue have put together a guide on everything you’ll need to know about moving house with utilities. There’s also a handy article about utility connection services and how they can help you when moving home.

Double-check if you have any outstanding rates or utility bills. If you can, it could be a good idea to pay them off before you move or let your provider know you are moving, to reduce the risk of losing the paperwork or accidentally accruing late fees.

6. Arrange cleaning

When it comes to cleaning a rental property, often you have a choice of whether you want to do it yourself or hire the services of a professional (depending on which state or territory you live in). There are many cleaners who specialise in helping people who are moving house, whether you want a bond clean after you move out of a rental property, or for your new home to be pristine before you move in. When deciding whether you want to hire a cleaner, keep in mind most bond cleaners guarantee their work, saving you the hassle of returning to finish any cleaning a real estate agent or landlord may deem unsatisfactory, however this option will cost you more than cleaning it yourself.

7. Consider insurance

It’s a good idea to check your insurance if you are planning a move. Are you covered if something is damaged or lost during the trip or while unpacking? If you have an existing contents insurance policy, it may include cover to protect your belongings while in transit. If not, there are other insurance options you can consider, such as transit insurance. Insurance may also be available through your removalist for an extra cost, however, it’s important to check the terms and conditions to understand what is and isn’t covered. For example, does the insurance cover damage that is caused by theft or fire, or just if items are damaged by the removalist?

8. Update your address details

Be sure to tell your service providers what your new address is, to make sure you don’t lose important mail and that your contact details and other important information is kept up to date. In addition to the utilities providers mentioned in step 5 above, these providers could include:

• Banks and any other financial institutions
• Tax and legal advisors
• Medical & dental practitioners
• The Electoral Commission
• Your superannuation fund
• Government agencies, via myGov
• Clubs, associations and other groups
• Your children’s school
• Any subscription services
• The roads authority in your state or territory, who can update your driver’s licence
• Any online shopping websites you use including Amazon, eBay and Book Depository

Also remember to let your friends and family know your new address.

9. Consider redirecting mail

Even if you have proactively updated your address with all your providers, it can still be a good idea to consider redirecting mail from your old house to your new one. By redirecting mail for at least three months, you can see if there are any companies or friends and family who missed the memo. You can apply to redirect your mail on the Australia Post website.

10. Cancel any other regular deliveries

Do you have newspapers or magazines delivered? How about groceries or meal services or other subscription deliveries? Ensure you cancel any regular deliveries to your old address, or relocate them to your new one. Also remember to cancel any other household services you may use such as a gardener or cleaner, or ask them if they can switch over to your new address if you prefer.

Main image source: Abscent/Shutterstock.com