Moving home is always a stressful business, and an interstate move is even more so! From navigating buying and renting in a different state, to packing everything up for a long-distance journey, to preparing to move jobs and, if you have kids, schools, there’s a huge amount to take into consideration.
To get you started, we’ve put together a moving interstate checklist, covering some of the important things you’ll have to mark off as you prepare for your move. We’ve also packed our checklist with some hints and tips, to make the move an absolute breeze!
Get organised
Setting up a Google or Dropbox folder to keep track of your plans and important documents is a great place to start. You can give access to a partner or anyone else involved in the move, so everyone can keep track and add in important information.
It’s a great place to store research about the new area, as well as things like to-do lists, booking confirmations, invoices, and item inventories (more on those later!)
You might also want to keep a physical folder of documents too, especially if you’ll have limited internet access during the move.
Research, research, research
Take some time to get to know the area you’ll be moving to.
You may already have a job in place, but if you or someone else moving with you will need to find work, now’s a great time to check out what’s out there, and potentially line up some online interviews if possible.
If you’re moving with children, the same will apply for schools. Get to know your local schools and start the process of enrolling your kids.
Researching your new local area is important for both practical and mental/emotional reasons. Make sure to include everyone involved in the move, so they can feel like a part of the process, and don’t just stick to the everyday things like work or school. Look up fun activities, places to eat, and local events – this will give everyone something to look forward to and get excited about.
Make an inventory
Taking stock of everything you own is a very important step in the process. It’ll give an indication of how much you’ll have to transport, store, and insure, making getting quotes and pricing up the overall cost of the move much easier.
Making an inventory is also a great opportunity to assess what you really need for the move and start clearing out items you don’t want to take with you. Remember to try and sell or donate as much as you can before you resort to throwing things away!
Shopping list
Once you’ve got your inventory sorted, make a note of all the things you’re going to need once you get to your new home.
Everyone will likely need to pick up basic goods, just to get them through waiting for their belongings to arrive, but every situation is unique. If you’re leaving a rental, for example, you might need to leave certain white goods or furniture behind.
Knowing what you need to buy ahead of time will help you to budget effectively and decide whether it’s better to purchase before or after the move.
Book your professionals
If you’re planning on having a moving company handle things, it’s good to get one locked in early. Spend a bit of time researching companies and getting quotes, and get your dates booked in as soon as you can.
You might also be looking into storage options, whether that’s temporarily while you clear out your current home, or for when you arrive interstate. Your inventory should give you a great idea of how much space you’re going to need, so get some quotes and get it booked!
Insurance is also a great idea for any long-distance relocation. With so many variables at play, preparing for any damage or lost items is super important. Get some quotes and get a policy in place nice and early.
How will you move yourselves?
It’s all well and good to have a van ready to transport your belongings, but how will you and your family make it interstate? Will you fly or drive? Will someone go on ahead of the rest of the family? If driving, are you taking any of your belongings with you? Will you need to hire a car? What about your pets?
This is a key detail to get sorted nice and early, to reduce stress when the actual move begins.
Start packing
This is where the hard work begins! You’ll need a lot of different packing materials, from boxes to tape to bubble wrap, so be sure to stock up!
Your inventory will come in handy here. Look for items you can pack together, or for things you can pack ahead of time without impacting your day to day life in the run-up to the move.
Remember that different items will need to be packed differently, so be sure to do a bit of research if you’ve got some specific valuables to protect.
This is likely to be when things start to feel very real, so check in with family members often – especially young children and teens, who might be struggling with leaving their social and family circles behind.
Cut off services
Don’t forget to cancel or update your services. Things like electricity, gas, water, and internet might seem obvious, but you’ll also need to redirect your mail, find a new local doctor or vet, update your insurance… the list goes on.
And while you’re at it, don’t forget about clearing out the kitchen cupboards and the fridge. A few thrown together meals in the days before the move will minimize wastage, and you won’t have any nasty surprises when the fridge arrives at the new place!
One last clean
Give yourself enough time to give your house one last big clean, especially if you’re moving out of a rental and want to get as much of your bond back as possible. You might consider hiring a cleaner to make sure the place is really at its best.
Let’s get moving!
Hopefully this moving interstate checklist will go some way to helping you prepare for an upcoming relocation.
Of course, every interstate move will be different, but taking the time to organise and communicate well with everyone involved, the process can be much easier than you might expect.
References
- 2014, “Top 10 Tips for Interstate Moving”, PODS Moving and Storage
- “The Ultimate Moving Interstate Checklist”, Gentle Giant Removals and Storage
- “Moving Interstate Checklist”, Relocations WA
