You get the word. Your home is almost ready!

Instant excitement and adrenalin set in…there’s so much to pack, so much to sort and so much to think about. Where to start?

How about here?

• Get ‘listy’: Create folders (physical or virtual) marked ‘current home’, ‘new home’,  and ‘moving’ so you can file all letters, quotes, receipts, numbers and related materials as you go. You’ll be glad you did when the paperwork floods in.
• Give notice: If you own your home, decide whether you want to lease or sell the property and get that process started. If you’re renting, inform your landlord of your move date and review the fine print of your rental agreement (if you have one) about your vacate requirements (ie carpet cleaning, etc).
• De-clutter: Discard anything you haven’t used or are unlikely to need. Hold a garage sale, donate or sell items – and return anything you borrowed. Organise a skip or bulk rubbish collection, or temporary storage, if you’re downsizing.
• Make repairs: Get small jobs out of the way now. Organise handymen, or make repairs yourself, and book in cleaning help for your current home for the move day.
• Book logistics: Plan your moving transport (truck rental, movers, friends, etc). Get quotes and written confirmations, and start collecting packing materials. And, don’t forget to consider your vehicles, plants and pets if you’re taking them too!
• Inform authorities:  Fill out change of address forms – consider schools, doctors, banks, licencing, lawyers, clubs, utilities (phone, internet, electricity, water, gas) and mail. Cancel or redirect regular deliveries like groceries and newspapers and, again, don’t forget your furry friends who may need to be registered with a new council. As you go, organise re-connections at your new address where possible and don’t forget to transfer your home insurances.
• Pack up and eat up: Use or consume perishable items, like food, and don’t restock. Place boxes in each room and pack things as soon as you can. Label each box by room and contents. It’s often smarter to match boxes to your new home set up, so you can unpack faster at the other end. Another tip is to keep one ‘essentials’ box aside with everything you’ll need immediately in the new house, as well as cleaning supplies for a last-minute tidy. Organise for any valuables to be safely secured on the move day.
• Line up logistics: One week out, confirm any removalists, cleaners, locksmiths, landlord inspections, builder inspections, conveyancing details and financial arrangements – including setting specific meeting times and payment requirements (ie, you may need to pay removalists in cash). Organise appropriate parking for removalists and visit friendly neighbours to supply your new contact details.

• Get moving: Fuel up with snacks and water. It’s going to be a big day! If possible, keep pets and kids away from the action. Get all your gear onto the removal truck and clean your current home. Complete a walk-through with your landlord, if you have one and take note of any final utility readings before you return the keys.
• Unpack and enjoy: Meet the builder for your final inspection and to receive the keys. Check utility readings and make sure your services are on and working (you don’t want to be sitting in the dark on your first night).  If possible, vacuum or mop any spaces before your gear arrives, then place each box in the correct room, ie ‘kitchen’, ‘bedroom’, etc. Begin unpacking – start with beds, bathrooms and other essentials. Anything else will be a bonus – plus there’s plenty of time to unpack. Now is the time to sit back and enjoy your new home!