When you’re about to move house and start a new and exciting chapter of your life, it’s handy to have at the ready, a comprehensive checklist. Pre-Move Checklists help minimise stress which naturally comes part and parcel of the big (or small) move. With a detailed moving checklist and top shelf tips (so to speak), packing all your belongings and moving locally, interstate or even across the globe becomes a cinch and less of a headache!
We asked trusted and leading removalists for a detailed list of tips to form part of your checklist. Our experts have successfully moved over one million Australians and have learned countless moving and packing tips that makes the entire process less stressful with minimal breakage and damage. So, whether you enlist professional removalists or decide to tackle moving home on your own, follow our moving house checklist and tips to help make your move, worry free.
Moving Tips & Checklist
- Choose which of your belongings you will pack versus what gets left for any hired assistance or goes to the tip. Also do a little research on how to best pack before you start packing so you don’t waste precious time!
- Source trusted packing supplies. Choose and purchase removalist quality moving boxes and packing materials, especially designed for moving house to avoid boxes from breaking after you’ve spent hours packing them!
- Purchase loads (we mean loads) of packing materials. Most people run out of packing materials (such as boxes, bubble wrap, tape, marker pens, small and large zip-lock bags) before they’ve even finished packing. Meaning, buy heaps more than you think you’ll need to avoid unnecessary shopping trips.
- Wrap with clean paper! Use white paper sheets (like ‘butcher’s paper’) for packing as newspaper can stain and mark your keepsakes with ink.
- Create a content list of all your inventory to be moved, detailing box numbers and their content.
- Where to even begin? Ok, first pack belongings you use least (such as books, CDs, DVDs and items stored in the garage). This will help you throw out unnecessary items you no longer need or haven’t seen in donkey’s years.
- Fasten odd bits and ends in zip lock bags, even jewellery! This stops small items getting lost due to movement.
- Reinforce your moving boxes with tape. Tape the top, bottom and sides of every box! This is a must! Trust us. It takes only a minute to do and you will wish you had of spent the time in doing so, in the unlucky event a box comes apart.
- Create a colour coding system. Clearly number and label every moving box you pack. Use a colour code to designate each room for each carton (use a different marker colour or label for each room).
- Label absolutely everything – we strongly advise labelling moving boxes with its contents and not just the room in which it belongs. This will help in the long-run if you’re looking for a specific item for a specific room.
- Take it step by step and pack room by room. Pack one room at a time, keeping all the packed boxes for each room together.
- Distribute weight. Pack heavy items on the bottom of the carton and lighter items on top.
- Remember, safety comes first so avoid overloading. Pack boxes to 20kg maximum for easier and safer lifting.
- Fill empty space. To help limit movement and damage, use fabric such as bath towels, old clothing, butchers paper, or bubble wrap to completely fill moving cartons to the brim. This helps prevent boxes from ‘giving in’.
- Close boxes correctly and use the right carton for the right inventory wherever possible. So for example, pack lighter items in bigger moving boxes and heavier items in smaller cartons. This makes for easier carrying/moving.
- Don’t take shortcuts! Resist packing or leaving your belongings inside cupboards and drawers. Furniture isn’t designed to be moved let alone being moved filled with your possessions. Adding weight also greatly increases the risk of damage whilst in transit.
- Consider your first night in your new, wonderful abode. Moving house can be a tiring exercise, particularly if you’re moving without the help of professional removalists. Therefore, make sure you’ve got a “First Night Kit” packed and ready to help you settle into your new home on your first night. A ‘First Night Kit can contain bed linen, towels, a change of clothes, toiletries for all family members and even little treats (chocolate or wine).
