Most moving stress comes from doing things in the wrong order. Book the truck too late and you end up with whoever's left. Pack the kitchen first and you're eating takeaway for a fortnight. This checklist is the order we see work best for Brisbane moves, whether it's a one-bedroom in Fortitude Valley or a four-bedroom Queenslander in Kenmore.
6 weeks out: lock in the big things
- Book your removalists. Saturdays and end-of-month dates go first. If you're moving in January or over a long weekend, book now.
- Give notice. Tenants in Queensland need to give at least 14 days' notice on a periodic lease, but check your agreement. Owners, tell your agent or conveyancer the settlement date.
- Start a moving folder. Lease, quotes, inventory, new address. One place for everything.
- Declutter. Every box you don't pack is money saved. Sell, donate or book a junk removal for the rest.
4 weeks out: the admin
- Redirect your mail with Australia Post (a month's notice is ideal).
- Update your address with the bank, Medicare, electoral roll, TMR for your licence and rego, and your employer.
- Arrange electricity, gas and internet at the new place. Internet lead times in Brisbane can run two weeks, so don't leave this one.
- If either address is an apartment, book the lift and loading dock with the building manager now. Most inner-city buildings in Newstead, South Brisbane and the CBD need a booking form and a certificate of currency from your removalist.
3 weeks out: start packing
- Collect boxes. Removalists, Bunnings and Facebook Marketplace are the usual sources.
- Pack the rooms you use least first: spare room, garage, books, out-of-season clothes.
- Label every box with the room it's going to, not the room it came from.
- Photograph the back of your TV and modem before you unplug anything.
2 weeks out: the practical stuff
- Confirm your move time with the removalists and send them both addresses, access notes (stairs, lifts, parking) and your mobile.
- If you're on a tight street in Paddington, Red Hill or Spring Hill, think about where the truck will park. A note on neighbours' windscreens the night before goes a long way.
- Use up the freezer. Plan meals around what's in there.
- Book a cleaner or block out a day for the bond clean.
1 week out: nearly there
- Pack everything except daily essentials.
- Defrost the fridge the day before. Give it 24 hours to drain.
- Disassemble beds and flat-pack furniture if you want to save time on the day (or ask your removalists to do it).
- Pack an essentials box: kettle, phone chargers, toilet paper, bedding, medication, kids' and pets' gear. It travels in your car, not the truck.
Move day
- Be there early with the keys, and have the lift or dock booking confirmed.
- Walk the removalists through the house and point out anything fragile.
- Keep water in the fridge. Brisbane summer moves are hot work for everyone.
- Do a final sweep: cupboards, under the house, the shed, the mailbox.
After the move
- Return keys and finish the bond clean.
- Check your bond refund request has gone in with the RTA.
- Leave a review for anyone who did a good job. It's the single most useful thing you can do for a small business.
If you'd rather talk it through, call us or get a free quote. We move Brisbane households every week and we're happy to tell you what will and won't fit in a day.