The Stress-Free Moving House Guide

When people begin to think of moving into a new house, and the entire moving process, some families tend to become overwhelmed at the sheer thought of the amount of work they need to do. More often than not, the number of things you need to remember can feel never-ending.

You can always consult a moving house checklist, but each family member will have different items and varying needs, so sometimes these aren't necessarily foolproof. By engaging professional removalists, you can take a lot of that stress away, however, there are still plenty of things for you to consider.

Planning Your Move

When you are about to move house, preparation is key. Whether you are moving interstate or just down the road, the steps you will need to follow are similar. It's not always about just finding a box and starting to pack.

Selecting a move date

The first thing to consider is a move date. It might be when you are available to take time off work to move house as well as when you need to leave your house by. Your real estate agent will be able to let you know any deadlines from their end, but you might prefer to move on a weekend so you have multiple days to unpack and get settled. When selecting your move date, try and give yourself some buffering time, so it's not the day you need to be out, just in case something goes wrong.

Book Removalists

If you are choosing to use hired removalists, you might need to do some research on the best in your area. If you are moving locally, you could always ask your friends and neighbours for their recommendations, however, if you are moving interstate, you might want to look for a more specialised company that has professional prior experience.

You may even decide you are looking to book your removal company only for the day. Nevertheless, if you want the smoothest move possible, sometimes hiring professional packers can make all the difference. For most, this is often a stressful time and by hiring a professional moving company, such as Bayside Removals, you can enjoy the process of moving into your new home.

Begin Clearing Out

There is no better time for a good clear out than when you are about to leave your old house behind. Whilst you want to make sure you don't leave behind or accidentally throw out any important documents like your birth certificates, this is also a good opportunity to ensure that you aren't taking clutter with you.

Especially if you are downsizing it's important to think about how much space you have in each room. If you have children, this could be a time to look at the number of toys they have and see if you can donate or sell any of them.

Whilst clearing out, also remember to pick up anything from dry cleaning or perhaps borrowed items that your friends still have as well. That way you can have a full picture of everything you need to accommodate for in your new house.

Collect Packing Materials

Probably the most world-renowned frustrating thing about moving is deciding where you begin packing. The first question always is 'Where do I start packing?' The best thing to do is begin by making sure you have all the necessities such as packing tape, cardboard boxes and perhaps even bubble wrap for those fragile items.

It can be difficult to figure out how many boxes you might need, so it can be best to visit a moving company that sells boxes and ask for their advice.

Plan to disconnect utility providers

Once you have finished moving house, you don't want to be paying for anyone else's electricity bill. So, it's really important to make sure you notify all your utility providers that you will have a new address. Sometimes, you are able to book in with your providers the day you'd like it switched off. In this case, probably a day or two after your move date would be best. For those who need to disconnect at a later date, make sure you have a note of their contact details and add it to your moving house checklist to do on the day.

Arrange Cleaners

When moving house, you typically find lots of dirt and random items behind your white goods, and perhaps in other places you haven't necessarily cleaned in a while. Depending on your financial situation, it can sometimes be worth hiring a professional cleaner to come in after you and leave the house all spick and span. Whilst not compulsory, these kinds of services can make moving day a bit easier for the new owners of your home.

New Contact Details List

When moving house, some of the work comes after moving day. In the weeks and months leading up to your moving day, it can be a good idea to note all of the mail that comes to your house. This could be bank statements, insurance details or even your driver's licence renewal. As you begin to pack up your house for your new home, you can create yourself the ultimate guide for when you need to change your address on the other end.

Never fear though if you do miss a few, you can always set up a mail redirection for a few months whilst you settle into your new home.

Use up those leftovers

Before moving day, you'll need to defrost your freezer and eventually, you'll need to empty your fridge contents. For local moves, this isn't such a big deal, as most food can remain cold in an esky for a short amount of time. However, if you are moving interstate or your new residence isn't going ready to be immediately moved into, then it's good to start eating all of the food in your fridge and freezer. That way, when moving day comes you won't have too much wastage.

Find somewhere for your furry friends

An item often left off your typical moving house checklist is where your pets will be for the day. Moving house can often be a stressful period for your animals and it's important they are kept as safe and calm as possible. Contacting a family member can be the best solution to keep your pet away from the hustle and bustle of the day. Then, when everything has been moved in you can introduce your pet to your new property in a calmer setting.

Packing For Your House Move

When beginning to pack up your home it can feel overwhelming — where do you begin? And what order do you pack everything in?. There are lots of house packing tips online that can assist you in making it a stress-free process, or you could always look at hiring some professional packers. However, if you are wanting to pack yourself, here are some of our packing tips.

House Packing Tips

• Begin by dismantling any furniture that won't be able to fit through the front door. This is often a time-consuming exercise, so it's good to get a head start on these large items and it will save time on the day.
• Think of anything you want to get rid of, whether furniture or small household items, and make sure you remove it from your house before moving day, so you can concentrate on the task at hand.
• When packing anything that might spill, use plastic-lined boxes, so it won't leak through the cardboard.
• Make sure to return any items you've borrowed from a neighbour or other family as well as any library books. This will allow you to have a clean slate when setting up your new home.
• Label every box to make it easy for your removalists on the day so they know where everything goes. You could also consider giving your removalists a floor plan for your new home which could help assist them in getting the details right on moving day.
• As almost every type of moving tips document will tell you, always pack heavy items towards the bottom and lighter items a the top. It's also always good to pack heavy items in smaller boxes if you can.
• For any valuable items, on moving day, you might want to set these aside so that you can bring them to your new home yourself.
• The day before your move, make sure you have defrosted your freezer and taken out any perishables and either thrown them away or put them in an esky to keep them cold.
• Set aside your bed linens in an easy to find box. Typically, once you get to your new home, the first item of furniture to be set up is your beds for your first night's sleep. It can be nice to make sure you've set these aside so you aren't digging through boxes at bedtime.
• Create a handyman kit and leave it to one side. This could be a hammer, some Allen keys or nails or anything you might need to dismantle that final bit of furniture or anything you might need to build straight away at your new property.
• Put your indoor plants to one side. As these will need to be taken care of separately from your boxes.
• Create a list of any final items you are going to pack last. This could be your kettle, your toothbrush or anything you might need the morning of. For your moving tips checklist, make sure you have all the items you're keeping out written down somewhere, so when you are leaving you can double-check you have them all.

On The Day

One of the longest days of your life is typically moving day. It can feel a bit daunting but it is a day filled with excitement as well. You will have completed almost all of your packing and all of the preparation and details will all fall into place.

Make sure there is room for the truck

Removalist trucks tend to be rather large, especially if your house is big. It's always good to check out the road the morning of your move, to ensure your van can get down the street with no issues. Another thing that can be good to check with your local council, is that your removalist truck will be okay to be parked where it needs to be during the loading and then unloading of your valuable items.

Chat to your removalists

Whilst the day can feel like a whirlwind, make sure you begin your day by chatting to your team of specialists. Make sure they have your new address, your contact number and any relevant information they might need. Make sure to point to any big furniture that might seem out of the ordinary, perhaps a basketball hoop or something of an odd shape that they might need to consider before packing up the truck.

Think of dinner beforehand

Moving day is often a long process and by the end of it, you will most likely be pretty tired. Before you get stuck into the logistics of the day, take a moment to chat with your family about what you are doing for food throughout the day. Make sure you have some snacks and water on hand and that you have thought about dinner ahead of time. It's important to take regular breaks throughout the day.

Your essentials box

Make sure you pack up any of those items you have used the morning of into your essential box and packed them into your car. Everything from a first aid kit, with any regular medications you take, as well as toilet paper (you're going to need this when you get to your new house)!

Watch the packing of the moving truck

Whilst you should most definitely listen to the advice of your professional removalists, there are some ideas on moving tips blogs that you might want to use, so let them know if you do have a preference. Preferably before they start packing it up. We would always recommend packing your kitchen boxes last onto the truck, so then they are first off at your new property. This can allow you to get started unpacking these essential items first.

Make sure all utilities are off at your old house and on at your new home

When you are about to leave your house and know that everything is in the van being taken away. Make sure everything is switched off at the walls, your gas cylinders are closed and your utility companies are aware of your new address. When arriving at your new home, it can be great to check that your electricity is all working and that you have hot running water straight away, so you can get onto it immediately in case anything isn't working as it should.

Leave behind your house keys

All of us carry around our keys constantly, almost as if they were attached to our hips. When moving house, make sure you've taken the keys off your ring and passed all of them onto your real estate agent for your new owners.

Help direct your removalists at your new home

Once you've arrived at your new address, take a moment to look around the house and make sure everything is in order and out of the way for your removalists. Then it is best to stand at the front door and help direct your removalists as to where each box and piece of furniture is going. This will alleviate any error and ensure that you aren't having to lug furniture into a different room later on in the evening.

Whilst writing the labels on the boxes can definitely save time, initially, they might not know which bedroom is your daughter's, so it can be good to help and offer your assistance at this phase.

Assemble beds ASAP

The best advice we could give you when you are beginning to unpack is to begin by setting up your beds. Your first night in your new house will most likely be slightly chaotic and you will be sleeping next to all of the boxes you spent the past few weeks packing, however, being able to be comfortable in your own bed, will be pivotal to a good nights sleep.

Make sure your children and pets are comfortable

It can be good to make sure your children are comfortable and have an activity to entertain themselves. If you do have little ones and have kept them with you all day, by putting them in a separate room, you can keep them out of the way of the removalists and also it can allow you a jumpstart in unpacking.

Just do the fundamentals today

It can be tempting, once you see all your boxes in every room of your new house, to begin unpacking every box that day. Your removalists have gone, your children are set up and entertained and you have the place to yourself again, albeit, covered in a mountain of boxes. Make sure to take a breather, enjoy your new space for a moment and get the fundamental items unpacked first.

What To Do After You Move House

Make sure nothing is missing

The first thing you should do once having moved house, other than enjoy and take a breather, is to make sure everything has been moved and that nothing is damaged. A good removalist company will have their own insurance so if the worst does happen you are completely covered. Make sure to double-check you have everything and that nothing has been left behind.

Double-check that all addresses have been updated

Over the next few weeks, as any mail redirection comes in, make sure to update any outstanding addresses that might need your new home's address on it. This is especially important for documents such as your home loans or any local council registrations, such as your pet (if you have moved councils).

Review your contents insurance

In the process of moving house, you have probably gotten rid of a fair few things. Simultaneously, you might have purchased some new white goods or furniture for your new place. It's important to check over your contents insurance to make sure their services are still exactly what you and your family needs.

Unpack

A simultaneously daunting task when moving house, can be the unpacking process. However, it's easiest to take it a day at a time and work on it room by room. It can be a great opportunity to get the kids involved, by having them put away their own clothes and toys. Begin by working on communal areas first, we always reckon the kitchen should be the first place to start, and then work your way backwards to the rooms that are used the least.

Enjoy your new home

When all is said and done, moving house can be and should be an enjoyable experience. There are definitely a lot of things to consider but when you are working with a professional removalist company, you can enjoy the exciting time that is moving house. Whether it's into your dream home or into your first home, it should be an invigorating time for you and your family.