A Complete Before-During-After Moving House Checklist

Moving homes can be an exciting change, but the process can also be stressful. There are numerous tasks to take care of in preparation for it and you need to plan as thoughtfully as possible. The planning process can even prove overwhelming; after years of accumulating possessions, deciding what to do with each item can take several days.

In addition to this, there are other tasks to take care of. For example, if you have children who go to school and you are moving out of the area, you must make arrangements for them to go to another school. Likewise, you will have to inform your bank and other local service providers about your relocation.

Our moving checklist below extensively covers the before, during, and after moving stages. Use it to stay on top of everything.

The Moving Checklist

1. Before the Move

Shop around for removalists in your area.

When looking for removalists for the job, compare services to determine who will provide the best services at a cost-effective price (take the time to check furniture removalist reviews as well as making sure that they have AFRA accreditation).

Take into account the specific services you need. Then enquire about insurance and other provisions that can make the process a lot easier and safer for you.

After gathering all the necessary information, you will then be able to choose the right removalist on the Gold Coast to partner with for your relocation.

Settle property affairs.

Call realtors if you need to sell your home, or set up a meeting with your landlord regarding your lease contract. Take care of all property concerns as early as possible (these include the disconnection of utility services) because they can take some time to work out, especially if you need to sell.

Likewise, make sure that the home you are moving into will be prepared for your arrival. If dealing with a realtor, work out arrangements for cleaning, activation of the phone line, electricity, water and other utilities.

Inform family and friends about the move.

Informing your vital connections about the big change in your life is important, not only for goodbyes if moving a long distance, but also because they can actually help you with the process. You may need them to take care of a few concerns for you, especially if you are pressed for time.

Change your address.

Call the different service companies so that billing can be sent to your new address.

You can also set up a mail redirection to ensure that you cover any companies you may have forgotten to notify.

Check all the utilities.

If the utilities at your new home aren’t working yet, finding out before your move will allow you to make the necessary calls to get them to work ASAP. If there will be issues about them working right away, you can then make arrangements to stay at a local hotel until the house is in proper working order.

Sort your possessions.

The idea here is that you will not be bringing everything you own, so create these four categories for your possessions:

Things to keep for your new home – These are items you know you need for the life you’re starting elsewhere. They are useful and in good condition.
Things to throw out – These are broken or damaged items that no longer serve a purpose.
Things to donate – These are mostly multiples of the things you’ll be taking to your new home. While still useful, you don’t need to bring these with you, so give them to family and friends who want them or organisations that can use them.
Things to sell – These are similar to items in the give away or donate pile, but you want to make money off of them.

Pack all your things to bring.

Purchase packing supplies. Your removalist company can also provide these, so you can make sure that all your items to be transported are in sturdy boxes that can preserve their quality during transport.

Start packing as soon as possible as it often takes longer than estimated. Start with non-essential items, leaving the items you require until move day, to last.

When you pack, label every box, plastic container and bag. Write down what they hold, and which area in the new home they should go. This will make things easier to find and unpack at delivery.

Clean your appliances and dismantle furniture.

Thaw out your refrigerator. Clean out your oven. Empty the vacuum cleaner bag. All these tasks will prevent unnecessary messes during the transport.

Dismantle your big furniture as well so it can be easy to pack and load on moving day.

Create a schedule for the day of the move.

Write down all of the tasks and how all the activities should flow on that day. Include information about the destination, including where you want furniture items placed at the new property, and the people to call should plans go awry.

2. Moving Day

Hand out copies of the schedule for the day.

The schedule and instructions will keep everybody coordinated and organised.

Get all the packed belongings, appliances and furniture into the moving truck and your own vehicle.

Loading all your possessions has to be done thoughtfully. Your removalist will ensure that the items you need first at delivery, such as your refrigerator and freezer, are loaded last so that they can be delivered into your new home first. Ensure that your removalists complete a walk-through the property with you, prior to heading to delivery, to ensure that all items have been loaded onto the truck.

Give your keys to your realtor or landlord.

Turn off all the lights and any air-conditioning or heating system, check all the cupboards are all empty, lock everything up and hand over the keys to the people who will be in charge of the property once you leave.

3. After Moving

Check if anything is missing.

Conduct a thorough inspection of the things transported to see if everything has arrived.

Unpack all belongings and be ready with instructions on where everything should go and what else should be done with them.

You will be relying heavily on your checklist copy. Even if you have labelled everything, there will still be a lot of questions regarding what to do with certain things, so keep your checklist on hand.

Assemble furniture and appliances.

After putting your furniture where it needs to be, get them in proper working order to establish a sense of normalcy in the new place by reassembling any items that were dismantled for transport. Removalists recommend assembling your beds first because you definitely want a comfortable bed after a busy day of unpacking.

If required, your removalist can assemble these necessary items for you, before they leave delivery.

Decorate your new home.

Make your new abode as homely and comfortable as you can.

Meet your new neighbours.

Get acquainted with the people in the neighbourhood. Make new friends and familiarise yourself with the community.

Moving is a huge task, but with this checklist, you can streamline the process and make settling into your new home a whole lot easier.

If you need more moving tips or services, we at Ashtons Removals are always ready to help. Take a look at our helpful information section for more useful ideas.