Moving house tips

Found your new home? Moving to a new house is exciting but can be stressful if left to the last minute. Making sure you are organised ahead of time will mean you have everything sorted for moving day.

Did you know you could be fined for illegally leaving items on the kerb for someone else to take without council permission?

Most councils offer a kerbside collection for bulky items such as furniture, white goods, and small appliances. Rather than leaving your stuff out on the kerb, contact your local council to find out when the next collection will be in your area.

Here are our top 5 tips to keep your next move organised. Please read them carefully to avoid becoming that person who leaves a mess behind and risks getting fined.

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#1 You don’t have a checklist

A useful checklist can make all the difference and help keep your move organised. See our ultimate moving checklist here.

#2 You leave packing to the last minute

Pack as much as you can in the lead-up to your move. There’s a real art to packing, so work room by room, labelling and packing boxes as you go.

#3 You forget to pack an essentials bag

Pack everything you’ll need for the 48 hours after moving separately and keep them handy. Doing this ahead of time will mean you don’t need to waste time searching through boxes looking for a single item.

#4 You have too much stuff to move

Taking clutter with you costs time, money, and energy. Don’t waste time moving more stuff than you need. Moving house is a great time to make a fresh start and let it go – without dumping your junk. Here are a few extra points to consider:

  • Sell any working household items or unwanted furniture that you don’t need. You can make some extra cash by selling furniture that’s in good condition through Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, and eBay. You may also be able to make money back through the store you first purchased it from. Some companies, such as IKEA, are run a buy-back scheme and will offer you store credit for used furniture.

  • Donate quality items to a local charity, second-hand store, shelter or preschool. Just make sure you check your chosen organisation’s donation processes to make sure they can accept your items, as well as any requirements they may have.

    Before moving is a great time to clear out your wardrobe and only take what you need with you and donate the rest to charities in need. For more information on responsible clothing and textile disposal, contact Recycling Near You.

  • Gift items to friends or family so that you don’t have to move them if you don’t use them. Gifting works well for things like clothing, small appliances, and furniture. You can also give stuff away online via local Freecycle groups.

  • Recycle as much as you can. Electronic waste items like your old TV, computer parts, toasters and mobile phones can be made into new products.

    Visit Recycling Near You for your closest e-waste drop-off point. You can recycle cardboard moving boxes in your yellow lid recycling bin, or if they are good enough to survive another move, keep them for yourself or give them to friends who could use them. You can also recycle soft plastic packaging, including bubble wrap and plastic wrap from new furniture. Collect it separately and drop it off at a REDcycle collection point at your nearest Coles or Woolworths supermarket.

  • Contact your council to see how they can help. Many councils offer free kerbside collection services for broken and bulky items such as furniture, mattresses, and electronic items.

#5 You leave stuff behind on the kerb

Did you know leaving items on the kerb for someone else to take without council consent is illegal?  Leaving your stuff is messy, and you can be fined.

Most councils offer a kerbside collection of bulky household items such as furniture, white goods, and small appliances. Contact your council to find out about booking bulky waste collections in your area.

Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils Ltd (WSROC)
Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils Ltd (WSROC)

Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils Ltd (WSROC) represents local councils in the Greater Western Sydney region. Formed in 1973, WSROC is a membership organisation representing five local councils in the Greater Western Sydney region, including Blacktown City Council, Blue Mountains City Council, Hawkesbury City Council, Lithgow City Council and Liverpool City Council.

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