Moving to a new home? While it is exciting, the process of moving house can be stressful if you aren’t organised. To ensure your next move goes as smoothly as possible, here are some handy tips that will save you both time and money.

Get organised early

Once you know you are moving, get organised early. Things you can do well in advance of a move include:

• Call your utility providers to arrange phone, internet, water, pay TV and electricity connections at the new address.
• Request and compare quotes from multiple removalists.
• Go through each room in the house and organise which items you are keeping and those to sell or donate to charity.
• Review and update your insurances.
• Start collecting boxes and packing items you don’t regularly use.
• Request the floor plan of your new home and measure furniture and whitegoods to ensure they will fit. Don’t forget to check the width of any stairwells leading up to your new home.
• Start updating your address for your driver’s licence, car registration, electoral roll, subscriptions, etc.
• Arrange to have your mail redirected.
• Confirm with your real estate what date and time you can collect the keys for the new place.

Being prepared is the secret to a successful move. Start packing early and don’t try to do everything in one day – give yourself at least two days to move all your goods, clean your old home and return any keys.

Keep essential items separate

Pack everything you will need for the first night into boxes labelled ‘essentials’ and keep the boxes together during the move, so they are easy to find. Essential items include towels, sheets, kettle, toaster, phone chargers, toilet paper, garbage bags, toys for your children and pets, medications, toiletries and a change of clothes. Having these items on hand will mean that you can take the rest of the unpacking at your own pace. If you are using a removalist, it is a good idea to move important documents and valuable items such as jewellery in your own car.

Be ready for moving day

When moving day arrives, make sure you are prepared with the following:

• You have arranged parking space for the removal truck at the new place.
• The fridge is defrosted and empty.
• All items are packed and ready to go, and any fragile items are labelled accordingly.
• You have an idea of where you want your furnishings arranged in your new home, to make the move faster.
• Check all utilities have been connected and the hot water system is switched on at the new place.
• Double check that nothing has been broken or misplaced during the move.
• Make sure you leave any garage remotes at the old place.

Try to reduce costs where you can

If you are planning to use a removalist, this is generally the biggest expense of moving. To ensure you keep costs under control, request a fixed quote rather than an hourly rate, as this could blow out. Before contacting the removalist, prepare a detailed list of items you are moving, so they can provide you with an accurate quote. You may also find that moving on a weekday is cheaper than the weekend.

Other ways to save money include decluttering and selling anything you no longer need, so that you aren’t paying to move unwanted goods. Also try to unpack the kitchen as quickly as possible, as this will save you from spending too much money on takeaway in the moving period.

Moving boxes are another expense you can avoid by collecting them in advance. Ask around at local corner stores and check if friends and family have any boxes you can use. You will also save money by doing the cleaning yourself, rather than hiring a cleaner.

Finally, shop around and negotiate when you are changing over your utilities, as some providers may be willing to waive connection fees.