Try these top tips to help you move smoothly into your new home.

Moving into a new home is an exciting milestone, but there’s no denying there’s plenty to organise before moving day arrives.

Since 2016, we’ve welcomed many new residents to Newenham and, along the way, gathered plenty of practical advice about making the move a little smoother.

From planning and packing to moving day itself and settling into your new community, here are our top tips to help you prepare for your move.

Start Planning Your Move Early

The idea of moving can feel daunting, which is why finding your inner project manager early can make those final weeks much easier.

Start with a calendar of important dates and a moving checklist. Breaking your move into four key stages can help:

• Preparation
• Packing and cleaning
• The night before
• Moving day

 

If possible, start planning around six weeks before your moving date. The more you can organise early, the less there is to tackle at the last minute.

If your budget allows, consider hiring a professional removalist. Beyond doing the heavy lifting, an experienced removalist can save considerable time and help make moving day much easier.

When comparing removalists, ask about their approach to reusable packing materials, moving blankets and reducing waste during the move.

Organise Utilities and Update Your Address

A few weeks before moving, make a list of the utilities and services you’ll need to disconnect, transfer or arrange for your new home, including electricity, gas, water and internet.

It’s also worth making a checklist of everyone who needs your new address, including banks, insurance providers, your driver’s licence and vehicle registration, electoral enrolment, subscriptions, schools or childcare and healthcare providers.

Arrange mail redirection for anything you may have missed, and make sure your home and contents insurance is in place from the appropriate date.

Get to Know Your New Neighbourhood

Make a list of the local services you’ll need once you’ve moved, from schools, kindergartens and healthcare providers to vets, hairdressers and dentists.

Don’t be afraid to ask your new neighbours for recommendations or join local community groups. It’s a practical way to discover what’s nearby – and you may meet a few new faces along the way.

If possible, arrange some time away from work around moving day. Even with professional removalists, having a little breathing room afterwards gives you time to unpack the essentials, settle in and start enjoying your new surroundings.

Declutter Before You Pack

A useful rule of thumb: if you haven’t looked at it, worn it or used it in over a year, ask yourself whether it really needs to make the move with you.

Use the move as an opportunity to sort through what you no longer need. Sell, donate, recycle or responsibly dispose of items rather than packing things you don’t want in your new home.

Hot tip: Measure rooms and doorways in your new home before moving day to make sure larger furniture and appliances will fit – particularly the fridge.

Choose Recycled or Reusable Packing Materials

Before buying new packing materials, ask friends or family whether they have boxes left from a recent move, or look for recycled boxes and reusable moving containers.

Stock up on packing tape, marker pens and a utility knife, and get creative with what you already have. Towels, sheets, clothing and throw rugs can help protect fragile belongings without relying entirely on bubble wrap.

Label boxes on their sides using removable tape rather than writing directly on them so they can be reused or given-away after your move.

Start Packing Early

Start packing up your less used rooms a few weeks before, such as the guest room, storage room or garage – the kitchen and bathroom are usually the last to pack up.

Be mindful not to lose important documents and valuables and always pack them into large heavy duty water tight storage boxes. Keep these with you so you know where they are at all times – think moving documentation, passports, insurances, mortgage papers, and special items such as jewellery.

Label boxes by room and category. This makes unpacking at the other end so much easier and faster. Another handy tip is to label boxes on the side, not the top, so you can read what’s inside when they’re stacked. Use a roller tape gun – it’s much quicker than using scissors.

If you clean the shelves and rooms as you go, you’ll have much less cleaning to do at the end.

Another top tip: Pack a first-night essentials box

Keep the kettle, mugs, tea, coffee, teaspoons and a packet of biscuits together so you can make a cuppa when you arrive.

Add toilet paper, tea towels, basic cleaning supplies, phone chargers, torch and anything else you won’t want to hunt through boxes to find on your first night.

Take Photos Before You Disconnect or Disassemble

Take photos of the wiring behind televisions, entertainment systems and other electronics before disconnecting them. Do the same with anything you need to disassemble so you have a reference when it’s time to put everything back together.

It’s also worth photographing fragile or valuable belongings before the move in case anything is damaged in transit.

Help Your Pets Adjust to Their New Home

Newenham is home to plenty of furry and feathered family members, from guinea pigs and chickens to cats, birds and, of course, dogs – and moving can be unsettling for them too.

Where practical and safe, familiarising your dog with their new surroundings before moving day can help make the transition less unfamiliar. Once you’ve moved, set up their bed, food, water and favourite toys so there are familiar sights and smells around them.

Keep pets somewhere safe and secure during the move itself, when doors and gates may be open more than usual.

And don’t forget to update identification tags and microchip details, and check whether registration details need to be updated with your local council.

Use Up Food Before Moving Day

Plan a few easy meals for moving day and your first couple of nights too. This is not the week to put pressure on yourself to cook – discovering a new local takeaway might be a much better plan.

The Final Plosh

Keep a small collection of cleaning supplies separate from your packed belongings so they’re easy to reach for the final clean and when you arrive at your new home.

Collect and Hand Over Your Keys

Gather any house, garage, gate, shed and mailbox keys and make sure they’re handed to the appropriate new owner, tenant or real estate agent.

Pack for the First Two Nights

Pack a suitcase for each family member as though you’re heading away for two nights.

Include pyjamas, toiletries, medications, a couple of changes of clothes and anything needed for work or school. Add favourite toys and comfort items for children, along with food, bowls, leads, bedding and other essentials for your pets.

Keep these bags with you rather than loading them deep into the moving truck.

Moving Day

Organise a babysitter or pet sitter on the day of the move. Keeping the kids away from the chaos will make for a simpler day for everyone.

Don’t water your plants the day before the move or else they’ll become really heavy and the water leakage could damage your furniture whilst in transit.

Most importantly, don’t expect everything to go exactly to plan. Give yourself plenty of time, keep the essentials close and remember that not every box needs to be unpacked on day one.

Settle Into Your New Home and Community

Once you’re in, resist the temptation to unpack everything in one day. Start with the bedrooms so everyone has somewhere comfortable to sleep, then tackle the kitchen and bathroom before working your way through the rest.

Introduce yourself to your neighbours, explore your new surroundings and start discovering the local places you’ll soon come to know.

For those moving into Newenham, that might mean your first wander along the walking trails and discovering the open spaces around the community.

Moving into a new home is a big milestone. Once the hard work is done, give yourself some time to enjoy what you’ve created – and everything that comes with calling a new community home.

 

If you’d like to know more about securing your future in this thriving community at Newenham, see our land for sale or call our friendly Sales Team on 0429 107 497.

You can also visit the beautifully-restored Sales & Information Centre at 164 Flaxley Road, Mount Barker – check open hours here. We recommend booking a private tour, even on weekends, to ensure we can provide you with the excellent service we are known for.