5 obvious things we’re still forgetting when we move

Have you ever moved to a new place and realised you’d forgotten something vital – probably something glaringly obvious? 

Don’t stress, it happens to the best of us.

To prove it, we spoke to a cross-section of different folk – including professional declutter, Chelsea Smith of The Organising Platform – and asked them which vital items they’d forgotten when they moved to a new home.

Here’s what they said.

Electricity

Research from realestate.com.au shows that 30% of all movers still forget about connecting their electricity when they move.*

“A friend moved house recently and didn’t tell her provider she was moving,” Chelsea shares. “She arrived, didn’t have electricity and couldn’t open her [electrical] garage door.” D’oh.

“She spent almost half of her moving day without electricity. It was one of those really hot days and she couldn’t put on fans or aircon.”

Save yourself any hassle by contacting your provider before you move

With Origin, you can arrange it all yourself online in less than five minutes. If you organise it prior to 1pm, you may be able to be all set up the very next business day.

Relevant keys

“When we moved house, we left a key to our safe hidden in the felt under a billiard table,” Deanna Nott from the Gold Coast begins.

“The safe came with us, but we were never able to get the key back because the new tenants refused to let us in to get it and claimed they could not find it! We had to get a locksmith to crack the safe.”

We all have little things that require keys, not least of all are safes containing precious items! Remember where you’ve hidden keys so you don’t get locked out of anything vital.

The bed (wait, what?)

Hear us out!

Jessica, a former Sydney resident who now lives overseas, once signed the lease on new rental property before ordering a mattress, only to then face a rather lengthy delivery time.

“I was leaving a furnished property and I knew I was going to need a mattress; I just didn’t realise how long it would take,” she says. “I then spent the first month in my house sleeping on a single air bed.”

This is a good reminder for anyone buying new furniture suites or items that need to be delivered. Ensure you shop around in advance and check delivery windows to ensure they align with your moving plans.

The assembly order

You’re unlikely to forget the fridge itself (right?) but Chelsea warns against forgetting to organise your move so that your fridge is in your house and ready to go when you need it

“For me, one of the hardest things to get right moving homes is timing,” Chelsea says.

“You will probably get rid of a lot of your fridge and freezer items, but there will be some things that can survive the transit. You still want to time moving your fridge or freezer so it’s one of the last things you take out and one of the first you move in to the new place.”

Essential supplies

Don’t forget to keep some essential supplies separate and have them at the house when you need them. Consider things like cleaning equipment, a vacuum and toilet paper.

“Having to run out and buy toilet paper while you’re busting and in the middle of moving is not the kind of race against time anyone enjoys,” says Rebecca from Sydney. “It happened to me once and I won’t forget it again!”

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