The Ultimate Moving House Checklist for Melbourne (8 Weeks to Move Day)

Almost every stressful move we attend has the same root cause: everything was left until the last ten days. Packing, utility transfers, council paperwork and truck bookings all collided in one weekend. Spread the same work across eight weeks and moving day becomes genuinely easy.

Here is the timeline our move coordinators give Melbourne customers, from the day you get your keys or sign your lease through to the moment the truck pulls away.

8 weeks before you move

• Confirm your settlement or lease end date in writing so you can lock a moving date.
• Get quotes from two or three removalists. Ask what is included, the travel fee and the minimum hours.
• Start decluttering room by room — anything you would not pay to move should be sold, donated or tipped.
• Book storage if your settlement dates do not line up.
• Measure large furniture against doorways, hallways and lifts at the new property.

6 weeks before

• Book your removalist. Weekend and end-of-month dates in Melbourne fill up fastest.
• Order boxes and packing materials, or book a packing service.
• Begin packing anything you will not need: books, off-season clothes, decorations, spare linen.
• Notify your landlord or agent in writing if you are renting.
• Book carpet cleaning and end-of-lease cleaning for your final week.

4 weeks before

• Arrange electricity, gas, water and internet connections at the new address — internet often needs the most notice.
• Submit a change of address with Australia Post, your bank, insurer, Medicare, VicRoads and your employer.
• If you are moving into an apartment, book the lift and loading dock with building management.
• Check whether you need a parking permit from your council for the truck.
• Arrange care for pets and young children on the day.

2 weeks before

• Pack in earnest, labelling every box with the room it belongs to at the new house.
• Use up the freezer and pantry rather than moving frozen food.
• Service or clean appliances you are taking, and defrost the fridge 24 hours before the move.
• Confirm your removalist booking, arrival window and final price.
• Photograph the condition of valuable furniture and electronics before they are wrapped.

The final week

• Pack an essentials box: kettle, mugs, tea, snacks, phone chargers, toiletries, medication, toilet paper, a change of clothes and basic tools.
• Keep passports, jewellery, cash and documents in a bag that travels with you, not on the truck.
• Disassemble anything you plan to take apart yourself, and bag the screws to the frame.
• Confirm the loading dock, lift booking and parking one final time.
• Take a final meter reading at the old property.

Moving day

1. Be ready 15 minutes before the crew's arrival window opens — hourly charges start when they arrive.
2. Walk the crew through both properties and point out fragile or high-value items.
3. Keep pathways, driveways and the loading area clear.
4. Do a final sweep of cupboards, the roof cavity, the garage and the letterbox.
5. Check the truck is empty before it leaves, then hand over or collect keys.

The customers who finish earliest are always the ones whose boxes are sealed, labelled and stacked in one room before the crew walks in.

After the move

• Unpack the essentials box, then bedrooms, then the kitchen — everything else can wait.
• Test smoke alarms and change the locks if you have bought the property.
• Update your address on the electoral roll and your driver licence within 14 days.
• Return flattened boxes for recycling, or ask your removalist to collect them.