Working out exactly what to do when moving house is half the battle. Moving day itself is usually the easy part. It’s the weeks before that catch people out: forgotten utility transfers, last-minute packing, and trying to book a removalist when every truck on the Gold Coast is already taken.
This guide walks you through the whole process step by step, in the order things actually need to happen. We’ve broken it down into eight clear steps, plus a list of common mistakes and answers to the questions our customers ask most often. Whether you’re shifting across the suburb or relocating from Surfers Paradise to Brisbane, the same fundamentals apply. Get the planning right, and the rest falls into place.
Why Knowing What to Do When Moving House Saves You Stress
Moving is one of life’s bigger logistical exercises. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that more than a third of Australians change address within any five years, and almost every one of them learns the hard way that good preparation matters more than a strong back.
A clear plan helps you avoid double-booked trucks, lost paperwork, and the panic of realising your electricity isn’t connected at the new place. It also gives you time to declutter properly, which means a smaller load, lower removal costs, and less to unpack at the other end.
Step 1: Start Planning Six to Eight Weeks Before Moving Day
The earlier you start, the smoother the move. Six to eight weeks out, sit down with a notebook (or a notes app) and map out the big dates: settlement, key handover, lease end, and the day you want to physically move. Block these into a calendar so the rest of your prep has a deadline.
Use this window to confirm parking access at both addresses, check lift bookings if you’re moving into or out of an apartment, and start gathering quotes from removalists. Trucks book out fast at the end of the month and around school holidays, so locking in your date early is the single biggest stress-saver on this list.
Step 2: Declutter Before You Pack a Single Box
Don’t pay to move things you no longer want. Go through every cupboard, wardrobe, garage and shed, and sort everything into four piles: keep, sell, donate, and toss. Items you haven’t touched in two years almost always belong in one of the last three.
Local op shops, Facebook Marketplace and council kerbside collections all make decluttering easy. A lighter load means fewer boxes, less wrapping, and a faster move on the day. For a typical three-bedroom home, decluttering well can shave hours off your moving time and meaningful dollars off your removalist invoice.
Step 3: Book a Reliable Removalist
Aim to book your removalist four to six weeks out. Get at least two or three quotes, and look beyond the hourly rate. The cheapest crew often isn’t the cheapest move. Slow loading, damaged furniture and a missing item or two will cost you more than a well-priced professional team.
Ask three things: are you fully insured for goods in transit, do you handle disassembly and reassembly, and what’s your policy if access is tighter than expected? A good removalist will answer all three without hesitation. If you’re moving locally, our Gold Coast house removals team can give you a transparent quote with everything included, so there are no surprises on the day.
Step 4: Change Your Address and Notify the Right People
This is the step most people leave too late. Around three to four weeks before moving day, work through your address-update list so nothing slips through the cracks. The essentials are:
- Mail redirection through Australia Post. Set this up to start the day you move, and run it for at least three months.
- Driver’s licence and vehicle registration via Transport and Main Roads if you’re moving within Queensland.
- Electoral roll through the Australian Electoral Commission.
- Medicare, the ATO, and your private health fund, all of which can be updated through myGov in a few minutes.
- Electricity, gas, internet and water. Line up disconnections at the old place and connections at the new place for the same day, with a small buffer.
- Bank, super fund, insurer, and any subscriptions tied to your home address.
- Schools, doctors, vets, and any regular service providers who need your new details on file.
Print the list, tick things off as you go, and keep digital confirmations in one folder so nothing gets lost.
Step 5: Pack Room by Room (and Label Everything)
Start packing two to three weeks before move day with the rooms you use least: spare bedrooms, garage, linen cupboards, books. Save the kitchen and main bathroom for the last few days. Use proper moving boxes rather than supermarket cartons (they’re stronger and stack better), wrap fragile items individually, and don’t make any one box so heavy you can’t carry it.
Label every box on the top and at least one side with the room it’s going to and a one-line summary of what’s inside. Mark anything fragile clearly. Pack a separate “first night” box with a kettle, mugs, phone chargers, bedding, toiletries and a change of clothes, so you don’t have to dig through twenty boxes to make a cup of tea. If you’d rather hand the whole job over, our professional packing service takes care of it from start to finish.
Step 6: Sort Out Storage If Your Dates Don’t Line Up
Settlement and key handover dates rarely match perfectly. If there’s a gap between leaving your old home and getting access to the new one, you’ll need somewhere safe for your belongings in between. The same goes for downsizing moves, renovations, or anyone going overseas for a stretch.
Short-term storage near the Gold Coast is easy to organise if you book early. Our Arundel storage facility has secure 20ft containers with CCTV, ground-level access, and flexible terms from a few days to several months. Booking removals and storage with the same provider means your gear is only handled once, which saves time and reduces the chance of damage.
Step 7: Prepare for Moving Day Itself
The day before, fully charge your phone, withdraw a bit of cash for emergencies, and confirm arrival time with your removalist. Empty and defrost the fridge and freezer. Disconnect washing machines and dishwashers. Make sure every room is packed except the bed you’re sleeping in that night.
On the day, get up early, eat a proper breakfast, and have water and snacks ready for the crew. Walk through the house with the lead removalist before they start, flagging anything fragile or anything you want loaded last so it comes off first. Keep important documents, valuables, jewellery and medications with you in the car rather than on the truck.
Step 8: Settle In Without the Stress
When you arrive at the new place, do a quick walkthrough before anything comes off the truck. Check for any pre-existing damage, take a few photos, and direct boxes into the rooms they’re labelled for so you’re not shuffling them around later.
Unpack the essentials first: beds, kitchen basics, bathroom kit. Everything else can wait. Giving yourself a full week to unpack at a normal pace is far less stressful than trying to do it all in one weekend. If your removalist offers furniture assembly as part of the service, take them up on it so beds, wardrobes and dining tables get reassembled the first time properly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Moving House
- Leaving the removalist booking until the last minute. The good ones get booked out four to six weeks ahead, especially at month-end.
- Packing too late. A 3-bedroom home takes longer than a weekend. Start two to three weeks out and chip away at it.
- Not labelling boxes. Unlabelled boxes turn unpacking into a guessing game and slow the removalists down on the day.
- Forgetting to redirect mail. Important letters end up at your old address for months.
- Packing valuables on the truck. Cash, jewellery, passports and important documents travel with you, always.
- Choosing a removalist on price alone. Uninsured or inexperienced movers can cost you more than they save.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first thing to do when moving house?
Confirm your moving date and book a removalist. Everything else, including decluttering, packing, and address changes, works backwards from that date. Without a confirmed move day, you can’t plan utility connections, mail redirection, or pack a logical timeline.
How far in advance should I start preparing for a move?
Six to eight weeks for a typical residential move, longer if you’re relocating interstate or selling and buying at the same time. Booking a removalist should happen at least four weeks out, and ideally six during busy periods such as the end-of-financial-year and summer holidays.
How much do removalists cost on the Gold Coast?
Local Gold Coast moves typically run on an hourly rate, with the total depending on the size of your home, how much you’re moving, and access at both addresses. Get at least two written quotes and ask exactly what’s included, including travel time, packing materials, and furniture assembly.
Are my belongings insured during a move?
They should be. Any reputable Australian removalist carries goods-in-transit insurance and public liability cover. Ask for confirmation in writing before booking. If a quote seems unusually cheap, insurance is often where corners have been cut.
Do I need storage between moving out and moving in?
Only if your settlement or lease dates don’t line up. If there’s even a one-day gap, short-term storage is worth the small cost compared with juggling a truck full of furniture overnight. Booking removals and storage with the same provider keeps everything in one place and minimises double-handling.
Your Next Step
Now that you know what to do when moving house, the most useful thing you can do today is lock in your removalist. Quotes are free, they only take a few minutes, and a confirmed date makes every other step on this list easier to plan around.
At Good Mates Removals & Storage, we handle Gold Coast house moves, interstate relocations, and storage all under one roof, with a friendly local team that’s been doing this for over a decade. Request a free quote, and we’ll get back to you with a clear, all-inclusive price so you can tick step three off your list and get on with the rest.