A Few Gems For You

About 30 days before the moving date, get onto:

• Finding and carefully choosing a removalist company 
• Discarding any items you do not wish to take with you
• Lining up a local council pick-up
• Booking cleaners
• Going through your fridge, freezer and pantry to discard any opened packets and goods past their use-by-date and use up food
• Advising utility suppliers such as electricity, gas, telephone and internet about disconnection and reconnection
• Having your mail redirected and letting Australia Post know about your move
• Informing your insurance companies so that your contents insurance policy can be updated with the new address
• Updating your address with your gym club, local library, food delivery companies, charities, Pay TV providers and sport teams
• Advising the Australian Electoral Commission, Centrelink and any other Governmental Departments
• Advising your bank, superannuation fund and other financial institutions
• Letting your doctors, dentists and vets know about your change of address
• Starting packing, ensuring boxes are labelled and accompanied by an inventory list
• Identifying items that either need special handling care or are very heavy, and making necessary arrangements to have them moved safely
• Making arrangements for the kids to be minded on the day of the move if not at school
• Advising your accountant, solicitors and any other professional advisers
• Identifying whether any gas cylinders or air bottles need emptying
• Creating a folder with all your moving documents

About a week before the moving date, you should:

• Tidy up the yard
• Clean the oven
• Organise having your carpet cleaned, and attend to a flea treatment if applicable
• Start dismantling furniture
• Confirm arrival time with removalist and cleaners
• Ensure you have a parking permit for your removalist if necessary
• Cancel any routine deliveries such as magazines/newspapers 
• Defrost your fridge the night before the move
• Empty out your fridge, having a portable Esky with ice for transport
• Arrange the final inspection with your agent
• Back up computers
• Arrange a ‘goodbye’ get together with your neighbours

On the moving day, you will need to:

• Drop the kids and pets off to friends or relatives if they are not getting picked up
• Look throughout cupboards, the pantry, and built-in wardrobes for any forgotten items
• Keep your valuable items such as jewellery and important legal documents on you or secured 
• Have snacks, beverage and food available during the moving day 
• Have the keys easily accessible and in a safe place so you can easily find them when you need to hand them over to the agent
• Direct and supervise the placement of your boxes and furniture in the new home
• Check that the utilities are all connected in the new home
• Before you lock the doors, ensure everything is turned off