Plan a fast move! Whether you are being charged hourly, have a hectic schedule and can’t take time off work, or you are vacating on short notice, you want to make your move is quick and easy as possible. Here are some tips:
Pack and declutter early
As soon as you know you are moving, prepare! Decide what needs to go, sell it on eBay, Gumtree, etc. or give it away. Call the council to arrange a pick-up date for anything you cannot sell. Get your boxes and start packing non-daily essentials, and label as you go. Breaking up your packing into small tasks throughout the week will make the move itself fast as you will only be moving the necessary items and you won’t be rushed to pack on the day you move. Make sure you’ve packed everything! Leave only one box for essentials to be packed on the last day: toiletries, last change of clothes, etc.
Book a good removalist ASAP
Use Google, True Local, a quote website (such as Service Seeking, Find a mover or One Flare) to find a good removalist. Read the reviews. If there is time, ask for a fixed quote. Movers are likely to work fast if the time they have is fixed. (Ask for a fixed quote here: Contact Us) Some dodgy movers may try to extend the move time if the charge is hourly. Book fast so they can plan your move early on. Make sure the truck is the right size for your move so there is only one go. A rule of thumb is 1-2 bedrooms: 4.5 tonne truck, 3-4 bedrooms: 10 tonne truck.
Try to time your move so you and the movers don’t get stuck in traffic. Avoid being on the road between 7-9:30 am or between 4 and 7. For example, if the removalists say they will take 2 hours to load, book at 8am or between noon and 1:30pm so they are not on the road during rush hour.
Plan ahead for a fast-moving day
Ahead of the move day: book the lift and loading dock if applicable. If not, arrange on-street parking. Have all your boxes packed and ready to go, and put them in one corner of the room so all the furniture can be moved without any obstacles. Withdraw cash ahead so you can pay quickly. Label all boxes and important items so unpacking will be fast.
Let movers know if you have any special items, such as heavy or delicate antiques, extra-large items such as pianos, pool tables, or gym equipment, so they can make the right arrangements and bring the right tools. Also, let them know if there are complex disassembly jobs that require special tools.
A fast-moving day
On the day itself, move fast! Move your smaller items in the car if you have one, so you can let the removalists deal with the bigger items: furniture and white goods. Disassemble furniture that may be damaged. Give directions for the fastest way to your new home to the movers. Advise them to use tolls if necessary.
Enlist friends or family to help you if you have lots of boxes and small items. If the kids can help, let them, but if they are small or if you have pets, make sure someone can take care of them away from where the removalists are working.
Unpack immediately
After you have sent off the removalists, take a quick break, but if it is not too late in the day, keep going! If you unpack while you are tired, you will probably do it quickly because you want to finish. If you are too tired, make sure you do it first thing in the morning. Run on your momentum, don’t live from your boxes for weeks on end.
Have a fast and efficient move!
