Moving home can be a very stressful exercise, especially when you are doing so
interstate as a family.
Not only do you have to pack your possessions and organize your children, pets, and
even, potentially, a parent or two. But you’ll also need to do this on top of your work
commitments.
All of which means it pays to be organized.
Regardless of whether you are moving for a sea or tree change, for a job or simply a
fresh new start, there is plenty to do when you are shifting to a new property.
Truth be told, it can get quite overwhelming. This is why we’ve put together this moving
checklist that every family needs to follow for a smooth transition to their new digs.
Moving Checklist
The process of moving typically occurs over four stages, which can be categorised as
follows: Before you move, 1-2 days prior to the move, departure day, and when you get
to your new home.
Here is what you should do in each stage:
Before the move
1. Declutter
2. Get Removalist Quotes
3. Find New Schools or Daycare for your Kids
4. Gather all essential documentation
5. Arrange internet and utilities
6. Get packing supplies
7. Start packing
Ideally, the process of preparing for your relocation should start at least a month before
moving day. But the more time you can devote to it the better.
Due to the nature and the effort involved in moving to another state, it is particularly
important to lock in the services of a specialist firm, such as interstate removalists from
Muval, who can help you coordinate all aspects of the move.
This timeframe also gives you plenty of opportunity to declutter, which is important as
you don’t want to take unnecessary stuff with you. It also allows you to pack in a
strategic way, and find a good school to enroll your child in.
1-2 days prior to the move
8. Pack a bag of clothes and essential items
9. Pack a bag of toys and books for the kids
10. Set up a post office address redirect
11. Run down and clean your fridge
12. Pack your car
13. Double-check all boxes
It will be all stations go in the couple of days before you move and there is a good
chance you’ll have lots of boxes around the place.
To ensure they are removed from the house quickly and efficiently by the removalists, it
is worth putting as many of these boxes as you can in a garage or the first room in the
house where the removal van will be. Doing this ensures they won’t get in your way.
You should also pack a bag of essential clothes and items to take in the car to your new
home, as well as other valuable or sentimental stuff you want to personally take with
you. At the same time, put together a little bag of toys and books for your children to
entertain them on the long journey.
Additionally, make sure you have run the fridge down, turned it off and given it a good
clean ready for transportation. Also, pop into your local post office to order a mail
redirect. This will ensure your post will be delivered to you at your new home.
Departure Day
14. Coordinate the Removalists
15. Give the house a deep clean
16. Do a thorough and final sweep of each room
17. Make your way to your new home
The day of your move will be very busy, so you would be advised to wake up early to
get started on what needs to be done. It might even be a good idea to drop the children
off at a friend’s place, if possible, to be able to focus without distraction.
Once the removalists arrive you will need to coordinate them through the process of
putting your possessions into the van. It is also worth double-checking that they have
the correct moving address before they head off.
After they have gone, you should ensure the house is thoroughly cleaned, either by you
or a professional firm and conduct one last sweep of the property to ensure you have
not left anything behind.
When you have done this, you leave your old home for the last time and begin the
journey to your new home.
When you get to your new home
18. Air out your new home
19. Start to unpack
20. Set up kitchen and bedrooms
21. Change locks
22. Check all appliances
23. Do your change your address
As soon as you reach your new home, it is a good idea to give it a thorough airing out if
the weather permits. This will instantly improve the air quality, which might not be that
great if the home has been unoccupied for a while. You might also want to light a sage
bush around it to get rid of the negative energy associated with it.
While it will no doubt start immediately, the process of unpacking your possessions
might take a few weeks to complete. However, setting up the kitchen and the bedrooms
first is advisable. That way, you have somewhere to cook, eat, relax and sleep.
You might also want to arrange to have the locks changed and should check all your
appliances to see if they are working properly.
Finally, in the weeks after you have moved in, make sure you inform all relevant parties
of your change of address.