The furniture removals market in Melbourne is flooded with removal companies all vying for your business.
So, when you’re presented with so much choice, how do you go about choosing the right removal company for your move?
Here at Move On Removals, we believe you should consider the following points when deciding who will help you move.

• Convenience – Moving house can be a very stressful time, so you want to make sure to choose a removal company that aims to reduce as much of the stress as possible. Are their contact details prominently displayed and easy to find? Do they have booking consultants that are able to answer all your questions when it’s most convenient for you, such as weekends and outside of business hours on weekdays? Are their booking consultants able to offer advice about how to keep costs down? Once the booking has been made, do they send you confirmation to give you peace of mind that the booking is confirmed and complete?
• Reliable – Here at Move On Removals, we’ve taken on numerous last-minute removal jobs all over Melbourne when customers have been stranded because the company they booked simply didn’t show up. We recommend choosing a company with a well-established and easy-to-navigate website that clearly shows telephone contact details should any problems arise. Pay particular attention to pictures of the removal trucks and, of course, testimonials from previous satisfied customers.
• Insurance – This is a big point to consider. No one wants their items damage and no furniture removalist wants to damage any items. But it’s always possible that an accident can happen so to safeguard your belongings, make sure the removal company you choose has comprehensive insurance.
• Cost – Everyone loves a bargain! Here at Move On Removals, we like to display all our costs upfront on our website. This makes it easy for you to compare our rates with other removal companies throughout Melbourne. Pay attention to add-on fees, such as night-time rates and charges for stairs. One fee to keep an eye on, in particular, is depot charges – this is the cost the removal company will add on to get to your place from their depot. We’ve received a lot of feedback that depot fees can sometimes be confusing and difficult to calculate, which is why we don’t charge depot fees. Instead, we charge a small fuel fee, based on how many kilometres your new and old houses are from Melbourne’s CBD. We’re planning a future post that will explore depot and fuel charges in greater detail. But, in the meantime, check out our {prices} page, or give us a call on 03 9041 5424 and our friendly booking team will be more than happy to explain it to you.
• Flexibility – Traditionally, people liked to move house on Saturday or Sunday. We understand, however, that our customers lead busy lives. You might be a shift-worker, you might have small children and can only find someone to watch them on a Tuesday, you might work full-time traditional hours and want to move on a weeknight once you’ve finished work. These are all reasons to ensure that the removal company you choose has flexible hours and can work around your schedule, not the other way around!

If you have a question or wish to discuss any of these points further, please give our booking consultants a call on

03 96 36 299.

It’s the perennial property debate – will you be financially better off buying a house rather than renting one?

In a recently released report, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) says that Melbourne tenants have the upper hand financially; at least for now.

The study Is Housing Overvalued? argues that costs applicable only to homeowners, such as land rates, purchase price and interest rates, makes renting the more financially sound option.

In order for buyers to catch up to renters, house prices would need to rise by almost 2.5% per annum. The RBA says recent figures indicate that house prices are forecast to either slow or decline over the coming few years, meaning that in the short-term at least, renters will continue to be better off.

The study’s authors, however, were quick to point out that the report only applies to owner-occupiers, and that property investors usually find themselves in a better place financially due to tax breaks.

You can read the full report here:http://www.rba.gov.au/publications/rdp/2014/2014-06.html

In the two years that we’ve been helping move Melbourne households, we’ve observed lots of little tips and tricks that you can make the most of on moving day to ensure a speedy and cheap move.

• Organisation is key. If you’re boxing your smaller belongings yourself, try to organise it prior to our removalists rocking up so as soon as we get there we’re good to go. If you’d like to use our Pack ‘n’ Wrap ‘n’ Unwrap service, our team can come out and have everything organised either the day of your move or prior to it.
• It can be tricky but, if at all possible, schedule your move for a day and time where Melbourne traffic is most quiet. We find the quieter times are mid-morning to mid-afternoon early in the week, and on Sundays.

Help out. At Move On Removals, we’re more than happy for you and your friends and family to help us load and unload our removal trucks. The more help, the quicker the items will be loaded and on their way to their new destination, meaning the less you’ll pay.

You’re more than welcome to box your smaller items on the day of your move and then transport them to your new home yourself.

However, we’ve helped move thousands of households and we’ve noticed that often it’s the littlest items that cause the most stress on moving day. The fragile items, like glassware, ornaments and photo frames. And the small items that are easily misplaced, like cutlery and keepsakes.

Our Pack ‘n’ Wrap ‘n’ Unwrap service allows you to sit back and relax, as our professional and experienced removalists take care of packing these delicate items for you.

We’ll use bubblewrap, gladwrap and other tools to ensure your items have the smoothest move from your old house to your new house. And they’ll be packed by experienced removalists who know exactly what order your fragile items should be placed in to ensure maximum safety.

Moving house can be scary. Finding a new place, selling the old one and moving the entire contents of your home (whether human, animal or furniture) is a lot to manage.

While unfortunately we can’t do anything about the housing market, we can offer you some advice on easing the anxiety that comes with any decision to move.

Deciding to move is the first step. Think of it as an adventure—a new home in which to make new memories. If you’ve been feeling stuck or like you’ve outgrown your current place, then its time to make a fresh start. Need some inspiration to convince you? Check out listings online to see some great spaces that are available, or search almost anything on Pinterest for home décor ideas that will have you eager for a new space!

Once you have committed to your move, you may feel overwhelmed thinking about all the things that need to be organised for your move. Take a deep breath. Now, make a list of everything you need to do. Contact utilities companies, book your removalists, and assess the contents of your house. For complete, detailed lists, again do a search on Pinterest; there are hundreds of checklists to choose from in a variety of cute, yet functional styles.

Now here is a tip that can take half of the stress out of moving: Let your removalists do the packing for you! Underestimating the amount of stuff you have in your house is the most common mistake when moving. Your removalists are experienced house packers and have done thousands of moves. Why spend days packing when someone else can do it for you?

Moving can be scary, but with a little planning and some help from professional removalists, you’ll feel at home in your new place in no time!

To pack, or not to pack, that is the question.

So you’re moving soon and you start looking through your stuff, trying to make a packing plan. As you try to make some sort of sense out of it, you realise you’re coming up with more questions than answers: Will this fit in a box? Do I bubble wrap it? How many boxes will I need? What’s a port-a-robe? Why are these boxes at Bunnings so expensive?

Our best advice when any moving confusion arises: Call us. We have all the answers!

You have two options for packing your home, do it yourself or have us do it through our Pack & Wrap service. Even if you choose to do it yourself, we can provide heaps of advice on how to go about it. Here are a few pointers to get you started

Packaging: The first step to packing is to get the right supplies. Move On Removals offers a number of recommended packages, and we can deliver! Be sure to buy plenty of bubble wrap, the more the better. It’s the easiest way to protect your items!

Color coding: We have an easy trick for making sure all your items end up in the right rooms. Print or draw a floor plan of your new place. Assign a color to each room, and place stickers with the corresponding colors on each box or item that goes to that room. Then, on the day of your move, tape the floorplan to the front door so the removalist will know where to put everything and you won’t have to wander around trying to find things!

Boxes: Fill all the boxes as much as you can. Wrap fragile items and try to balance heavy and light weight items in each box so you can make the most of the space. More boxes means more trips for the removalists to take to and from the truck which makes your move take longer. When a box is full, close it up so it’s ready to be moved and stacked.

Remember, you always have the option to let us pack for you if you don’t have the time, are unsure how to pack your items safely, or just don’t feel like doing it because we all know packing is the worst.

 

I’m not a hoarder, I swear….

Challenge: You have more stuff in your house than you thought.

If you underestimated the amount of stuff you have to move, it’s important to understand that this will most likely slow down your move.

The best way to avoid this would be to carefully and accurately document the contents of your home, pack ahead of time, book a larger truck than you think you’ll need or have your removals company come to do an on-site assessment.

However, if this issue occurs on the day, figuring it out as soon as possible is important. Check with the removalists when they arrive to see if the amount of stuff you have will fit in the truck and if not, then consult with them for the best way to manage the situation. However, this will cost you time and money so do what you can to make sure you estimate the load correctly the first time.

A good way to make sure your move gets estimated correctly and stays on track is to provide an accurate inventory when making the booking. Ask your removalist if they have an inventory sheet you can fill out, or grab a piece of paper. Then walk through every room in your home and catalogue each item of furniture. While you’re doing that, make a note of drawers, cupboards and shelves containing additional items.

People tend to underestimate the amount of items in their homes and how many boxes it will take to fit everything. Leaving items off the inventory or not estimating appropriately is the easiest way to blow out your move. Communicating clearly and accurately with your removalists will ensure your move goes smoothly and efficiently.

It’s raining cats and… moving boxes?

Moving is a complicated process. There’s a lot to manage and a lot to remember, and no matter how prepared you are leading up to moving day, there is still a lot of work to fit in on the day, and a lot of ways that your plan can get derailed.

Now, don’t panic. Just because an issue comes up, doesn’t mean it can’t be handled. If you have chosen the right removals team, they can be an important source of strength for you to rely on. In the midsts of your lists and plans, remember that removalists handle multiple moves every day. No matter what challenge you’re facing, they’ve seen it before and they can help you  find your solution.

The Move On Removals Blog is here to help with a new series: Moving Day Challenges and How to Overcome Them. We will talk to you about a few challenges you might face and how your removalists can work with you to overcome them. Our first challenge is weather:

1)It’s raining.

When you live in Melbourne, it’s impossible to predict a clear day. Rain can and will happen, but it doesn’t have to derail your move. Your removalists are experienced in how to handle rain. They will wrap and cover your belongings so they don’t get damaged in between the house and the truck and dress appropriately to work safely in wet conditions.

2) It’s hot

Summer temperatures can be brutal in Melbourne, especially when you’re spending the day lifting heavy furniture and packing boxes instead of relaxing on the beach in Brighton. It is important that you keep yourself cool and hydrated, but also consider how heat might change your removalists schedule. They also need to remain hydrated and may take short, hourly breaks instead of one longer break mid move. Your removalists are humans, not machines.

3) It’s Melbourne aka “It was cold this morning but then it got really hot and now it’s raining oh wait no that’s hail”

No matter what Melbourne weather throws at you on your moving day, your removalists have seen it (and moved in it) before. Talk to them about the best approach, precautions that should be taken and what they would recommend. Bring up concerns at the start or as the weather changes so that everyone is clear on what’s happening and how plans may change.

Don’t let Melbourne weather keep you from your new home! All you have to do is hire professional removalists- we know what we’re doing!

Clutter accumulates in any living space. We throw mail in a pile on the counter, we keep our old torn up shoes in the back of our closet and every top drawer, whether in the kitchen, the bathroom or the nightstand contains a wide range of random items we swear we might one day use.

We don’t actually want this clutter – its really just organised mess—but still we find it hard to throw away. A move to a new home is the perfect opportunity to throw away the clutter in our lives and start fresh. You’ll feel lighter and so will your moving boxes!

 

Here are a few things we suggest throwing away as you’re packing:

1.The entire contents of that top drawer. Put the spare change in your wallet and throw out that junk mail. Unless you’re a scrapbook enthusiast, you don’t need to save those plane tickets or those movie stubs or that birthday card mum gave you in 2012. We hold on to these things for sentimental value, but at the end of the day they just sit in a drawer. Besides, it’s time to make new memories!

2.Old, broken, destroyed clothes & accessories. If you haven’t worn it in the past year, if it’s torn or if it’s missing its pair, throw it out. You already got new shoes to replace the old ones and honestly, when will you ever wear just the one earring?

3.Electronics & cables. Still holding on to that pink Razr flip phone? Any phone pre-iPhone 4 probably won’t get used again. We’re used to our technology and even if you do break your current phone and your old phone its very unlikely you’ll be willing to settle for the old old phone. While you’re at it you can also get rid of all those random, unidentified wires and cables.

4.Worn or stained linens, towels & rugs. Moving house is a great time to get fresh linens. All of these items won’t necessarily match your new place anyway. Plus, its just good to replace these for hygiene reasons as they get a lot of use. Particularly white linens get stained and dirty no matter how clean you keep them.

5.Mismatched Tupperware. When you pack your kitchen take the time to make sure each container still has a lid. No lid? Don’t pack it. You can also get rid of those bent takeaway containers and anything that’s been stained a weird colour.

Have you been feeling like your company has outgrown its current space? Are you tired of commuting to an inconvenient location that’s nowhere near your customers? Maybe you would like to be in Melbourne CBD or a specific suburb like Port Melbourne or Hawthorn? There are a number of reasons it might be time to relocate. Figuring out what your company will achieve by moving and how the move will support your business objectives can help you make a strategic decision.

1. Perception:The location of your office can affect the way your business is perceived. If your office is in an unappealing neighborhood or not visible to traffic, that will lead people to have a low opinion of your business. On the other hand, if you are in a nice location and easily visible from the street, then your location works to promote your business and attract customers.

2. Proximity to clients: If your office is hard to find or in an inconvenient location, it makes it hard for your clients to find you or for you to go out and see them. Being closer to your client base is more convenient for everyone and helps to grow that relationship.

3. Reach new markets:While your current customers are important, moving in order to reach a new market is a strategic way to grow. A new location, if planned properly, gives you access to a whole new group of clients. Just having the sign outside your office in a new location can spread awareness of your business.

4. Expansion:: A big challenge for growth is ensuring that you have room to grow. The office that fit 10 people isn’t going to fit 20 or 30 or 50. If you don’t move in to a space that is big enough for your team it will negatively impact workflows and processes with everyone working on top of one another.

Moving offices is a big decision. You have to take into account what is best for your team and for your business. However, it is important to remember all of the opportunities that a new location can offer.