Ultimate Checklist For Renters Moving House

Accounts from a Nerdy Tradesman

Moving house is a stressful time. You’ve got your old house to consider, the new one to get ready, and everything in between. Our ultimate checklist for moving into your new home is ‘quick and easy’, but it is thorough. A lot of people like making crazy moving lists that have hundreds and hundreds of items in them, but honestly who really has time to deal with all of that?

When you are planning to move, whether you are moving interstate or locally, using a comparison and booking removalist service like Muval can save you heaps of money up front, plus remove the headache of having to try to do it all yourself.

Once you’ve got everything on this list checked off, you should be good to go! To make things a little bit simpler, we’ve broken up the check list into sections.

Leaving the Old Place

☐ Pack an Essentials Bag

Moving house takes more than just a couple of hours and a few trips back and forth, and you sure won’t get all of your boxes unpacked in that time! Having a bag with the essentials will mean that you’ve got everything you need to get immediately settled right on hand, without having to dig through boxes to find it all. We recommend packing toilet paper, your toiletries, any medication you need, a towel, a pair of scissors, basic first aid just in case, water and snacks, a trash bag and a clean set of clothes.

☐ Donate the Excess

When you’re packing to leave your old place, it’s a great time to get rid of some of the excess stuff you’ve collected that’s just piled up. No point in bringing it with you!

☐ Pack In Stages

You’re not going to get everything packed at once, so pack things in stages. Box up the things you don’t use much of or won’t be needing immediately first, and your most-used, every day and ‘first day in the new home’ items last (ie. bed linens, utensils, tools to assemble your furniture, towels, pajamas, etc).

☐ Organise Your Cables

One of the most annoying things you can do is have a box of tangled, unidentifiable cables at the end of your move, and not know what appliances they belong to. Roll them up neatly, and label what they go with. It’ll save you a lot of time later.

☐ Have Enough Boxes

Boxes, boxes, boxes! Having more is better than not having enough. If you don’t want to buy moving boxes, then keep your eyes on community noticeboards on Facebook or similar social media. Someone is always moving house, and someone else always has boxes they don’t need anymore from their last move.

☐ Label Your Boxes

This might seem obvious but it truly does make things easier when you’re unpacking. Labelled boxes can go straight into the approximate area of the new house that they belong in, and you have to search around for things a lot less.

☐ Check Your Condition Report

General wear and tear is normal, but you do want to make sure that things are in the same condition that they were in when you moved in. You want your bond back! If anything isn’t up to scratch, hire a repair and maintenance service for a few hours to get everything back in good order so you don’t have to worry about it. It’s a good idea to grab your own photos too, just in case.

☐ Organise an End-of-Lease Cleaner

Even if you’re a fastidious cleaner, you likely won’t be as experienced as a proper end-of-lease cleaner. These professionals know exactly what a rental agent will be looking for, so they’ll be able to make sure everything is pristine. Again, you want your bond back!

☐ Check Your Cupboards Then Lock Up

Before you leave, make sure you do a once-over of all the drawers and cupboards. You’d be surprised how many bits and pieces get left behind accidentally.

☐ Change Your Address / Forward Your Mail

Changing your address is actually a lengthy process and even if you think you’ve remembered everything, you probably haven’t. If you’re even a little unsure, organise to forward your mail through Australia Post just in case. Some of the most important places to remember to change your address include:

• Government institutions (tax, electoral commission, drivers license, Medicare etc.)
• Banks and other loan institutions you’re worth
• Any important medical facilities that send you notifications
• Telecommunications providers

☐ Organise Utilities

You want to connect your utilities before you move in. Nothing is worse than getting to the new place and not having running water or electricity for a vacuum!

Moving Into the New Place

☐ Check Your Condition Report

Save yourself a headache and do this before you get any of your boxes moved in! If you spot anything that doesn’t match up to your condition report, notify your real estate agent immediately to avoid being blamed for it later. It’s easy to accidentally ding up the walls when you’re moving furniture in, so making sure you know which dings are you and which ones were already there is important.

☐ Start With Big Items

Start off with your big furniture, your appliances, your beds and the essential items. It’s much harder to try to manoeuvre the big things in to your home when there’s cluttered boxes everywhere. Plus, moving is tiring so you’ll want that couch ready to collapse on!

☐ Get a Temporary Pet Sitter

If you’ve got a dog or a cat that’s moving in with you, they’re going to be just as stressed as you, if not more so. It’s also a lot easier to move if you can leave doors open while furniture is being brought in and not worry about animals escaping. Get a friend to pet sit for you temporarily, then bring your fur family back once you’re settled. This is especially important if you’re not 110% sure that the back yard is dog-proofed. You don’t need the added stress of an escapee when you’re moving.

☐ Keep Your Rental Documentation Safe

Having a copy of your condition report and lease agreements in an easily-accessible place that you won’t forget about is important.

☐ Get Takeaway

I know this is counter to what people normally say about eating clean and healthy, but if there’s ever an excuse for seeing what your local home delivery service is like, it’s now. You’ll be tired, and half your things are still in boxes; just get food out!