The Complete Moving House Checklist for Australia

Moving house in Australia involves more tasks than most people expect and most problems happen not on moving day but in the 6–8 weeks before it. Removalists book out weeks in advance, notice periods expire unnoticed, utilities get disconnected at the wrong time, and address changes take weeks to catch up with you.

This checklist is structured as a week-by-week timeline from 8 weeks out to your first week in the new home, with state-specific notes for NSW, VIC, and QLD. Need help with the move itself? See StorHub moving services → and storage services →

8 Weeks Before Moving Day: Planning and Booking

This is the planning and booking phase. The decisions you make now determine whether everything else runs smoothly.

✔ Moving Decisions and Planning
☐ Confirm your move date work backwards from lease end or settlement date
☐ Research and get 3 quotes from licensed removalists book immediately if moving on a weekend, public holiday, or end of month
☐ Decide what you will move yourself vs removalists for hire van or full service?
☐ Assess what will not come to the new home (donate, sell, dispose) less to move = cheaper move
☐ If moving interstate: confirm removalist's interstate license and Transport Performance Branch registration

✔ Storage Decisions
☐ Identify items that won't fit at the new property or need interim storage (furniture, vehicles, business stock)
☐ Book a StorHub storage unit if needed early booking secures the best floor level and unit size at: NSW facilities · QLD (North Lakes) · VIC (Braeside) · ACT (Fyshwick)
☐ StorHub provides a free move-in van at many locations and see moving services →
☐ Order packing materials from the StorHub Box Shop → boxes, tape, bubble wrap, markers

State-Specific Notice Requirements for Rental Properties

Always check your specific lease agreement notice periods and conditions vary. Contact your state's tenancy authority for the current rules.

6 Weeks Before Moving Day: Declutter and Utilities

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✔ Declutter and Sort
☐ Go room by room: keep, donate, sell, dispose the less you move, the cheaper and faster the move
☐ List and photograph high-value items for insurance and inventory purposes
☐ Book council bulky waste collection for large items you are not taking (most councils require 1–2 weeks' notice)
☐ List furniture for sale on Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree allow 2–3 weeks for items to sell

✔ Utilities and Services Start Notifying
☐ Electricity: contact your retailer to arrange disconnection at current address and connection at new address on moving day
☐ Gas: arrange disconnection and connection if applicable to your new property
☐ Internet and NBN: check NBN availability at new address via nbnco.com.au → if switching providers, book the new connection now (allow 5–10 business days for NBN connections)
☐ Water: in most states, water is managed by the landlord, or strata confirm responsibility for new property
☐ Pay TV and streaming: update billing address or cancel subscriptions as needed

4 Weeks Before Moving Day: Address Changes

✔ Government and Financial Address Changes
☐ ATO, Centrelink, Medicare: update via myGov → one login, multiple agencies updated simultaneously
☐ Electoral roll: update at aec.gov.au → legally required within 8 weeks of moving
☐ Bank accounts: update address online or via app for all accounts
☐ Health insurance: notify your provider some policies have address-dependent benefits
☐ [NSW] Service NSW →: updates license, vehicle registration, and other state services in one step
☐ [VIC] VicRoads →: update license within 3 days of move legal requirement
☐ [QLD] Transport and Main Roads QLD →: update license and registration separately

✔ Subscriptions and Personal Address Changes
☐ Australia Post mail redirection: Australia Post set up at least 3 full business days before moving day; from $34/month (prices updating July 2026)
☐ Employer payroll: update address for pay slips and tax purposes
☐ Superannuation: update via your super fund's online portal or via myGov
☐ Home and contents insurance: notify insurer of move date premium is address-dependent and failure to notify may void your policy
☐ Car insurance: notify of new address garage location affects premium
☐ Magazine subscriptions, clubs, loyalty programs: update as you think of them, or search your inbox for confirmation emails containing your old address

2 Weeks Before Moving Day: Pack and Confirm

✔ Packing
☐ Pack non-essential rooms first: spare bedrooms, study, garage, attic storage
☐ Label every box with room destination AND brief contents 'Kitchen 'pots and pans' beats just 'Kitchen'
☐ Pack heavier items in smaller boxes; lighter items in larger boxes do not make boxes too heavy to carry safely
☐ Keep a separate 'open first' box: toilet paper, kettle, cups, phone chargers, one set of bedlinens, change of clothes, toiletries, and any medications
☐ Photograph the back of all electronics before disconnecting you'll know how to reconnect at the new place
☐ Defrost fridge and freezer at least 24 hours before the move transport upright
☐ Need more boxes or packing supplies? StorHub Box Shop →

✔ Confirm All Bookings
☐ Confirm removalist booking time, both addresses, special items (pianos, artwork, gym equipment)
☐ Confirm keys and access to new property on moving day who has them, and at what time
☐ Arrange parking permit for removalist truck if needed contact local council at least 5 business days in advance
☐ Confirm StorHub storage unit booking and access details if using see keyless entry information →

Moving Day: What to Do Before and After

✔ Before Removalists Arrive
☐ Have 'open first' box accessible and clearly labelled load it last so it comes off first at the new place
☐ Walk through entire property: all rooms, cupboards, storage areas, roof space, and outdoor areas
☐ Take meter readings (electricity and gas) at old property photograph them
☐ Remove and keep all keys, garage remotes, and security fobs

✔ At the New Property
☐ Take meter readings at new property before unpacking photograph them
☐ Check that all inclusions listed in the contract are present
☐ Direct removalists to specific rooms — supervise the unload to prevent heavy items going in the wrong room
☐ Sign removalist paperwork and note any damage before removalists leave
☐ Locate the fuse box, water mains shutoff, and gas shutoff
☐ Confirm electricity, internet, and gas are connected and working
☐ If accessing StorHub storage, confirm PIN code access via keyless entry →

Old Property Exit Checklist for Renters

✔ Vacating a Rental Property
☐ Deep clean entire property: oven, range hood, bathroom grout, skirting boards, inside all cupboards
☐ Steam clean carpets if required by lease — keep the receipt
☐ [NSW] Take before and after photos; complete bond lodgement via NSW Fair Trading →
☐ [VIC] Submit Condition Report comparison; claim bond via RTBA Online (Consumer Affairs VIC) →
☐ [QLD] Complete Form 4 (Refund of Rental Bond) with agent; RTA manages bond return at rta.qld.gov.au →
☐ Return all keys, garage remotes, and access cards keep record of return ☐ Cancel any direct debits for rent
☐ Get written confirmation from agent that property has been accepted in agreed condition

First Week in Your New Home

✔ Settle In and Close Out
☐ Confirm all utilities running correctly: electricity, gas, water, internet
☐ Register for council rubbish bins if required at new address (some councils require separate registration)
☐ Locate nearest GP, hospital, pharmacy, and council waste centre
☐ Introduce yourself to neighbours if you wish would ask about rubbish collection day
☐ Check new suburb for parking restrictions, street sweeping days, or permit requirements
☐ Confirm electoral roll update at aec.gov.au → if not done pre-move
☐ Update remaining subscriptions and memberships as you encounter your old address
☐ If using StorHub, visit your unit to confirm everything arrived safely, note items you'll retrieve in the first month. See StorHub storage services →

Where Storage Fits in an Australian House Move

Self-storage solves a specific and common moving problem: the gap between leaving your old home and your belongings being ready for the new one. StorHub's moving services → and storage services → are designed to work together across this gap:

• Settlement delay: you must leave the rental but settlement on your new purchase is delayed by 1–4 weeks your furniture needs somewhere safe to go in the interim

• Downsizing: moving from a 4-bedroom house to a 2-bedroom apartment some furniture won't fit, and storage bridges the decision period of what to keep, sell, or donate

• Renovation before moving-in the new property needs 4–8 weeks of work before it's habitable StorHub storage → holds your furniture safely during the renovation

• Decluttering in stages: you need to move quickly but don't have time to sort everything storage takes the overflow while you make deliberate decisions over the following months

• Interstate move: you're relocating but your belongings need to arrive before you are ready to receive them a StorHub unit at the destination holds everything securely

StorHub facilities in NSW: Forestville, Homebush, Revesby, Miranda, Rouse Hill | QLD: North Lakes | VIC: Braeside, Seaford | ACT: Fyshwick