Maloney's

Moving tips

Moving home is a crazy time in everyone’s life, but there are several things that you can do to reduce stress and ensure you move comfortably and safely.

Hiring removalists

If you are going to hire removalists, we recommended you get quotes from three separate companies.

Things to look for include:

Companies who have insurance that cover damage to your goods as well as their truck.
Companies who quote by the job, not the hour. They will usually ask to meet you and have a look at what they have to move before they give you a quote.
Making sure you receive a written quote after they have seen what they have to move.
Whether they will pack your house up or whether you will.
Checking what your contract with them will cover in terms of late or damaged goods.
Asking if they are a member of the Australian Furniture Removalists Association – a voluntary organisation that aims to keep the removalists industry reputable.

There are two types of insurance you can get:

Replacement insurance – replaces goods regardless of their age; and
Indemnity insurance – covers goods at their market value.

Replacement insurance is more expensive but much more popular.

Packing

If you are going to pack your house up yourself, you’ll need to make sure you have several things before you start:

Strong boxes – they can be obtained from removalists.
Small, strong boxes for books – it’s important to put books in small boxes so that you’re not tempted to lift something which may do long term damage to your back or shoulders.
Lots of packing tape.
Lots of newspaper for packing fragile and delicate items.
Big labels (several for each box).
Marker pens – make sure they’re thick enough and in good working order and that you can read them easily for a little bit of a distance.
Lots of big, strong garbage bags.
A trailer or skip for excess garbage – you can then take this to the tip once you’re done.
Healthy snacks and drinks – it’s an exhausting process so make sure you don’t dehydrate.
Lots of cleaning supplies.

It’s usually best to work from room to room. If you pack everything from one room, clean it and then move on to the next one, you won’t feel like you’re living in war zone, and you’ll be able to see how far along you are at any given time. For the average home, allow at least three weeks for packing and cleaning, especially if you or other family members are working. It can be done faster, but it’s much more stressful, and this way everyone should have time to help out, including the kids.

Safety Issues

Please make sure you move safely. There’s nothing worse than pulling a back muscle before you have finished and having to rely on other people complete your move.

Things to look out for include:

Boxes that are too heavy – get smaller ones for heavy items to avoid this happening, and mark them ‘heavy’ so they are easily identifiable.
Sharp objects – ensure you wrap all sharp objects appropriately to avoid injury.
Insects, reptiles and general creepy crawlies – when you move you tend to go into corners and areas of your home which haven’t been disturbed by humans in quite some time - just keep an eye out.

Take regular breaks when you are packing so that you’re not wearing yourself out too much. Keep the fluids up as well and stretch before you start. It’s also wise to have a word to your kids beforehand and to keep an eye on them throughout your move. Children can get overenthusiastic at times and hurt themselves by lifting or moving items that should be moved by adults.

Moving Pets

Moving is a particularly hard time for your pets, and there are things you can do to make it easier on them.

Move them to your new place last and make sure you have an enclosed area ready for them where you have set up things which would be familiar to them. This can include bedding, scratch poles, food and water dishes, toys, kitty litter, etc. Once you’re sure there’s no way they can escape the house or yard, slowly introduce them to new areas and give them a lot of attention while you’re unpacking or organising things.

Dog and cats in particular are renowned for travelling long distances to go back to an old home, so make that extra little bit of effort to look after their needs and make them feel at home in your new place as well.

DOGS

To help your pooch settle in easily, take him for a quiet walk around the house and garden, letting him sniff it out. If you do this after he’s had a feed or a nap, it is likely he will want to go to the toilet. Show him a good place to do his business in the garden and praise him when he goes there. Repeat this for a few weeks and he’ll use the same spot every time, making cleaning up a lot easier. It is also a good idea to introduce your pooch to the neighbours so that they are familiar with each other.

CATS

Once you have arrived and settled in, let puss out of her carry basket and spend some time quietly patting her. Once she settles down, show her the litter tray several times until she knows where it is. Cats are a lot more sensitive to their surroundings than dogs. For this reason, it is best to keep puss inside for the first three or four days, so she can get used to her new surroundings. Reduce her food slightly, and limit movement to a particular area of the house, as stress can cause an upset stomach.

Lastly, if you are planning a big housewarming party, leave it for a few weeks until the animals are settled. Even then make sure they are locked away safely from all the noise and activity.

These two sections on moving pets are courtesy of Harry’s Practice.

Excess Garbage

One man’s garbage is another’s treasure. This is so important to remember when you’re moving as there are several organisations who would love to have your excess or unwanted furniture, books and clothing. Some of them will even come and pick it up for you. There are bins in most suburbs where you can drop off clothing for recycling. As for actual garbage, you can either spread it over a period of weeks and include it in your regular bin for pick up by the council, or arrange to have it taken away.