Moving to a new state can seem daunting. But with the right advice, it doesn’t have be.
It can take from a few days to up to a few weeks for your goods to arrive. This will likely cost you a few thousands of dollars to get a professional interstate removalist company for the job.
Planning ahead definitely helps with alleviating stress. You should also start to consider other considerations such as moving your children to a different school, how to move your car or pets, will you have to get a whole new car registration up arrival. With a bit of forward thinking, you’ll be on top of your move minimizing every unexpecting surprise.
It definitely makes sense to hire experts to assist with your move, to alleviate some of the burden of moving interstate. Keeping track of the things you are packing is also wise, so you can quickly find it later on when unpacking.
How do you move interstate?
There are three options available depending on your situation and budget for how you plan to physically relocate.
Ask yourself, how fast you need to move, how much belongings you need moved and how many people are relocating? These factors play a big part to determine which option you would take.
Start by looking at all the options and pricing to help you choose the best mode of transport. You can save a fair bit from simply asking and comparing at least three moving companies in various methods of transport air, rail, and road transport or boat, if necessary. This will help you compare prices and weigh in the pros and cons.
Relocation platform Find a Mover has shared that interstate moving can cost anywhere from $4000 to $15,000. The cost of moving can be quite high, with interstate removalist charging on average $3000-$6000 fixed quotes. However, you need to factor in insurance, flights, rubbish removals to clean out rubbish and car relocation if needed.
Ways To Be Moving
Flying interstate
By far the most expensive method of moving interstate is by air. This is a great option for those who need to move quickly, and settle in their new home quickly also with minimal belongings. Having a large quantity of belongings to move by air can get there quickly however, costs can add up quickly too.
Flying anywhere in Australia can be quite cheap as oppose to the amount of time and petrol taken if you were driving. But if you are deciding to travel interstate by air, it is a good idea to start looking for dates and prices that offer the best flight times as soon as you can to avoid last minute price surges.
Transporting interstate via road
Moving across the state by road is generally the simplest, most cost-effective and easiest way to move.
If you have enough items to move, you can either hire a professional or rent a truck. However, if you seldom drive long distances, it is best to leave it to the professionals as driving a truck over a long distance can be quite taxing to the body and requires a fair amount of focus to reach your destination safely.
Rail travel interstate
Twenty or forty cubic meter shipping containers are often used to transport all kinds of items, from furniture to appliances, but many have also used them to pack their whole house and put it on the rail to be moved interstate.
They are transported on freight trains between capital city cities with trucks at each end.
A two-bedroom apartment, or small house, usually has one container. A larger house with 3 bedrooms will have two.
Professional packers are worth looking into if you want to make sure your belongings are packed safely for transport otherwise if you have the time and are comfortable enough to manage the packing, you can also save some money in this category.
Avoid overfilling your boxes
Don’t stuff the boxes too much when packing for a move. You can end up with boxes that are too heavy or misshaped, which can cause many disasters when you move. Boxes need to preserve their structure to allow for stacking when moving. Overfilling boxes can weaken the structure of the boxes and therefore lead to more mishaps and breakages.
It is better to have more boxes than to have less boxes. Less boxes will make your move more challenging and difficult. Saving money on boxes is not one of the areas that will save you a lot of money if you are moving long distances.
Make sure you have the correct boxes too, as a light weight box to carry glass and crockery will end up leaving you with more problems than if you place the crockery in a more heavy-duty box and rapped in bubble wrap or butcher’s paper. Another strategy is to try and spread the heavy items out among the boxes to ensure that one load is spread out evenly and one box doesn’t have all the heavy stuff. Which will make lifting boxes easier too.
Interstate moving costs?
The average move in Australia costs between a few hundred and $3500 depending on how you plan to move and how you pack it.
Relocating interstate can be a more difficult task and may cost thousands. The price of a job will depend on whether the removalists need to pack or just pickup and drop-off.
Rates can change during a peak time. Holiday seasons are generally the busiest and especially in Spring and Summer. Many people enjoy moving during the holidays, as it gives them more time off from work, however, this will likely cost you more.
The good news is there are also many ways to reduce costs during an interstate move. Such as:
- To reduce the packing cost, reduce before you pack
- Get quotes from reputable companies and have them send you written estimates
- Avoid moving during peak seasons or weekends
- Do it yourself can be an option if you do not have much belongings
- Garage sales are great to reduce and also make money to fund the move.
A final note, it is possible to move stress-free because it is one of the most exciting events to take place but it will take a lot of planning and forward thinking in order for you to encounter the least number of surprises along the way. If you plan ahead, you will soon find out that moving doesn’t end when you simply move the belongings of your house. There are plenty of other things to think about. So just by listing them here, it will give you a heads up on some of the things to think about so you also have time to plan for them. Most can be sorted out in a day.
This includes:
- Schools for children (if applicable)
- Pets (if applicable)
- General Practitioner
- Dental Clinic
- Mail Correspondences
- Electoral Roll
- Vehicle Relocation
