The stress free moving day guide
Follow our moving day tips for a hassle free move
13 tips for your moving day
The big day is here. We’ve brought together our 13 top tips from extensive experience moving thousands of our clients to help give you a hassle-free experience.
1. Give yourself a generous amount of time before the truck arrives.
Moving Day flies by faster than a normal day. Whatever time you’re estimating to get final tasks before our team gets there – double it. This means getting up early to squeeze in a coffee, see the kids off to school or a sitter and securing pets or leaving them with a neighbour so they’re not running out the door while furniture’s carried out. We recommend keeping a notepad and pen handy for any final reminders.
2. Pack final items.
We all keep some items handy for the last night – toothbrushes, cell phone chargers, hand wash, medication, toilet paper, pillows and blankets. These are the transitional items you will need at the other end immediately so keep them together and make sure you have identified boxes or suitcases in advance to take them with you. (If not, a few extra boxes is an option your moving team is prepared for). Once you’ve packed all these away, store your suitcase somewhere secure while your home is open and ensure it’s kept separate from items being loaded onto the truck.
3. Do a final clean.
Milk left in the fridge? Do a final check of the kitchen, bathroom and each bedroom and sweep around them before the truck arrives. The paper towels and surface spray you use for your final clean are also going to come in very handy when you arrive at the other end, so be sure to pack them when you’re done. Keep that mop handy for one final sweep when our team leaves. We know some Supers who raise the lid on old style stoves and check under the hotplates, so it’s worth giving this a once over if you haven’t already. Renters tip: we recommend keeping a cream cleaner and sponge eraser handy for any spot cleaning on walls or doorways where marks are more evident after a property is cleared of boxes.
4. Check off final arrangements.
Leave a note with your forwarding address for mail for the new owner and the super if you haven’t arranged it through the Post Service. The same applies to utilities. If you haven’t notified them yet, make a note to follow up asap. If you plan to leave a tip for your moving team, double check you have some cash or step out to an ATM to make a withdrawal before they arrive.
5. Keep an ear out for our call.
Your team of movers will let you know when they’re on their way to your property so be sure your ring volume is on and keep your phone handy. If you have a portable charger for your cell phone, today is a good day to keep it close. Check the street to see conditions and notify them of any changes.
6. Meet the removalists and help ensure a smooth arrival and entry to the property.
Go over any key pieces of information together. In a doorman building? Have a hyper vigilant Co-Op? Or is there a service entry the team needs to use? Our removalists are seasoned experts but no one knows your property like you do. Stay close-by for any trouble shooting and any questions on arrival. We’ll walk through the plan together once we’re inside your property and make sure we’re all on the same page. You’ll check the inventory list and sign it with your team. Vigilant supers often like to drop by during a move and see how it’s progressing, so keep an ear out for any questions they might raise which your movers can’t answer.
7. Let us take over.
At this point, all you need to do is let us do the heavy lifting, literally. This is where we really shine. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions or make any suggestions, we are here for you on your move day. Our goal is to see you smiling and looking forward to this big change in your life. You’ll also get a call from our Customer Success team during this part of the process and can ask us any additional questions or just get a pep talk.
8. Confirm your departure time for your destination.
As we get closer to finishing loading the truck you might want to consider giving anyone meeting you at your destination a heads up that you’ll be on the move soon. If someone is meeting you at your new property with the keys, be sure to confirm your meeting time is locked in. Then double check you have the cell phone details of your removalist team in case you have any traffic issues or unexpected delays along the way.
9. Secure your old home well before you leave.
Lock windows and doors. Do that final sweep that means no delays to having your bond returned. Leave the keys behind as per your arrangement with the landlord or building. Renters tip: take photographs of the condition of each room before you leave.
10. Meet the truck at the destination.
We’re on the home stretch but your removalists have the same arrival and entry process at this end of things. Once you’ve facilitated entry, they’ll be working with you on where to leave your boxes and furniture while they are unloading. Renters tip: take condition photographs for your records and identify any issues to document with your building management.
11. Make sure your utilities are working.
Hot water, electricity, and wifi are essentials for making sure your first night is stress-free. Check these on arrival and jump on the phone if you need to make any changes. This is also a good time to check if the property is secure for the arrival of any young children or pets, i.e check fencing, gates, windows and access points.
12. Sign off and do the dance of joy!
Once your removalists have finished unloading the truck they’ll do a final walk through with you and make sure everything’s in place. If you’re using Piece of Cake for your move, one of the senior members of the company’s Executive Team will jump on a call with you and make sure there’s nothing else we can do to help. Then you can sign off on the completion paperwork and tip your team if you’re happy with their work.
13. The set up.
An initial mop and clean is a great start but let’s face it, those boxes are going to take a while. Instead we recommend setting up the bedrooms as a priority and wiping down the surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom so you can start using those spaces. While there’s a big task ahead, your suitcase of essentials including phone chargers and medicines will ensure the basics are under control. The first few days are a little unorganized as you try to find everything you need so go easy on yourself. If there are any change of address arrangements you still need to make (see our Moving Day checklist here for advice) make a note to get them done as soon as possible including financial institutions, your licence and registration, the Postal Service and subscriptions. It won’t be long before everything’s running like clockwork, try and enjoy what we call the ‘camping phase’.
