Moving Made Easy
7 Things to Do Before Moving Into Your New Home
1. Connect Your Services
When you move into your new home, you’ll want to know the power is switched on and the gas is connected. Of course, you’ll also need to disconnect your existing services at your old address at the same time.
The process is very simple. Just call your energy provider and give them the details along with your intended moving date.
Connecting your phone and internet services can take a little longer to organise than your utility services, so be sure you call your providers a few weeks in advance. If you also have pay TV services, be sure to book in the transfer of your services a few weeks in advance too.
2. Arrange All Your Insurances
Most people are aware of the importance of insuring their home contents so they’re covered from the day they move in. However, what you might not realise is that your furniture and belongings might not be covered while they’re in transit from your old house to your new home.
Where possible, ask your insurance company whether you can start your new home and contents policy the day before moving day. Also, you shouldn’t cancel your old policy in your previous home until the day after moving day. Then query whether your insurance company offers transit coverage, so you know your possessions are covered in the event of your removal truck being involved in an accident en route.
Creating an overlap of policies ensures that your possessions are always covered, even if you’re just heading back to the old place to finish cleaning up. Getting a temporary cover note for transit insurance just makes sure that you don’t get caught with a hefty out-of-pocket cost if something goes wrong on moving day.
3. Thorough Cleaning
Before you removalist truck arrives at the new house with all your furniture, you should already have completed a thorough clean of the property. After all, if someone’s been living in the place before you, there’s no guarantee what condition things will be in.
Vacuum, sweep and mop the floors before furniture arrives. If the carpets are really stained, you might want to organise to have them steam cleaned. Scrub the bathrooms and toilets. Clean the shelving in the kitchen and bathroom cupboards. Wash down the walls and launder any curtains.
If you’re moving into a brand new house, chances are the builders will have cleaned up their construction mess for hand-over. However, there will still be lots of builder’s dust and other minor debris to clean up.
4. Get Spare Keys Cut
As soon as you receive the keys for your new house, arrange to get a set of spare keys cut. You’ll be very busy on moving day, so it’s easy to lose a single set of keys or lock them inside the house. Reduce the risk by having a spare set already available.
5. Mail Re-Direct
Arrange for Australia Post to re-direct your mail to your new address for at least the next six months. Whenever a letter arrives in your mail box with the tell-tale yellow redirect sticker on it, you’ll know who hasn’t been informed of your new address yet. Make a point to update your contact details as soon as you recognise
6. Inform Everyone of Your New Address
It can be tricky trying to remember who you’ve updated with your new address and who’s been left out. Rather than leave it to chance, create a list so you know who you’ve contacted and who you haven’t. Your list should include:
- Banks
- Payroll officer
- Medicare
- Doctor and dentist
- Insurance companies
- Utilities (gas and electricity)
- Service providers (phone, internet and TV)
- Car registration
- Superannuation
- Electoral roll
- Magazine subscriptions
- Vet and microchip contact details (if you have a dog)
7. Pack a First Night Essentials Box
Make the first night in your new home a bit easier by packing an essentials box. You don’t want to be going through every box you’ve packed to look for simple things like a change of clothes, your toothbrush, coffee or tea, or toilet paper, so pack anything you think you’ll need once the stress of moving is finished.
Moving house is always going to contain an element of stress. Try to plan ahead for little things that most people leave to the last minute and you’ll make the whole process much easier in the long run.
At Two Men And A Truck we sometimes get frustrated because many removalist advertise that full insurance is included as part of your relocation when this is just not the case! Read on to make sure you’re not caught out.