Moving to a new home can be both exciting and overwhelming, so it pays to have proper planning and organisation to ensure a smooth transition.
From top to bottom, here’s a comprehensive guide to planning a successful move in advance.
Cross Utilities Off Your List
Get connectedStart Early
The key to success for anything is preparation time! Begin planning your move at least two months in advance and establish a timeline with specific tasks to complete each week leading up to your moving day. A moving checklist is a great way to ensure everything you need to do before moving day is set in motion.
Another way to start early prep is by reviewing your belongings and deciding what to keep, donate, sell, or discard. This will reduce the amount of stuff you need to move and even save you money on moving costs.
Budget for Your Move
Next up is estimating costs and considering all potential expenses, including moving services, packing supplies, transportation, and any necessary repairs or cleaning for your old and new homes.
Look for ways to cut costs, such as moving during off-peak seasons, borrowing packing supplies, or enlisting the help of friends and family.
Hire Professional Movers
If you need a moving truck or just want to make the moving process a little easier, it’s a great idea to go to the professionals and get quotes from multiple moving companies. Check reviews, verify credentials, and ask about insurance options to protect your belongings.
Once you’ve chosen a moving company, book their services as early as possible to ensure availability.
Gather Packing Supplies
There’s no moving house without all the packing materials. You’ll need boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap for your valuables and fragile items, packing paper, and markers, so it’s best to start collecting these items well in advance and leave the less important items for the last minute.
Be sure to clearly label boxes with their contents and the room to which it belongs. This will make unpacking much easier and more organised.
Notify Important Parties
Often a key part of the moving process is one that’s forgotten, which is the change of address checklist. Update your address with the post office, banks, insurance companies, and any subscription services.
If needed, also inform your children’s schools and your employer about the move. Make arrangements for any necessary transfers or time off work.
Lastly, be sure to schedule disconnections for your current utilities and connections for your new home. Thankfully, we know a thing or two about utilities, so give us a call at 1300 187 449 or sign up online here!
Plan for Moving Day
To start your big moving day, pack an essentials box that includes items you’ll need immediately upon arrival at your new home, such as toiletries, a change of clothes, important documents, and basic kitchen supplies.
If you have pets or young children, arranging for a babysitter or pet sitter to look after them on your moving date is not a bad idea to reduce stress and distractions.
Another moving tip is to create an inventory list of all your belongings. This will help ensure nothing is lost or left behind and will be useful if you need to file an insurance claim.
Prepare Your New Home
Nobody likes entering a home with mess and dirt all over the place. Remember to clean your new home before moving in and check for any DIY repairs or maintenance tasks that must be addressed.
It’s also worth planning and deciding where your furniture and major appliances will go. This will save time and effort on moving day, and save the hassle of moving heavy items after an exhausting day!
Execute the Move
Now that you’re prepped for the new address move, it’s best to be present on a moving day to oversee the process and answer any questions the movers may have, especially regarding breakables in ordinary cardboard boxes and other important moving supplies.
Before leaving your old home, do a final walkthrough to ensure nothing is left behind and everything is in good condition.
Settle In
Once the chaos has settled and you can begin unpacking in your new house, start with the essentials and work through non-urgent items. Focus on one room at a time to stay organised and avoid a declutter session further down the line.
Now that the packing boxes have been emptied, take some time to explore your new area. Meet your neighbours, find local services, and familiarise yourself with what’s around town!
By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth and successful move, and even snag some helpful packing tips for your next move. Proper planning, organisation, and preparation are essential to reducing stress and creating a seamless transition to your new home.
Cross Utilities Off Your List
Get connectedAre you heading off to the snow this Winter or venturing to the beach in the Summer? Even if your next great commute is to the grocery store, we have got you covered!
Read below to see the top 5 things you need in your car next time you hit the road.
1. First Aid Kits & Car kits
First aid and Car kits should be mandatory for every road trip, long or short!
When travelling, safety is the number one priority. Most people know that your first aid kit should be packed with band-aids, burn-aids and other healthcare staples, but it is rare for people to consider packing an escape tool or two in their emergency kit.
Although it may seem like an unlikely situation, the 2021–2022 Queensland floods highlighted the importance of preparedness. It was reported that nearly one-third of all drowning deaths were related to people being stuck in their cars during the natural disaster.
Escape tools can be easily attached to your keys or left in your glove box, right next to the owner’s manual!. Tools can be found on Amazon for as little as $15, however, the peace of mind of having them may be priceless.
2. Umbrella
Have you ever tried to dry yourself off with a paper towel or sit under the hand dryer in the bathroom? Spoiler! It does not work very well.
One of our top tips, especially with Australia’s unpredictable weather, is to pack an umbrella into your vehicle. The peace of mind that comes with having an umbrella packed when it starts to drizzle is unparalleled. Let’s be frank, singing in the rain is not like the movies!
Umbrellas come in all shapes and sizes, so they can be easily stored in your glove compartment or conveniently tucked under your back seat.
3. A Change of Clothes
It might seem strange, but you never know when a wardrobe malfunction could arise. Whether it’s a spill of coffee on your shirt, your water bottle tipping over on you, or even a rip in the pants, keeping a spare change of clothes is the backup plan you’ll never know you need until such a situation calls!
Bonus Tip
4. Tool Kit
Tools, Tools, Tools! Now, we don’t expect you to be Bob the Builder, but we do think it is a great idea to have a small set of tools set up in your car.
We aren’t just talking about jumper cables for your car battery (Even though please have these because a dead battery is a pain!) But we’re talking about a good old multi-tool, lug wrench, and tire inflator. You never know when you are going to have a flat tire!
Next time you are pulled over on the side of the road or your friends need a jump start, you’re going to thank us for this one.
5. Phone Charger
If you are anything like us, you spend a lot of time on your cell phone, and the last thing you need in 2023 is for it to go flat. While some people’s cars have built-in wireless chargers, other people purchase cables and USB chargers from stores online – we can’t all live like The Jetsons.
The handy USB charger has saved us many times and is the Unofficial hero of long road trips, earning itself a place at number 5 on our list!
Get connected below to be one step closer to a stress-free move
Connect Utilities In Just 8 Minutes!
Get connectedHave you just found a new home and are struggling with the move? Chances are, you are not alone. A study from Budget Direct found that 79% of Australians find moving to be a stressful experience.
We understand not everyone can afford professional movers or are able to use a moving company, therefore, the moving process can be extremely stressful and time-consuming. From connecting your utilities to lining up the perfect tunes, many things need to be organized for your moving day.
Luckily, MyConnect, a utility connection service with a library of resources and experience helping countless families on their moving journey, are here to help make your next move seamless.
Scroll through to find our top five moving tips.
5. Have the right equipment.
We aren’t just talking about moving boxes, bubble wrap for your breakables, or your standard packing supplies, we mean ensuring that you have the correct tools for a successful day, starting with the perfect set of wheels.
Deciding on the perfect moving truck can be a tough and expensive decision, especially with the large array of websites and rental services available. We recommend that you always hire a truck with a lift for those heavy items, especially when you are required to travel a long distance. Having access to a lift streamlines getting your furniture on its way to its new home and saves you from the sprains and strains of intensive lifting.
Dont know where to get a truck?
4. Downsize, Downsize, Downsize.
We have all been inspired by Marie Kondo and The Home Edit to organize our homes. Moving out is the perfect time to act on this and start to disassemble some of your built-up clutter. As you sort through your items, remember to organise them into three piles: Keep, sell, and donate.
Ensuring that you declutter before moving day makes the process a whole lot easier. Now, you have reduced the amount you have to pack and unpack, and saved time finding places for all your things when you arrive at your new house.
Remember, if it doesn’t spark joy let it go!
Pro Packing Tips
We understand that packing up some of these items can be tough. If you don’t want to donate something that you love or a piece of furniture that just won’t fit, you can always gift it to a family member, so you know it is in safe hands. A great way to get rid of larger furniture items!
3. Listen to our Spotify playlist
For many movers, it is so easy to get stuck on the practical side of moving house. However, it is equally important to have fun, maintain your stress levels, and enjoy your day.
A new study has found that music is more effective at increasing productivity than coffee and is a proven method of stress reduction. Luckily, we have put together a curated Spotify playlist to keep everyone cool, calm, and collected. (Watch out for fragile items as you bust a move)
2. Use a Moving Checklist (or DIY your own)
A moving checklist and packing list helps to keep your move as easy and organised as possible.
MyConnect’s moving checklist outlines a four-week process, from collecting cardboard boxes to ensuring you have your toiletries, linens, hangers, and a change of clothes organized for your first night. We recommend utilising the empty space to personalise the checklist or leave notes throughout different stages of the moving process.
Our moving checklist is available on our website or by clicking ‘Moving checklist’ below.
1. Get MyConnect’d
This has got to be one of our best moving hacks. We don’t mean to toot our own horn, but we know the last thing you want to worry about is the hassle of utility connection.
In one call, MyConnect can organise the connection of your gas, internet, electricity, pay tv, water, and more. Meaning that you don’t need to worry about having a hot shower or the lights turning on the very first night in your new home.
Simply, give us a call on 1300 854 478 or click ‘Get connected’ below to be one step closer to a stress-free move