What to Do Before the Removalists Arrive

On an hourly job, every minute the crew spends waiting on you is billable. On a fixed price job, being unprepared is how a fixed price becomes a variation. Either way, the hour you spend the night before is the cheapest hour of the whole move.

Be completely packed

Completely. Not "nearly". A crew that arrives to half-packed cupboards will either wait or pack for you, and both are charged.

• Every box taped shut and labelled by room.
• Nothing loose in wardrobes, cupboards or under beds.
• Boxes stacked in one accessible place per room, not blocking doorways.
• Weight kept sensible: books in small boxes, linen in large ones.

Disassemble what you can

Beds, table legs and flat-pack shelving are faster if they are already apart. Keep every fitting in a labelled bag taped to the item itself, and photograph anything complicated before you take it apart.

If you are not confident reassembling something, leave it and say so. Most removalists will handle it, and it is quicker for them than for you.

Empty and prepare the appliances

• Fridge and freezer: defrost at least 24 hours ahead and dry them out. A wet fridge on a truck is a problem for everything around it.
• Washing machine: drain the hoses and fit the transit bolts if you still have them. Without transit bolts the drum can be damaged in transit, and that damage is often excluded from cover.
• Dishwasher: drain and disconnect.
• Gas appliances: disconnected by a licensed person, not by the removalists.

Know what they will not take

Most operators will not carry:

• Paint, fuel, gas bottles, aerosols, chemicals and cleaning products
• Ammunition and explosives
• Live plants, especially across state borders
• Perishable food
• Pets

Some will not take particleboard flat-pack that has already been assembled, because it does not survive a second move. Ask when you book so you can make other arrangements.

Take these yourself

Keep them in the car, not on the truck:

• Passports, birth certificates, contracts and the lease
• Jewellery, cash and small valuables
• Medication
• Laptops, hard drives and anything irreplaceable
• Phone chargers, keys and the essentials box

Sort out access

Access is where hourly jobs quietly bleed money.

• Book the lift and the loading dock at both ends, and confirm the times.
• Reserve parking as close to the door as you can. Some councils allow a temporary permit.
• Have keys, swipe cards and gate codes ready for both properties.
• Clear a path: move the car off the driveway, pull the bins aside, prop doors open.
• If it is raining, have old towels or a drop sheet for the entryway.

On the day

Be there when they arrive. Walk them through the property, point out the fragile items and anything that needs special handling, and tell them which room each box belongs in at the other end. Ten minutes of orientation saves an hour of questions.

Do a final sweep before they close the truck: every cupboard, the roof cavity access, the garage, the letterbox, the clothesline.

Frequently asked questions

Should I tip the removalists?

Not expected in Australia. Cold drinks on a hot day are always welcome.

Do I need to be there the whole time?

At minimum for the start and the end at each address. Someone should be able to answer questions and do the final walkthrough.

What if it rains?

Removals continue in the rain. Crews carry protective coverings, but it slows things down, which matters on an hourly rate.

Not booked yet? Compare removalists, and get the bond clean locked in for after the truck leaves.