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Once you sign the paperwork for your new home, and you start to breathe a sigh of relief after months of researching and inspections, the reality of moving house will start to creep in. What might seem like a seemingly endless number of moving tasks and to-dos, can be easily managed by following the right steps, helping you stress less.
When living in busy cities such as Auckland and Wellington, careful planning and preparation is a must in order to not get overwhelmed from the start. Below we've broken down a simple, easy to follow checklist of six steps you'll need to complete ahead of your move. Take them on one by one and before you know it, you'll be comfortably settling into your new space!
1. Book home removalist services early to secure your moving day
Once you know when your new residence will be ready for you, start by reaching out to local removalists for quotes. You can easily request quotes online by providing some basic information like your contact details, preferred moving date, and size of your current residence. These details help removalists get a rough sense of how many rooms' worth of belongings will need to be moved.
They might also like to conduct a home survey as well to provide you with the most accurate estimate and to discuss any special considerations related to your move or your possessions. As you gather quotes, closely examine which services are included and take the opportunity to discuss any additional moving services for things like fine artwork or vehicles.
2. Begin the packing (and decluttering) process
As soon as you have penciled in your moving day it's time to begin the packing process. You'll need to acquire plenty of boxes and packing materials to help transport your items safely and securely. It's economical to reuse sturdy cardboard boxes from local retailers or online orders, but consider purchasing specialty boxes and padded envelopes for fragile items like dishes and stemware.
As you pack up your belongings, take a bit of extra time decluttering and separating out items you want to discard or donate. There are a number of great New Zealand organisations that accept household goods such as clothing, furniture, and food. Below are a few examples to consider if you are looking to donate:
- Kiwi Community Assistance (clothing, furniture, whiteware)
- New Zealand Red Cross (clothing, furniture, kitchen supplies, electronics etc
- Salvation Army (clothing, furniture, food)
Getting a list of items organised to donate or discard is a great idea, as this will ensure you have less work ahead of your move, and provide enough space for all your belongings. Another important consideration is the transportation of dismantled and flat pack furniture items. Make sure you wrap these items securely using furniture pads for protection throughout the moving journey.
3. Transfer utilities and mail services to your new address
An important step but often forgotten until the last minute is the transfer of all your major utilities and services to your new home. Notifying your providers early is a must and will ensure that all your gas, electricity, water, phone, internet and TV connections are set up before your move-in date. Use this opportunity when talking to your providers to set up your new utility accounts and request that these services begin close to your moving day. Be sure to pay off any outstanding utility bills before you forget or you run the risk of acquiring late fees.
You will also need to notify the post office of your address change and instruct them to redirect your mail to your new residence. Additionally, provide your new address to Inland Revenue and arrange for an electoral roll transfer through the electoral register so you can vote from your new location.
Throughout this process it is also an important time to notify your change of address with a number of key services including:
- Road authority
- Employers
- Schools
- Banks
- Solicitors
- Insurance agencies
- Superannuation funds
- Healthcare providers
- Subscription services
- Online retailers
- Membership organisations
4. Give your old space a deep clean
Cleaning your old home is one of the more easily overlooked tasks, but it is an essential step in making sure you have all of your belongings. This step is especially important if you are renting to make sure you receive your bond or security deposit back in full.
It's not a bad idea to gather quotes from cleaning companies and have them arrive shortly after your move. But you can also establish a room-by-room plan and tackle it on your own. Depending on the size of your home, consider enlisting the help of friends and family to ensure a thorough clean is completed, and no room is left unattended. As you finish packing up each room, give it a deep clean and then limit your use in that area to keep it fresh.
Don't forget projects like laundering your clothes and linens and washing all of your dishes so that you can pack them up too. You should also make sure to clear out your kitchen of all food items hiding at the back of the fridge, freezer, cupboards and pantry. Other cleaning responsibilities can extend beyond the house and can include packing items from the backyard ensuring they are ready for the move. This can include draining fuel from your lawnmower, cleaning the shed and tidying out your garage.
5. Gather up important moving day essentials
Before you pack away every single pair of socks and utensils, gather up a few basic items and supplies to get you through the first night in your new home. You might put some pyjamas and a change of clothes into a suitcase with your toiletries and towels. Fill up a "Day 1" box with kitchen essentials and nonperishables so you can prepare a meal in a pinch. Hand soap, paper towel and toilet paper are also immediate essentials you'll want to unpack as soon as you arrive in your new home.
Additionally, keep all of your important personal documents and moving-related paperwork in a safe spot, separate from your pile of moving boxes. These files and records should stay with you during the move, along with any valuables.
6. Greet your removalists and conduct a final check of the property
After following all of the aforementioned steps, you should be able to have a good night's rest before the all-important moving day. Greet your removalists when they arrive and let them know where your belongings are so they can start loading up the van.
Do a final check of your moving checklist with your team of removalists to make sure nothing is left behind, then go back and check that your appliances are shut off, windows are closed and doors are locked. Next up: the exciting move-in phase!
When looking to move home locally, it is important to find a removalist in New Zealand that is both experienced and understands your requirements fully. Allied has been helping New Zealanders move house for almost 100 years and are committed to providing the best in class service. We help our customers with the full range of packing services from our dedicated team of removalists. Call 0800 255 433 to arrange an inspection.