Tips & Tricks to Save Money During Your House Move in Australia

Looking forward to your house move, but want to save money? If you’re on this page, it’s likely because you have a tight budget or you realise that moving into a new place requires both money and time.

The thought of shifting to a new location always excites us, filling us with a special kind of energy and chills. Still, the bills start multiplying, including hiring house movers, buying supplies, cleaning fees, and utility connections. Don’t worry, we caught you, sometimes, between the packing supplies, transport fees, and unexpected expenses.

At Team Removals, we have helped numerous Australians relocate smoothly without any high expenses. Our expert removalists have a precise plan to reduce costs without compromising on quality or safety.

Why is Doing Thorough Research Important During House Removal?

In a country like Australia, removalist prices vary depending on who you hire, when you book, and what services you need. Without having an incomplete answer, you will end up paying more than you expected. That’s why thorough research is crucial during the house removal process. Taking the time to compare isn’t a waste of time or time-consuming; it is the best way to find the right prices without compromising on quality and affordability. A little attempt can make your moving journey less stressful and a successful house move. 

Move Types That Affect Your Budgeting

Moving always excites us, right? However, understanding the types of moves you plan is equally important for managing your budget during the house removal. Let’s quickly examine the common types of moves and how each one of them affects your budgeting-

1. Local Moves 

If you are planning to move within your city, it’s a quick and affordable option. The cost is based on the time it takes to reach or move your belongings. Hiring a house removalist for a local move means you get the benefits, as they will handle your belongings, such as the fridge, heavy and bulky items, or bathroom fixtures. To keep your local move within budget, declutter first and get rid of unwanted items.

2 Interstate Moves

Interstate moves require more planning and could cost you more, such as moving from one of the Australian states or other territories, like Sydney to Brisbane, Canberra to Sydney. Because this move covers a long distance, it’s expensive and needs careful planning.

Additional expenses during the interstate move include tolls and, sometimes, permits, especially when the truck crosses borders with regulations. In these situations, it is always recommended to declutter, as the less you move, the less you will pay your removalist.

3. Partial Moves

It’s not necessary to move your entire household; that’s where a partial move is the best option, especially when you want to save money and take control of certain items. As a result, this can help with DIY, as well as taking professional services for a cost-effective and efficient move. This approach allows you to take control of small items yourself, while a trusted team of removalists handles your delicate and heavy items. 

The Ultimate Guide to Saving Money During Your House Move

Here is the ultimate guide to saving your money during the house move, straight from the professionals who have seen it all.

1. Prepare Your Move With a Detailed Inventory Checklist

Before you get engaged with packing for the house move, it’s important to create a detailed checklist; in this way, you can understand what needs to be moved.

2. Categorise What You Move Now – Ship The Rest Later

The volume of your belongings affects the truck’s capacity and the number of hours it takes to move your house. The more items you put in, the bigger the truck, and the higher its price. You can sell, donate, and recycle the items you no longer need. By doing this, you will reduce the costs by requiring less labour and less space. In addition to that, selling unwanted items can also add some cash to your moving budget. Don’t forget, a smaller load means faster loading and unloading, reducing your hourly cost with the removalist.

3. Think You Are Packing Smart? What About Using Cheap Materials?

Packing supplies can become the most unpredictable expenses during a house removal. Between packing materials, bubble wraps, and packing tape, the costs add up, especially when it comes to a house removal. However, smart packing can save you a significant amount without compromising the safety of your belongings.

4. Use Community Resources for Free Packing Materials

Instead of buying new boxes, try searching for free ones at local supermarkets, liquor stores, and bookstores, which often have extra boxes that they are happy to give away. You can also search an online marketplace where people are giving away used moving boxes.

Not only will it reduce your costs by not buying a new one, but it also uses eco-friendly materials that others no longer need.

5. Get Creative With Packing Tape and Labels

Consider visiting your local hardware store for discounts, especially when you mention you are moving. However, consider reusing taps from previous shipments or boxes. Use colour coding markers for labelling the boxes instead of pre-made stickers.

6. Use Storage Solutions Wisely

While professionals, such as team removals, offer high-quality packing materials, there is a more cost-effective way to protect your items, which is also environmentally friendly. Materials like towels, cushion covers, and blanket covers are a natural way to protect your breakable items like glassware, picture frames, and lamp shades.

7. Move Small Items Yourself

One of the natural ways to reduce moving costs is to handle small items yourself, such as clothes, indoor plants, laptops, and phones. Not only will keeping to yourself save your money, but it also provides peace of mind that these personal or fragile items are in your control.  

8. Enlisting Friends and Family During the Move

Moving house can be a challenging job, but hiring a house removals company can make the process smoother. Additionally, relying on your reliable friends and family cannot only save you money but also provide emotional support.

Helping pack your items with your friends and family members during the move is the fastest way, and you can divide the work into tasks like packing boxes, carrying smaller items, and assembling furniture.

In a country like Australia, you can enjoy after-work activities by keeping cold drinks, firing up the BBQ, and making it a get-together. This way, your friends and family will appreciate the gesture, and it’s a bonus that you are saving a lot at work.

9. Take Care of Your Utilities Early

While packing, decluttering, and cleaning, it’s easier to overlook utility services, but forgetting them in the middle or at the end can cost you money. Remember to notify your gas, electricity, water, and internet providers at least two weeks before the moving day, so that you don’t have to worry on the day of the move.

After moving into a new home, you may find that there is no electricity, no hot water, or no internet connections. Therefore, it is essential to arrange utilities for your new location before arrival. 

10. Keep Essentials Handy To Avoid Extra Tips

One reason that adds unnecessary stress during your move is not having the essential things with you. Your boxes and furniture will be stacked in the moving truck. If you suddenly need something buried deep inside, it will create a mess, right? The solution is simple: keep a dedicated set of essential boxes that are important, which is what we call a first-night kit, before your removalist arrives. Below are some essentials that you should keep with yourself-

1. If you have any pets, keep their pet food and supplies.
2. Portable battery packs for phones and laptops
3. A change of clothes
4. Snack items during your move journey
5. Some medications, if you have any health-related problems

Keep your essentials handy; in this way, you can avoid unnecessary tips and save on extra labour.

Also Read – How to Choose the Best House Removalists in Melbourne

Factors in Hidden Costs During the House Removal

When arranging things for the house removal, it’s easy to focus on the obvious expenses, such as hiring a professional removalist or hiring a truck. Many Australian residents often find themselves paying extra bills for hidden costs during the time of house removal. Therefore, it’s important to know about these factors ahead of time; in this way, it can help to plan a better way.

1. Packing Supplies and Materials

While some companies are there, which do not provide packing materials like bubble wraps, boxes, and packing tape, in this way, you will end up buying these supplies. Instead, you can use DIY materials to pack small or delicate items.

2. Long Carry Fees

Long carry moves occur when your removalists can’t find the space to move into your new location due to narrow streets or parking restrictions. For example, carrying a bulky pool table or a fridge requires extra time and labour or workforce, leading to higher costs.

3. Additional Insurance

Basic insurance may cover only a portion of your belongings during the move. Still, items like fragile items, electronics, and artwork frames require double insurance to ensure their protection until the truck reaches its destination. This factor often involves hidden costs during house removal.

4. Cancellation or Rescheduling Fees

Cancellation or rescheduling fees apply when you reschedule or cancel your House Removal on short notice. This happens because moving requires arranging trucks, removers, or special services like fridge removalists, bathroom removalists, and pool table removalists. To ensure they arrive on time, they need to be informed in advance. To save money on this problem, inform your removalist of every detail. If you are rescheduling, also notify them in advance.

5. Storage Costs

Sometimes, during the house removal, your new home may not be ready for immediate occupancy. This happens when there are delays in settlement or timing delays with renovation problems, between your old house and settling into a new home. Storage costs depend on the following factors: the size of the items stored and the time of storage required. To avoid extra storage costs, proper planning is important.

Your Post Move Checklist

Moving into a new home excites us and offers you the chance to start anew in our environment. However, settling in smoothly requires more than just unpacking. After shifting, take the time to explore and inspect all your belongings to ensure nothing got damaged. This will help you report any issues to your house removalist to compensate if needed. Locate the utility connections, such as water, electricity, or gas, ensuring your new home is comfortable and fully functional from the start. Unpacking the items is another key step – start with the essential kitchenware items and bathroom items, and after this whole work is done, take time to familiarise yourself with your new neighbourhood and environment. 

Also Read – DIY Packing Tips and Tricks for a Smooth Move in Australia

Conclusion

House removal is one of the biggest transformations, but it doesn’t mean you have to drain your wallet every time. To truly understand the real secret of house moving that will minimise your purse money, consider the impact of moving costs and the hidden fees, such as storage fees. Planning during the move, decluttering items, and involving friends and family members to help can save you money. Additionally, handling small items yourself can also save you money. 

Ready to save money on your next move? Contact Team Removals, our specialised removalists handle items carefully, whether you are planning an interstate, local, or long distance move, and they have affordable service without compromising on the safety and quality of delivering to the new location.