Moving House? I’ve got some tips!
Remember to cancel:
- Newspaper and/or milk delivery.
- Telephone, internet and cable TV.
- Gas, water and electricity (arrange a final meter reading).
Organise for moving day:
- Obtain supply of boxes (the supermarket can be one supplier).
- Get packaging tape and heavy marker pens.
- Arrange for furniture removal (get quote, confirm time).
- Arrange care of your children on moving day.
- Make suitable arrangements for any pets.
- Arrange transit insurance and contents and fire insurance for your new home.
- Organise shifting times with the purchaser of your old property and the previous owner of your new one.
Notify your change of address to:
- Bank, credit card and charge card companies.
- Post office for redirection of mail.
- Elections Registrar.
- Registrar of motor vehicles and drivers license.
- Tax department.
- Insurance companies.
- Hire purchase or finance companies.
- Investment companies.
- Local council.
- Clubs and organisations.
- Police (if you own and store firearms).
- Friends and relatives.
- Magazine subscriptions.
- Doctor, dentist, accountant, lawyer.
Don’t forget:
- Clean the stove and defrost the fridge/freezer.
- Tidy the yard.|
- Ensure that the chattels that have been sold with the property are not accidentally packed.
- Disconnect all appliances.
- Disconnect the TV aerial.
- Return any borrowed items.
- Throw out items that you don’t intend taking with you.
- List valuable items for special care when moving.
- Advise removal company of dangerous goods being moved (i.e. ammunition, petrol, spirits, chemicals).
- Securely pack all jewellery, money, special documents and papers (i.e. legal, tax, insurance etc).
- Set aside items you will need on the day of the move so you can take them with you (i.e. food, drinks, cleaning products).
- Pack each room leaving the boxes stacked and labelled with the room they are to be moved to. It is a good idea to write on each box a list of its general content.
- Clearly label boxes containing breakables as ‘Fragile’ and identify these items to the removal people.
- Pot and pack away plants and cuttings you are taking with you.
- Explain your packing procedure to the removal people and be at your new home when they arrive.
Do not:
- Put breakables or liquid filled containers in drawers.
- Overload drawers and make furniture too heavy to shift (too much weight can damage furniture).
- Move netting, barbed wire, timber, wood, coal etc without special arrangements being made.
- Store perishable goods where they might be overlooked.
Make arrangements to:
- See your solicitor to sign transfer documents/mortgage discharge documents.
- Enrol children in new school.
- Coordinate the forwarding of any files from the children’s previous school to their new one.
Organise for your new home:
- Newspaper delivery.
- Telephone.
- Internet and cable TV connection.
- Gas, electricity and water.
The week before moving:
- Remind and confirm dates/times/locations for furniture removal company.
- Confirm moving in/moving out details and key exchange with your Harcourts consultant.
- Say goodbye to neighbours.
One last check:
- Nothing left behind?
- No clothes at the dry cleaners?
- No gear stored away from your property?
- Electricity, gas and telephone disconnected?
- Water turned off and no taps left running?
- Windows and doors latched?
- Keys with solicitor (if appropriate)?
After it’s all over:
- Have spare keys cut.
- Make an insurance claim if any damage has occurred during the move.
- Teach children how to get to their new school.
Happy moving!