Tips for Preparing to Move into Your New Home

When moving house, being organised is key and preparing the home you’re moving into is just as important as packing up the space you’re leaving behind.

You can help make moving day a more stress free experience by doing some tasks in advance.

Organise a sitter for pets and children

The chaos of moving day is difficult for children or pets. Organise a sitter for the kids and somewhere to leave your pets in advance to alleviate added stress, and reduce any anxiety sometimes experienced by pets and children when moving to a new environment.

 Set up your internet

Connecting internet can take longer than other utilities such as electricity and gas.

To ensure a connection by moving day, it’s recommended to contact your provider at least two weeks in advance, especially if your home has not previously been connected to the NBN. Doing this will mean you’re more likely to have internet access sooner rather than later once you’ve moved.

Do a deep clean

There’s no easier time to clean a home than when it’s completely empty, so take the opportunity to do this in advance – not on moving day while you’re also trying to unpack!

Key areas to focus on are the kitchen, bathroom and carpets. Wipe down benchtops, cupboards, windows, blinds and appliances so everything feels fresh and clean before you move your belongings in.

Map out your furniture

Mapping out which furniture will go where beforehand will help streamline the packing process and allow you to group items by room.

Have a look at the floor plan and photos and decide what will go where. Then label furniture and boxes by room to make it easy for items to be placed into the correct room or area ready to be assembled and unpacked.

De-clutter early

The more you can declutter before you move, the less you’ll have to pack and transport.

Start decluttering as soon as you can in advance and keep your moving deadline firmly in mind. You could start with the rooms or items you use the least, such as spare bedrooms and decorative pieces. The less you have to move the quicker it is to pack and unpack the moving truck. It also means you don’t have to spend time dealing with items you don’t want anymore.

You could also sell any unwanted items quickly and easily on sites like Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace and the sooner you can get this happening the better as you don’t want to be haggling with interested buyers on moving day.

Properly brief your removalist

If booking a removalist, don’t skip over details of the job including stairs or heavy items like a piano, as this will only add to the cost further down the track as special moving tools and trucks may be required. Also tell them of any other requirements you have like if you need help disassembling furniture or if you have house plants that need moving so they can make allowances for these.

A properly quoted job will mean no nasty surprises come moving day and when you get that final bill.

Prepare a moving day essentials box

Pack a box of essential items you’ll need on moving day and ensure this is the last item on the truck and the first to unload.

Things like towels, crockery and cutlery, phone chargers, toiletries, deodorant, dishwashing liquid, toilet paper, soap, a change of clothes for the next day, and most importantly – bedding!

Try and work it so your beds are off the truck first and then prioritise making them up. You will thank yourself for doing so come the end of a long and exhausting day.

Also, keep a cooler bag packed with drinks and snacks to sustain you during the day.

Pet-proof your backyard

The last thing you want on moving day is a pet escaping from your new yard, so take the opportunity to patch up gaps or holes in advance if you can. You don’t want your curious little friends to go exploring while you’re in the midst of moving.

Collect the keys

Finally, as soon as settlement has occurred or the lease is signed don’t forget to pick up the keys before moving day! No-one wants delays caused by not having access to your new home.