Whether you’re a first home buyer, upsizing, downsizing or renting, moving home is a big deal. It’s considered one of life’s most stressful events. You’ve got so much to think about when it comes to packing, moving, unpacking and settling into your new home and neighbourhood.
To help you keep moving home manageable, here are our top five tips!
1. Don’t need it? Don’t take it with you
Ensure you set aside ample time to declutter and purge before packing. There’s nothing worse than leaving packing to the last day, then rushing around to shove everything into boxes.
As you’re going through your items, have your ‘keep’, ‘donate’, ‘sell’ and ‘repurpose’ boxes at the ready, so you can pack and clear as you go. You don’t want to relocate any unwanted stuff to your new house, particularly if you’re paying a removalist to help.
2. Think carefully before you bypass a removalist
Yes, moving house yourself can save you on a removalist, but it can also be a false economy for some.
We’ve all made the call and we’ve all had the shock. We think booking a removalist will cost a few dollars, then the quote comes back and it’s into the hundreds. Before you dodge the quote and start reaching out to family and friends, consider what’s involved. Do you have the right equipment to shift large furniture and appliances? Do you have a suitable vehicle, and will you be able to drive the thing? What about all the heavy lifting? Do you really have the time on moving day to lift and shift yourself?
A professional removalist can manage this for you. Leaving you to focus on the more important things, like settling your family and pets into your new home.
3. Don’t forget the fur babies
If humans, with their logic and capacity to take on new challenges, find moving anxiety-inducing, imagine the toll it takes on those creatures of habit living under your roof. Your pets.
There are so many moving parts on moving day, pets can be easily overlooked. Doors are left open as people move in and out, and if an already stressed pet bolts, its absence may not be noticed for a long time because everyone is so pre-occupied with the move.
If you can’t leave your pets with a minder on moving day, appoint one person in the house to be in charge of your pet(s). If you have a cat or dog, check that your pet is wearing an ID tag with your current phone number, they’re properly secured when doors are opened, and are safely transported and comfortably settled in your new home.
No matter how much you do to keep your pet calm during your move they’ll be disrupted by your new home, so try to re-establish their routine as quickly as you can.
4. Got green fingers?
Just because you have gone to all the effort to create an amazing garden doesn’t mean you have to leave all your hard work behind when you move.
Before you do anything, advise your buyers what you’re planning on taking with you from the garden. Unless you discuss and agree otherwise with your buyers, when selling your property any potted plants can be moved, but plants in the ground should be staying.
Your pot plants should be the last things loaded onto the moving van and the first things unloaded and placed safely in your new property.
Planning on moving large bushes or trees? Create a plan of what you want to move and how you’re going to do it. Look at what plants you’re planning to move and research how best to move them – from uprooting and travel, to replanting and watering.
5. Moving home for the first time?
Moving away from home for the first time is one of the most exciting, bittersweet and exhilarating things you’ll ever experience. But there’s a whole bunch of things you’ll need to figure out before moving. Where will you live? What’s your budget for rent or a mortgage, food, electricity, water, internet, etc? Will you have a house mate? Will you need to get your own appliances? When will you move and who will help you? Will you need a moving checklist?
With all these questions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
Before committing to moving out for the first time, make a plan so you can avoid bill shock. First things first – work out exactly what you can afford. Take note of every single expense from utilities and insurance, to eating out and shopping. Practice “paying” rent and other expenses a couple of months before the big move to test whether your budget is suitable.
More information
To help you when you move, we’ve put some of the best moving tips and energy saving advice we’ve learnt over the past 25 years on our website, visit alintaenergy.com.au/blog.
Alinta Energy has partnered with Adlam Transport to help customers in WA when they move. Adlam Transport are leading removalists in Perth. Providing storage, office and house removalist services across Perth, WA and interstate for over 25 years. For more information, visit alintaenergy.com.au/movingtruck.
For more information about moving your gas account, visit alintaenergy.com.au.
Sourced from REIWA