Moving home can be a stressful time. It doesn’t matter whether you are moving a few streets within Melbourne from Richmond to Kew, or moving states from Ballina to Ballarat, with so much to do it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
You can use the Shoparound.com.au service to connect your new home to one of our preferred suppliers. If you’re moving to Victoria or moving within the state - whether it be to Melbourne or Mildura, simply click on
Search Electricity to
see a list of deals from our participating suppliers. (Note: we don't list all suppliers - only those we have commercial arrangements with and we also show you the regulated rate in your area. We cannot guarantee you the best or cheapest electricity or gas price for your new home.)
So long as you give us a few days notice (usually 2 full business days), we’ll make sure that your new electricity supply or gas supply is connected and ready to go the day you move in.
Moving home can present a lot of dilemmas. Below are links to some tips & tricks to help you in the lead-up to your move and to make things run more smoothly on your actual moving day.
Tips for your moving day
The day you move can be hectic and stressful. Here’s some tips to help you limit the things that can go wrong on the actual day:
- Make up a “Moving Box” straight after breakfast that includes a few essentials so you don’t have to unpack everything just to have a cup of tea! Put this box in the car so it doesn’t get loaded up with everything else.
- If there are any important documents that you don’t want to lose keep them with you. Things such as your passport and cheque books may be safer on your person than in the back of a moving truck. But don’t leave them unattended in your car.
- If you are using a removal company, as soon as they arrive chat to the guy in charge and discuss your requirements.
- When everything’s packed SLOWLY wander through the house to check nothing’s been left behind.
- When you get to your new house, make sure the removal company knows where to put your items. Remember - you’re paying them - don’t be afraid to make your requirements clear.
- Don’t try and cook dinner when you arrive at your new home - have a relative or friend bring something over (including plates and cutlery) or treat the kids and yourself to a takeaway.
Should I use a removal company or move myself?
This might depend on your budget and how much stuff you have to move and how many strong mates you have! Moving yourself can add to the stress of the day, but if you don’t have too many things to move, the cost of hiring a van or a trailer and doing it yourself can save you a lot of money.
If you have a big house to move however, it may be more sensible to employ a company to do the moving for you. The moving companies offer a range of services where you can get them to do ALL the work for you including packing and unpacking, or you pack and unpack and they just do all the heavy lifting.
If I use a removal company should I pack my things myself?
Removal companies offer a range of services. They can pack everything for you, or you can pack items yourself with the packing materials provided and they just take care of the heavy lifting. If you have no time and money isn’t an issue then getting the removalists to do all the packing is a great idea. If you’re wanting to save some money, then doing the packing yourself will reduce your costs.
If you do use a removal company don’t forget to find out exactly what insurance is in place and make sure your goods are covered for breakages and any accidents during transportation.
What insurance cover do I need?
It will be a good idea to arrange extra insurance coverage to make sure that your household items are insured in the event of breakage or loss during your move.
Check your home & contents insurance to see if any of your goods are covered during a move. Some companies offer a special moving extension to your policy - just ring them and advise that you are relocating and they will arrange for cover on that day as part of your existing policy. If you are using a removal company, check their terms and conditions to see what damages or breakages they will cover you for. Just be careful - what they cover may change depending on whether they are
doing the packing or you are. Often when you are moving large distances, the moving company can arrange transit insurance to ensure your household goods are covered during the journey.
But most importantly, talk to your existing home and contents insurance company and advise them of your move so they can tell you what’s covered and also arrange a policy to cover your new home.
Who do I need to tell that I’m moving?
You need to advise all the organisations who you deal with that you are changing your address. Here’s some of the organisations you may want to contact:
Bank or Building Society
Credit Card Company
Council and Water Utilities
Car Insurer
Australian Tax Office
Drivers License Authority
Medicare & your GP
Car Registration Authority
Telephone & Broadband provider
Electricity & Gas Suppliers
Home & Contents Insurer
Newspaper & magazine subscriptions
Investment companies
Centrelink
Pay TV Provider
The kids’ schools
You can also speak to Australia Post and organise to have your mail forwarded to your new address until all your address changes are processed.
What should I put in my “Moving Box”?
Here’s some ideas of what you may want to include in your Moving Box:
Mugs, tea, coffee, sugar, milk
Kettle & toaster
Bed linen
Change of clothes
Pyjamas
Towel & Toiletries
Light bulbs
Torch with batteries
A screwdriver, hammer and allen key
The kids favourite toy
Loo Roll
Mobile Phone Charger
And don’t forget to put in some plastic cups and a bottle of wine to unwind at the end of a stressful day.
