Visit Our Blog
Who do you need to notify/call?
- Organise your landlord or agent with rental or settlement dates and keep their phone numbers handy. A good agent can help make the move smoother.
- It is a good idea to take out special comprehensive insurance for scratch, dent and breakage. With our insurers, Associated Marine Insurers, you can extend the cover you already have. Call 1800 009 796 for a quote or you can extend your own household cover.
- Book time off work allowing plenty of time to unpack and settle in before returning.
- Obtain copies of your medical records, including your dentist, veterinarian and vaccine/immunisation information.
- Contact your children’s school to get a copy of their school records.
- Set up a temporary redirection of your mail with Australia Post.
- Advise the following of your change of address:
- Council
- Bank
- Doctor
- School
- Solicitor
- Accountant
- Motor Vehicle/Transport Department
- Cancel the window cleaner, milkman, delivery of newspapers, firewood and gas etc
- Ensure all the services you require at the new address are advised of the date you require them, for example telephone, internet, electricity and gas.
- If you need a few weeks to get things ready before delivery, give Advance Removals a call. We can organise some storage for you, or better-still we can go the long way around to save you the cost of redelivery.
How do you help your children?
- Take a video and photos of your new home and area if your children are unable to see them before the move.
- Organise someone to look after the kids while you’re packing.
- Arrange to collect your child’s permanent school record – they are usually required when registering at a new school.
- Give your child a special address book and stationery for keeping up with old friends.
- Don’t forget to collect email addresses and mobile phone numbers of friends.
- Arrange to visit new schools and meet teachers before the first day of school.
What makes packing go smoothly?
- Generally, our clients pack their own boxes. Advance Removals will pack all furniture items as they are loaded.
- Order boxes and any other packing materials in plenty of time. Remember Advance Removals can deliver these to your door. Allow one box per cupboard.
- As you pack keep a copy of your inventory handy and let us know if any items have been missed or added, to save any unexpected payments on moving day.
- Work on packing up one room a day – and don’t forget the contents of your shed!
- Have a friend come over to help.
- Don’t plan on filling the car up with possessions. The car carriers won’t accept loose items in the vehicle because of the risk of theft. If you are driving yourself, keep the car boot empty for extras or last minute stuff.
- Back up your PC files.
- Drain fuel from mowers, heaters and other petrol driven motors.
- Empty LPG gas tanks. Better still, take your tank to a swap place and get a receipt so you can redeem it for a new one at the other end – many trucks won’t even carry an empty gas cylinder.
- Defrost the fridge and freezer the day before you move and switch off in good time. Make sure there’s no water in the overflow trough in the bottom.
How do you keep possessions intact?
- Place cushioning at the bottom of each box (eg bubble wrap, pillows or linen).
- Fill the box up and ensure corners are firm.
- With front-load washers, secure the original locating rods if possible. Otherwise put a doona or pillow in to stabilise the drum.
- Wrap and pack each item individually. Use butcher’s paper, it’s stronger and cleaner. Screw up the paper first and pack crockery on its side and glassware vertically. Put bubble wrap between anything fragile and the outside of the box.
- Put a list of contents on the inside top of each box and write a label on the outside indicating where it came from (e.g. bedroom 2 chest of drawers – BR2 COD – and anything specific you might look for – eg. chess board) and the room it is going to.
- Write your name and destination on each label and number the box out of the total eg. 11 of 45.
- Use good strong tape and label boxes with an arrow indicating ‘this way up’.
- Boxes you will need first should be packed last.
- Start a survival box for things you will need first or which may be hard to find, e.g. remotes, keys, phones, chargers, cables, matches, candles, torch, toiletries, pillows, coffee, laptop.
- Pack heavier items such as books and DIY tools in smaller cartons.
- Find some old blankets to put down in your new house to protect any carpets, especially if it’s muddy outside
- Draw a map of the location of rooms in the new property for the removal company.
- A couch can usually be moved into your new home more easily by standing it on end and twisting it through the doorway.
The moving day itself......
- If wishing to pay for your removal with a bank cheque, be sure to organise it beforehand.
- Plan ahead and consider doing certain tasks the night before. For example, a waterbed can take two hours to empty!
- Remember to leave out some cleaning supplies for the final ‘once-over’ before vacating the property for good. Or arrange exit cleaning through Advance Removals.
- Don’t forget to collect spare keys from neighbours or from any hiding places.
- Switch off your fridge and freezer a couple of hours before pickup.
- Make sure your copy of the inventory matches the driver’s.
- Get final readings for electricity, gas and water so you can let your suppliers know.
- Search every room before the van leaves.
- Disconnect any remaining appliances.
- Lock the doors and windows.
- Don’t drive off with the electric garage door opener in your car – remember to leave it for the new tenants or owners, along with any helpful phone numbers and information like refuse collection days.
- Pack a survival box for the things you will need immediately, for example food and things for the kids and pets. If you will arrive before the truck, include sleeping bags and a torch.