7 jobs to complete before moving day

You’ve done it! You just purchased a new home and you’re eagerly awaiting the big move. With so much happening, it can often become overwhelming and place your stress levels at an all-time high. Take some deep breaths. There are several ways you can make sure it all goes smoothly – and that’s through planning.

While one of the first things you’ll do when planning the move is to organise removalists and enlist the help of friends and family, there’s a lot more involved in making a smooth transition. Organising utilities, updating the details of various accounts and organising home and contents insurance are just some of the things that need to be taken care of prior to moving day.

Whether it is a new build or an existing home, here’s a handy checklist to follow leading up to the big moving day.

Set up utility accounts

Before moving into your new home, it’s important to set up your utility accounts so you can have access to water, power and gas as soon as you walk in the door. Not having access to crucial utilities will make the move much harder and will cause delays. It’s also important to set up accounts for your new phone line and internet if you wish to have a connection in your new home straight away.

Water

If you’re moving, buying or building, you’ll require access to water on your property. Head over to the Water Corporation website for guides that walk you through the processes involved with accessing water on your property. These easy to navigate guides will provide you with all the information you require.

Power

Electricity is essential for most homes, powering your home appliances, hot water systems and electrical devices. There are multiple power providers in Australia which all have their own rates and fees. Compare a few well-known providers before making your final decision on which company best suits how your home will use electricity.

Gas

Although many newer homes are moving away from the inclusion of gas, most houses still use it for stove tops and heating. If you do require gas to be connected to your new or existing home, research online or speak to your family and friends to find the right provider for you.

Check key days with your local council

Each local council will have their own set watering days, hard rubbish and bin collection days, and local events. Before making the move, get in contact with your new local council to request a calendar of key dates. You can check your watering days by visiting the Water Corporation website and inputting your street number and postcode.

Complete change of address forms

One of the most common problems for new homeowners is updating their address on an extensive list of accounts. One of the easiest ways to ensure you still receive your mail at your new address is to complete a redirect mail form with Australia post. For either one, three, six or 12 months, Australia Post will redirect your mail to the new address, giving you some room to breathe while you update the address details on various accounts.

The Australian Government have put together a change of address checklist to make the process of moving house and updating your details easier. Remember to include any additional accounts to the list before working through it.

Re-key your new home’s locks

While your home is being built, access will be given to many tradesmen, contractors and real-estate agents. Or, if you’re purchasing an existing home, there’s no telling how many people still have access to the property.

Therefore, one of the first things you should do when moving into a new home is to rekey your locks. Find a reputable local locksmith service that can rekey your entire home to prevent previous owners or tenants from gaining entry. To make access to your home even easier, this would be the perfect time to ensure all locks in your home use the same key.

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Organise home & contents insurance

Before moving into your new home it’s vital that you take out a home and contents insurance policy with a reputable insurance company. The unexpected can happen, especially when moving home so taking out the right policy before the move is crucial.

Re-paint your rooms before moving furniture in

If you’re planning to change the look of your home, get started before moving the furniture in. Manoeuvring around furniture to paint walls or position art only becomes harder once you’ve packed the home with your belongings.

Prepare for the first night

After the big move, you’ll be left with boxes towering up to your ceiling. You’ve just completed a big move and you’re lacking the energy to go through every box searching for the essentials. That’s why it’s important to prepare yourself for the first night.

Pack a labelled ‘first-night’ box containing the essentials such as:

• A change of clothes.
• Nightwear.
• Toiletries.
• Toilet paper.
• Towels.
• Bed linen, pillows and doona.
• Prescription medicine.

You might even add some extra kitchen items to the list to make you feel at home, such as tea or coffee and a kettle for the morning. This makes it much easier to settle in and get a good night’s sleep before a big day of unpacking.

We hope completing these seven tasks helps to make your moving day that little bit easier. For more moving tips and tricks take a look at these three ways to make money when moving and five lessons from someone who just moved.