1. Book a removalist

The week you sign the Contract of Sale it is recommended that you find and book a removalist. Removalists book up quickly at certain times of the year, so getting in early can ensure you find one you trust and one that fits within your budget.

Before you commit to a removalist, they may want an idea of what specific furniture you have, how many bedrooms you have, whether you have any furniture that is difficult to move or how many boxes you have. Take an inventory of your large furniture and make a rough estimate of how many boxes you’ll likely have so you can get an accurate quote.

2. Gather moving supplies

Start gathering cheap or free moving supplies such as good quality boxes in a range of sizes, newspaper and bubble wrap. Ask friends and your local shops if they have any boxes they do not want.

3. Does your new home have enough space for your belongings?

Working out whether your new property will be able to fit all your furniture is important. It is a good idea to measure your larger pieces of furniture and use the floor plan of the property to work out where each item will fit. If pieces do not fit, you should either look to sell, hire storage, give away or discard. Doing this well in advance can save you the headache of not having a place for it on moving day.

4. Organise all important moving paperwork in one convenient file

Ensuring all your important documents that relate to the property sale and move are consolidated is a good tip. You have enough to deal with and don’t need to be bothered with searching for contracts and receipts that quickly accumulate during a move. It is wise to create a physical folder for all your tangible receipts and an online folder for all electronic documents. An email folder is very helpful for storing your e-receipts and moving-related emails.

5. Change your address

You may think, “I have plenty of time to deal with such minor details.” However, many people move only to find that their post is still going to their old address. Make a list of the organizations that send you physical bills or important paperwork. Use this time during the weeks leading up to the move to contact them with your new address and date of move. You’ll likely get other post during this time that you may not even have considered, so be sure to add those senders to your list as well. You may also want to redirect your mail with Australia Post, but the longer you use their service, the more it will cost you.

6. Decide where everything will go

If you have a floor plan with exact measurements, it will be highly beneficial when planning where everything will go. If you do not have one, ask the real estate agent for one. You will need to know if a room is big enough for your furniture before the movers get frustrated trying to figure a way to get something to fit. Do not just “eyeball” it either. You don’t want to end up having to leave something behind because you did not correctly estimate the size of a wall or door.

7. Start packing early and toss, donate or sell unwanted items

Whatever you do, do not wait until the days leading up to the move to start packing. It will cause sleepless nights and undue stress. Instead, put yourself in a good spot by going room-to-room and packing away things you do not need.

You will likely find things you don’t use or don’t want any more. This is a good opportunity to sell those things while you still have a place to keep them. After all, the more you take with you, the more expensive and time-consuming moving will be. Many people recommend having four piles in each room, labelled ‘Keep’, ‘Toss’, ‘Donate’, and ‘Sell’.

Pack lighter items such as clothes and toys in the largest boxes and the heavier items such as plates and appliances in the smaller boxes. Make sure you label relevant boxes 'fragile'.

Also make sure you pack a box of essential items that contains items you will need to access the first night you are in your new property. Items such as bed linen and towels, pyjamas, toothbrush, toilet paper, you get the idea. You do not want to be hunting around through multiple boxes when you arrive.

8. Contact the utility providers

You’ll need someone to connect your electricity at your new home and stop billing you for it at your old home. The same goes for gas, TV, phone, and internet. The sooner you do this, the sooner they can make arrangements to set you up so you are not left in the dark.

9. Make travel arrangements

If your move requires you to drive a long distance, make sure your vehicle is serviced beforehand. You do not want it breaking down on moving day of all days. Also, make sure you’ll have enough room in your vehicle for kids and pets. If not, you may want to arrange for someone to care for them until you’re ready to move into the new home.

10. Unpack as soon as you move

Unpacking can feel like an enormous task so it is best approached with discipline. It is a good idea to unpack the bedrooms first and the kid’s rooms, so they feel like home quickly. Unpack one room and a time will help give you a sense of achievement as you move through the property.