Most of moving is not hard, it is just ordered. Do things in the wrong sequence and you pay for two connections, clean twice, or chase a bond after you have left. This is the sequence, with the parts that differ by state pointed at the authority that sets them.
Three months out
1
Set the date. Everything else hangs off it, and mid-month weekdays are usually cheaper and easier to book than month-end Saturdays.
2
If you rent, read your agreement and check the notice rules for your jurisdiction. The period depends on where you live, the type of agreement and why you are leaving — NSW, for instance, has different rules for ending a fixed term and ending a periodic agreement (
NSW Government).
4
Start a written inventory of what you will sell, donate or dump. Council hard-waste collections often need weeks of notice.
5
Get removalist quotes. For interstate moves, ask about the delivery window, not just the pickup day.
Four to six weeks out
1
Check internet availability at the new address and contact providers now. nbn recommends starting more than four weeks ahead, and connection time depends on the property (
nbn).
2
If you rent, give written notice on the date required for your tenancy. Calculate this using your jurisdiction’s rules, agreement type and reason for leaving—not this suggested planning window. Keep a dated copy.
3
Book the removalist and, in a building, the lift and loading dock at both ends.
4
Book end-of-lease and carpet cleaning for the day after the truck leaves, if your circumstances call for it. See the
bond guide on what cleaning is actually required.
5
Start packing what you will not need before the move.
Two weeks out
1
Arrange electricity and gas at the new address from the day you get keys, and close the old accounts from the day you leave.
2
Water depends on where you are and whether you rent. In NSW, the water-supply account stays in the landlord’s name. Tenants can only be charged for water usage when the legal requirements are met, including separate metering or delivered water, required water-efficiency measures, and the prescribed billing requirements. Check the official NSW guidance for the full conditions (
NSW Government).
4
Confirm access, parking and key handover with both agents in writing.
5
Run down the freezer and pantry instead of moving them.
INTERNET TIMING
Internet can require several weeks to arrange. Check availability and installation timing early with your provider.
Moving week
1
Pack an essentials box you carry yourself: chargers, medication, documents, tools, bedding, toilet paper, kettle.
2
Photograph the empty rooms once the furniture is out.
3
Take final meter readings and photograph them.
4
Confirm the arrival window and give the removalist a second contact number.
First fortnight in
Make the beds first, then find the fuse box, water shut-off and hot water switch. Test the smoke alarms. Who is responsible for them differs by jurisdiction: in NSW the landlord must ensure alarms are working and cannot pass that duty to the tenant through the agreement (NSW Government). Report a faulty alarm to your agent in writing straight away.
If you rent, complete the entry condition report with photos and return it within your jurisdiction’s deadline. Update your licence and registration by the deadlines your state sets, and check the first bill from each utility is for your address and your start date.
Electoral enrolment comes later: the AEC says you become eligible to enrol at a new address after living there for at least one month (AEC). Put it in the plan for month two.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
General information only, not legal or financial advice. Rules differ between states and territories and change over time. Check the source for your jurisdiction before you act on anything here.