Upgrading, downsizing, relocating or moving in with friends… there’s a number of reasons why you might want to move to a new home.
While it can sometimes be a stressful experience, you can minimise the hassle of moving by carefully planning and organising in advance. Once you’ve found the perfect home (we have some tips on finding accommodation here and here), use this checklist to make moving as pain-free as possible.
Notify your property manager
If you’re currently renting a place, you’ll need to give your property manager or landlord notification of your move several weeks in advance (the exact amount of notice will be outlined on the rental agreement you signed when you first moved in). If you’re breaking your lease, you will likely incur some fees, but giving a long notice period might help you negotiate a smaller penalty.
Decide how you’re going to move
For some people, the most convenient means of moving all their stuff is to pay a removalist company to do it for them. If you’d prefer removalists to do the heavy lifting on your behalf, asking friends and consulting review websites is a good way to find a trustworthy service. Once you’ve found a company you like, you can choose how much help you’ll need; removalists can help with packing, or they can simply pick up your boxes and transport them to your new home.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a lot of belongings to move or want to save money, you can just bribe some friends (ideally with some food or drinks) and rent or borrow a car/van to move everything yourself.
Collect boxes
If you’ve decided to pack your belongings yourself, you’ll need to source some boxes. While you can buy packing boxes from dedicated retailers, there are many places around Australia that offer boxes for free. Bunnings Warehouse is a good place to look, or ask at your local supermarket if you can take their leftover boxes. Buy some heavy-duty packing tape and you’re good to go!
Pack it up!
Now, it’s time to get packing. Give yourself adequate time to pack carefully, making sure fragile items are wrapped appropriately for safe travel. And while it might seem easier to simply throw all your belongings in bags and boxes quickly, organising them by category or room will make things much more efficient when you arrive at your new home (trust us – you’ll thank yourself later).
It’s also worth packing a small bag with items you might need immediately when you move into your new home. Think things like your toothbrush, phone and laptop chargers, medication and other personal items.
Get rid of things you don’t want
If you want to get rid of certain belongings, there are several ways you can recycle or sell old goods. Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace are perfect for selling things like furniture, whitegoods and clothes. If you have old textiles, like sheets or clothes, click here to find your nearest recycling centre, or check with your local council where to drop off e-waste (things like old laptops or appliances). For bulky items that you want to get rid of, arrange a council pick-up/hard waste collection. You can contact your local council for information on scheduling a pick-up.
Pay any outstanding bills
Ensure that all of your bills are paid and all rent payments are complete, to avoid late fees. Remember to keep all the paperwork from your old place until you’re sure that all fees are settled.
Disconnect and reconnect your utilities
If you have utilities such as electricity and gas, as well as internet, set up in your old home, you can get in touch with each of your utility providers to have your services moved to your new home. Alternatively, you can make life a little easier for yourself by using a service that does it all on your behalf. Fast Connect lets you set up your new electricity, gas, phone, internet and pay TV accounts, and close old accounts at your old address, in one go by acting as a single point of contact for multiple service providers. Plus, it’s entirely free to use!
Arrange a thorough clean
Most landlords will expect an end-of-lease clean (especially if you want to claim back your bond!). This is a very, very big and thorough clean that leaves everything in your old home exactly as it was when you moved in, or as close to it as possible. Most cleaning companies will offer a ‘bond’ or ‘end-of-lease’ cleaning service, specialising in this kind of work. If you’re on a budget, you can also undertake the clean yourself or with your housemates.
Update your address
Finally, you’ll need to update your address. Your educational institution will need to be informed of the change within seven days of your move. You should also alert your OSHC provider, mobile phone provider, Australian bank and any similar services. Australia Post offers a mail redirect service whereby you can pay for your mail to be forwarded to your new address for a defined period.
Fast Connect is free, easy to use, and the fastest way to get your accounts set up; you can connect your electricity, gas, internet and Pay-TV with just one form. Plus, Fast Connect can even organise an Australian SIM card to be delivered to your new address when you move in! Click here to find out how you can get $50 off your first energy bill.
