StoreLocal Checklist: How to Plan Your Move
There is nothing more exciting than buying a new house. It represents so much more than just a financial investment, but something exciting, new and to be celebrated. But, while we all love the idea of setting up and living in our dream home, no one really loves the process of moving into it.
Whether it is your first or tenth time, moving houses can be quite a handful. Between the boxes, the disarray, and the confusion, it can be a stressful time. Things go missing, stuff gets broken, words get said… So, to help make your next move a stressfree move, StoreLocal has put together a checklist for moving homes to help you get organised.
It is quite easy to find yourself overwhelmed having to arrange all the services and repairs needed before vacating a property. Likewise, coordinating move-in and out dates with removalists’ availability can be a nightmare. Not to mention the most dreadful part of any move: packing.
Feeling on top of everything that requires doing may seem like an impossible goal during a move. After all, to work, studies and everyday life commitments, you now have to juggle many time-bound elements simultaneously. Many of which disrupts the structure of routines.
Show of hands: who has never packed something essential early on? And found themselves having to go through a sea of cardboard boxes and bubble wrap to find it days later.
A good idea to relieve some of the pressure is opting for a self storage unit. Almost 30% of our current customers have chosen personal storage as a way to break down their move into smaller, achievable bites.
That was the strategy of StoreLocal client, Juliano Moreira. “It was so much easier to be able to start packing and, straight away, emptying the house”, he said. “For me, there’s nothing worse than feeling buried by boxes. It doesn’t matter if I’m moving in or out of a place”, explained.
Here’s StoreLocal’s How To Plan The Perfect Move checklist guide.
8 weeks (or as soon as possible)
The secret to a stress-free move is preparation. The more time you have to plan it, the better you will deal with obstacles that are bound to pop up along the way.
Get Quotes from Removalists/Truck Hires
Need to hire movers? This is the time to get quotes from removalists or to look into renting moving trucks. Getting ahead of the schedule can be a great hack for saving money. The sooner you reach out to companies and professionals, the more options you will have to choose from.
Vacate Inspection Preparation
Arrange services and fixes required for the property you are leaving. Consider if you will need or want to hire a professional service for bond cleaning, gardening, pest control or plumbing? Get started on it!
Secure Storage
Move in and out dates don’t align? Want to get a head start in packing? Whatever reason you might need short-term self storage units, StoreLocal can help you!
We’re across Australia and our facilities offer a wide variety of unit sizes. Find your perfect storage space.
Clean Out
Most people dread packing. It might feel overwhelming if left to the last minute, especially if you have accumulated things over time — which, in all honesty, we all have.
Take this opportunity to discard, donate or sell items you don’t want or use anymore. You can use social media to advertise your items, or a one-day garage sale might just do the trick.
Review How You Shop
Keep in mind you will be moving soon, and both the fridge and freezer will probably be disconnected for a while. So, eat away or start disposing of what is in your freezer.
Another tip is to plan meals that will lead you closer to an empty pantry by your moving out day.
Do Your Research
Get familiarised with the new neighbourhood. Map out where your new amenities are located — for instance, doctors, hospitals, supermarkets, dentists, gyms, etc.
4 weeks
Time to get to work: Start packing! This process will almost always take longer than expected, so better get to it sooner rather than later.
Apply for a Leave
Consider if your move will interfere with your routine at work. If so, talk to your boss and commence the process of taking a day off.
Lock in Removalist
By this stage, you should have quotes to choose from, now it’s just locking in a date.
Start Packing
Now that you have cleaned out the house, get started on packing your belongings.
2 weeks
You will have more actionable tasks the closer you get to the moving in day. Plan your time and set daily goals to better deal with all the moving pieces during this time.
Notify Utilities
Arrange connections and reconnections, sort out mail redirection and start updating your address where relevant (health insurance provider, transit authorities, official documents, etc).
Create a Floor Plan
Revisit new home pictures and floor plans, map out how your furniture will fit into the spaces.
Continue Packing
We know. It takes a long time!
1 week
Confirm Removalist Specifics
List out the old and new addresses, as well as your contact details. Also, send removalists any orientation you might have regarding pick up times and drop-offs, packing and unpacking requirements.
Finish Packing
Yes, still! Most of your belongings should be packed. Now, focus on everyday use objects such as kitchenware and bathroom items, as well as the last patch of your wardrobe.
Assemble an Essentials Kit
Prepare an emergency kit. Toilet paper, soap, phone and electronic chargers, any prescription medication and first aid items, alongside a bag of clothing for each family member, might save you a fair bit of headache.
Moving Day
We’ve prepared you for this moment, so here are just some details for you to keep in mind. Happy Moving Day!
Old Home Checklist—Make sure:
You are not leaving any items behind and that everything is packed;
All utilities have been disconnected and turned off, and
The property is locked and secured
Return and Pick-up Keys
New Home Checklist—Check:
All utilities are connected;
The condition of your belongings after the freight;
The condition of the new house. Keep your own record of entry conditions, take photos and notes.
Download StoreLocal’s How To Plan The Perfect Move checklist guide.
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