No matter where you’re moving, or what size your home is, moving can cause a lot of headaches. From packing to organizing to finding a reputable company and more, moving can be overwhelming and daunting to most people. In an effort to ease the stress of moving, we’ve talked to the industry experts in moving and relocation. Using their extensive experience, we designed this moving house checklist and guide to keep you organised and on track for your next move, so you can ditch the headache this time around.
Your Week By Week Moving House Checklist
To help you get the most out of our checklist for moving houses, we’ve broken it down into four manageable weeks, guaranteed to prepare you for the big moving day. While we suggest getting organised for your move plenty of time in advance, giving yourself four weeks should be enough for even the most complex moves. So let’s get into it, get your free printable PDF checklist to stay accountable and organised as we tackle week four.
Four Weeks Until The Move
Four weeks prior to your move, you’ll want to focus on organisation. This is a good time to make a plan on how you’ll tackle your move and to get in touch with any moving businesses to support you.
Inventory: Start by taking inventory of each room in your home and what will need to be packed, organised and moved. This can help you get an idea of the scope of your move and what will be required.
Supplies: After taking inventory, make a list of the supplies you’ll need. Supplies can include boxes, tape, protective wrapping, labels, markers and whatever else can keep you organised. Purchase your supplies early to give yourself extra packing time.
Research: Start researching which moving company you’ll use for your move. Finding a trusted moving company that you can rely on is essential for a stress-free move. Your final moving date may even depend on the availability of your chosen company so getting this out of the way early is important.
Some extra steps to take in week four include:
- Give your landlord notice of your departure.
- Settle outstanding balances on utilities, bills and payments related to the house.
- Reroute your mailing address and updating your address on documents.
- Inquire about insurance to protect your items from theft or damage during the move.
- Book a cleaning service for after your move.
- Start eating from your fridge and freezer. This always takes longer than you think!
Three Weeks Until The Move
Three weeks prior to the move means it's time to get packing. Starting with the rooms you use the least, pack and store any items you don’t use daily. It's also a good idea to start with the rooms that will take the longest to pack. Attics, storage rooms, and pantries are good places to start from.
In week three you’ll want to tackle:
- Pack as many items as you can that you won’t need prior to the move.
- Take key documents and important items and store them safely in a file to take with you the day of.
- Start organizing important items that you may wish to move to the new property yourself. (e.g. antiques, photo albums, valuable items etc.)
- Let your friends, family and neighbours know that you’re moving - they may be able to help!
- Arrange the set-up and installation of utilities at your new property. You may be able to reroute your existing ones depending on the distance you’re travelling.
- Arrange any permits or licenses needed for you or your removalist. This can include parking at your new home or temporary street parking for your removalists on moving day.
Two Weeks Until The Move
Two weeks? It’s crunch time. Now is a good time to pack up everything but the essentials. By the end of week two, the only things not boxed up should be your daily items and a selection of clothes. The kitchen is an exception as we know you’re still working through all that freezer food. For families preparing for a big move, we suggest leaving the kitchen to last and packing it only a few days before you move. This can save you the costs of takeout and ensure you’re properly fueling everyone for the big move.
By the end of week two, try to accomplish:
Confirm all of your services and appointments. Check in with your removalist, cleaners, caregivers and whoever else you’ve booked in to make the process smoother.
Check on your supplies. Having extra boxes and bins to throw any remaining items in can save you in a pinch. Purchase any additional supplies you may need for the big day.
Run your remaining errands in your local area. Depending on where you're moving, it could be some time before you find a new dentist or doctor so getting an appointment before you move can help.
One Week Until The Move
It’s officially crunch time and if you’ve been following this checklist, you should be well prepared for the big moving day. The final week is all about tying up loose ends and taking care of the details.
In your last week you should:
- Eat as much as possible from your fridge and freezer.
- Pick up any rental cars or trucks used for the move.
- Connect with your removalist company to arrange moving day plans.
- Disassemble any furniture you can manage.
- Dispose of any rubbish you have accumulated during the packing process.
- Pack an overnight bag for each member of your household.
Moving Day Expectations
Now that you’ve followed this checklist for moving houses in Australia, you should be all set for moving day. Prior to your moving day, your removalist company should have outlined the services they provide on the day of the move. Depending on your service, you may be responsible for disassembling furniture, which we suggest doing first thing in the morning on moving day. After everything is ready to go, pack your personal belongings and valuable items into your own vehicle if you are using one. Once your removalists load your items into their truck, they’ll meet you at your new location and help you unload them into your new home. Once this is complete, circle back to your original location and do a last sweep of the property to ensure nothing is left behind and that you're leaving it in clean condition, especially if you were renting.
Stress-Free Moving Tips
Start early: Everything takes longer than you think it will when it comes to packing, organizing and eating out your fridge and freezer. Give yourself plenty of time prior to your move to get organised.
Label everything: Nothing makes unpacking easier than a well-labelled system. We suggest labelling every box with its room and contents. This can help your removalist company unload your belongings into the correct room of your new home.
Wrap breakable items: Your belongings may go through a lot of wear and tear as they are moved to their new home. Always wrap and pack breakable items to protect them from damage.
Book early: Many removalists and cleaning companies book out in advance making your moving date subject to their availability. Always book your services well in advance to accommodate your desired moving date. In Australia, moving is more common in the Winter months so we suggest calling ahead as soon as you have a date in mind.
Protect your essentials: We always recommend keeping your valuable items with you at all times. Despite the best efforts of your removalist, damage can happen during the move. Keeping your valuable items with you during the move can help you protect them and keep them accounted for throughout the entire process.
Arrange for child and pet care: Children and pets can add to the stress of moving day. Consider moving on a day when your children are at school or have activities planned and consider investing in a pet sitter for the day to take the added stress away from the move. Nobody wants dogs running around when they're trying to lift heavy furniture into the moving truck.
Looking to Move?
After following this home moving checklist, you should be more than prepared to handle your next big move. When choosing your moving and removalist service, it's important to invest in a reliable business that will take care of your goods. At Truckit.net we connect people and businesses with the best trucking companies for all your moving needs. Enjoy a stress-free moving process knowing your belongings are in the best of hands - get a free quote for your move today!