Time is Money

1) Make sure there's enough parking and as few access issues as possible.

Whether you're doing a DIY move, paying removalists by the hour or getting a fixed price furniture removal quote - the more time involved in loading or unloading your move the more it's likely to cost.

• Reserve some parking spaces for the truck with some witches hats or your own parked cars. Make sure there's enough room to lower the tailgate of the truck to and gain access to the rear of the truck.
• Look out for any physical obstacles that might prevent a truck gaining access. Be on the lookout for overhanging branches, your own cars, height restrictions on car parks. Remove obstacles that can be moved, and communicate with your removalists about what can't. Most obstacles can be easily overcome if identified before moving day.
• If you're moving from or to an apartment building you may need to book lifts or get written permission from building management. This needs to be organised in advance.
• Never place your furniture outside to speed things up. An unexpected change in weather or unforeseen delay could unhinge your plans. Instead, organise your boxes in an orderly and accessible fashion, preferably in a space that will be quick and easy for your removalists to access.

2) Do as much as you can yourself.

Packing, unpacking, disassembly, assembly, getting boxes organised - ready for quick loading when paying an hourly rate and be ready when they get there.

Generally speaking, anything that can be boxed, should be. Larger items like fridges, couches, washing machines, etc. will be wrapped by furniture removal pads (blankets) by your furniture removalists.

Its All In the Prep

3) Downsize your move, and cash in on the things you don't want or won't fit into your new home.

There's not point paying to move items that won't physically, or aesthetically, fit into your new home. Think of your fridge, for example. Will it fit into the cavity in your new kitchen? If not, you might think of selling it rather than paying to have it moved for no reason.

It's a good idea to take some measurements and keep your current furniture in mind when inspecting your new home.

Having said that, you're going to look soooo 1986 if you whip out a tape measure at an open for inspection. You can do better than that. Technology has come a long way and is there to make life easier for you.

'MagicPlan' is an app that you can use on your iPhone or iPad to create reasonably accurate floor plans, or layouts, of your new home in a fun and innovative way. You don't need any tools; just aim your device's camera at each corner of the room, marking off door openings as you go, and you'll have your room mapped out in seconds. You can 'snap' each room plan together to get a fairly accurate layout of the entire property. Now you'll have a quick reference ready to know if your couch will fit into your lounge.

• MagicPlan quickly an easily maps rooms so you know your furniture will fit.

Alternatively, you can use a Laser Measure / Rangefinder to take measurements with the click of a button. They've really dropped in price recently and they're usually accurate to within a millimetre or two. They often have a 'history' log that shows your most recent measurements - so you don't necessarily need to mark down each on paper. You're going to look 'proper professional' and exude that 'I 100% know what I'm doing' kind of impression.

4) Save money on packing supplies - carefully!

Use quality, purpose specific second-hand packing supplies (from Gumtree, storage facilities, or friends, for example) or hire them.

Not all boxes were created equal. You will never see us recommending the use of free boxes from the supermarket. They're not worth the risk. Having said that, we love it when our customers can save some money on their move. So, if you can get proper materials second hand or rent them, we're all for that!

Timing is Everything

5) Move on a weekday. Check to see if there's difference.

There could be a big difference between weekday or weekday rates when booking your removalists or paying for truck hire in a DIY move. Even weekdays may differ in price due to demand.

6) Be flexible with your moving date if you can.

If you are flexible with your move date you can make some really big savings. Backloads may be available, or working within your removalists schedule could reduce costs.

7) If possible, avoid moving during peak periods

Demand is usually highest over the warmer months and summer holidays. People often put their moves off until the new year when there will be the least disruption to work and school. These are good reasons, but it means that removalists will usually need to charge more to get the demand covered.

If your move isn't time sensitive, considering moving during the winter months, avoiding peak period surcharges and increased prices.

8) Book in advance to give yourself the most time to find the best rates.

Prices vary widely between furniture removalists. Some will inflate their prices to get work covered in a sector they don't regularly service. Some will charge more if you book with little notice because they'll have pay more to get the work done. Some just charge more than other's in general.

The more time you have to shop around the better. Even if you don't have a completely firm inventory you should find a company that you like, who provide competitive rates, as early as possible.

Not all removalist's are the same, but we generally price on a sliding scale. The more you have, the less it costs to move per cubic metre of volume. That can be reassuring if you're not sure how much you'll be taking.

Getting Quotes & Paying For Your Move

9) Are there any discounts or additional charges for using different payment methods?

We offer an instant $10 discount when paying by EFT, whereas Diners Club card payments are charged additional fees, for example. Some removalists will charge credit card surcharges. It's easy to ask the question and you might be able to save some dollars.

10) Get multiple quotes

We would always recommend that you get a few quotes for your move. We're confident enough that you'll find our rates competitive!