Five tips to help take the stress out of moving

GUEST OBSERVATION

Moving house is one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. There are contracts to sign, trucks to book, people to coordinate, utilities and connections to cancel and transfer, boxes to pack – not to mention the unpacking chaos that awaits once you’ve arrived at your new place.

No one understands this more than renters. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 52% of renters shift once every year, unlike buyers who shift every six years on average.

So as a renter, what are the best ways to streamline the process of shifting? Follow this plan to make the experience more enjoyable.

• Give sufficient notice and take steps to get your bond back as quickly as possible

Moving is expensive as it is, so there’s nothing worse than being hit with extra costs of losing your bond.

 In Victoria agents require 28 days’ notice in writing to terminate the lease. If possible, stick to this rule to avoid incurring any extra fees or losing your bond.

When you do move, having the property in ship shape will also ensure you get your bond back quickly. In most cases an agent will provide a checklist of items requiring cleaning or repair that will be inspected before your bond is returned.

Rather than cleaning the property after you move out, why not get a head start prior to moving to speed up the process? Chores like washing windows, cleaning air condition filters and removing stains from walls and tiles can easily be done in the weeks before you leave, making the final clean much faster.

Remember, you may also be required to provide receipts from professional cleaners (e.g. for carpets) so book early to ensure this is ticked off during inspection.

• Research the best removal options early

The emotional and physical toll of trying to pack your life into boxes can be exhaustive. 

Rather than hiring a truck yourself or relying on family and friends to help you move, your agent can assist.

To save time on the day, provide your removal team with a note of any precious items that require special care, clear instructions to your new address, and draw up a plan for furniture placement in your new home so it’s all in place when you move in.

• Better still, hold a moving party!

As the saying goes, many hands make light work. If you’re lucky enough to have your friends or family helping you shift, why not make an event out of it? Ask them to bring their cars to fill with clothes, food and smaller bits and pieces and leave the removalists to take care of the furniture and bulky items.

If your friends need convincing, offer to shout them at the end of the day with drinks and a BBQ at the new place to sweeten the deal.

• Change your address and redirect mail – once!

The Australian government’s change of address checklist is a comprehensive list of who needs to be notified of your move.

To save you calling every provider before you move, Australia Post offers a mail redirection service for change of addresses within Australia and overseas, as well as a free notify organisations service. That will ensure all your mail arrives at your new place and give you time to formally update your address details with your various providers once you’ve settled in to your new home.

• Ask your agent to arrange utility connections for the day you move in

There’s nothing worse than spending your first night in your new home without electricity, gas, or running water.

Rather than waiting for third party utility connection businesses to get in contact, your agent could arrange it all for you. 

We all know moving is a stressful experience but with a little bit of planning there are ways to make it more pleasant - you might even enjoy it!

Nigel O’Neil is  managing director and CEO of hockingstuart, one of Victoria’s largest and most established real estate franchises.

Nigel is a qualified Chartered Accountant who has successfully built and grown large businesses by leveraging his strategic acumen and leadership experience. He is now applying the same principles to his role heading up hockingstuart and as a leader across the broader real estate community – as typified by the recent launch of hockingstuart’s utility connection service YourPorter, which offers a full suite of services for renters and home buyers. To find out more go to yourporter.com.au.