Looking after furniture when moving house

If you have a lot of furniture to relocate when moving homes, there can be extra things you might need to consider. You might need to use a storage solution to hold some of your possessions while getting other things in place. This page has advice that can make it easier.

Looking after your furniture when you move

Moving house? Have a lot of furniture to relocate. Here are some suggestions to help when you need to move a lot of large items like furniture to a new home.

Taking care of your furniture when you move house

There are lot of things to think about when moving house. Beyond furniture specifics, the Powershop website has the movers guide and checklist to keep everything covered. Powershop can certainly help you to compare energy plans to make sure your utilities are all lined up for your destination. But, for the specifics of getting your furniture from here to there, this page has it covered.

Choosing the right moving company can be tricky when you've got a lot of stuff to move. The option exists to go for the most expensive removalist, but is that guarantee the best service? Alternatively, you could go for the cheapest moving company, assuming that they are insured. But is that a safe option, or are you taking a risk going with a discount moving company?

These are all valid questions, and ones you want to get right. You want to make sure that your belongings arrive safely at your new home. Certainly, there will be reviews online and you might have family or friends who have moved and might be able to provide you with some recommendations. They might even be able to offer you some advice on questions to ask around services and policies to check when talking to moving companies. What can also be helpful is if they are able to give you the names of companies to avoid.

In any case, whether you are able to get some words of wisdom from those you know, regarding choosing a moving company, all the main points are addressed below, so you can reach out to moving companies confident that you know all the questions you'll need to ask.

What extra services do you get with a premium moving company?

Well established moving companies may offer some premium services that go beyond loading and unloading couches onto a truck. These could include things like packing and unpacking services where professional packers carefully wrap and box your furniture and other belongings. They then also unpack and set things up in your new home .
There are some moving companies that might have specialised services for things like moving pianos, art works and paintings, and be able to provide secure interim storage for these items if it is needed.

An additional service with some companies is the option to provide a move coordinator. This is an individual who looks after the moving of all of your furniture like a project manager. This kind of service will costs more, but it is there to make the experience of moving as seamless and stress-free for you as possible. While, obviously not cheap, premium service can reduce the strain of moving both in physical and mental stress, and so can be a worthwhile expense if it is within budget.

There are some particularly well established companies that have a lot of experience that can assist you with your move. It is likely that these are going to be more in the mid to high price range, but of course be sure to do your research and compare prices.

Crown Relocations, Allied Pickfords, Kent Removals and Storage, and Grace removals are all companies that have been operating in Australia for a long time and have established reputations.

These companies may be international or are likely to have solid overseas partners if moving overseas. They should offer potential storage solutions that could be bundled with their packages or custom packages matched to your situation and move.

What should I ask when getting a quote from movers?

When you start talking to companies you might be considering, there are a few questions you can ask that will help you to decide the best match for you.

One
Check and make sure that they are fully insured. Ask if they are covered for any damage or items that go missing while being transported. This will protect you in case anything unfortunate happens to your belongings while they are being moved.
Two
Ask them their pricing structure. Do they have a flat rate for a move or is it calculated hourly? This will help you to budget for the cost of the move more accurately and avoid any unexpected extra costs.
Three
Do they need any packing materials or assistance provided for the move?
It may be the case, that you can save some time by having materials in place that will help with getting your furniture and and other goods transported.
Four
Check what their procedure is for handling things that are particularly delicate or valuable. This will give you confidence with items that you care about the most. If you've got any antiques or things of particular value, checking this will give you confidence they can be safely transported.
Five
Ask them for references from recent customers. They may have these online or they might point you to some online review site where people have recommended their services.

Asking these questions, should give you a good picture of what the company is able to offer and help you choose someone that you feel is trustworthy and capable of looking after your goods.

You should also have a good understanding of what is included in their service and which parts you will still need to attend to yourself.

When moving house you'll likely need to organise your electricity and possibly gas connection. This is something that Powershop can definitely help with. See what plans are available at your new address.

How can they help me with storage?

If you have a lot of stuff that you are moving, you might find that a storage solution is going to be a key part of relocating things to your new home. If you're moving company can help with the storage it could create a big difference in how smooth your movies. If you're going to need help with your storage here are some questions to ask.

Storage questions for moving companies

If you have options, what are they?
– Ask about the kinds of storage facilities they've got or have access to. Is it standard? Is it climate controlled?
– Do they have long-term as well as short-term storage options? Sometimes it can take a while to get things organised in your new place so being able to take advantage of storage for longer could be handy.

How secure is the storage facility?
– What security measures are in place? Are there on site staff cameras?
– Do they have insurance for items in storage?

What are the cost for their storage options?
– Ask for a detailed breakdown of the storage fees and see if there's any extra cost for insurance or for access.
– Ask about rates or discounts for longer-term storage if this is something you might need.

How do they deal with inventory management?
– Find out if they offer a tracking system for your furniture and other belongings.
– Ask if they provide an inventory list of the items that are in storage.

How to choose the best storage solution for you?

Consider your needs: figure out how much furniture you need to store and for how long. This will make it easier to choose the right size and type of storage unit.
Visit the storage site: if you can see where your furniture is going to go so you can get a sense of how clean secure and accessibility. It'll also help you to be a little more relaxed about where your things are being kept.
Think about accessibility: make sure that the facility where your things are will allow you to get your items when you need. Sometimes some sites may have restrictions around hours.
Like everything else check reviews: customer reviews and testimonials will help to give you a sense regarding reliability. If you're going with a storage option separate to your moving company, you'll need to do your due diligence here again.
Packing supplies: ask if the company provides packing supplies for furniture to help protect them in storage. If they do see if they can help you out with boxes bubble wrap and any other materials that will help to transport your goods safely.

Conclusion

Finding a moving company and good storage solution to look after your furniture can really help to reduce the stress of moving. Your moving situation is likely a specific, so ask whatever questions you need to put your mind at ease. Hopefully with the right assistance for moving in storage your move to your new home will be a pleasant one.