Moving House Checklist Brisbane: A Week-by-Week Guide
Published
Moving house goes smoothly when you work to a timeline, not a to-do pile. This moving house checklist breaks a Brisbane move into five stages, from eight weeks out to the week after you get the keys, so nothing important gets left until the night before.
Print it, stick it on the fridge and tick things off as you go. If your settlement or lease dates do not line up, skip to the section near the end on bridging the gap.
6 to 8 weeks before moving day
This is the planning stage. Lock in dates and book the things that fill up first.
- Confirm your moving date, and your settlement or lease end date in writing.
- Get two or three removalist quotes. Ask whether the price is fixed or hourly, and what happens if access is tight.
- Renting? Give notice the way your lease requires, and diary your final inspection.
- Start decluttering one room at a time. Sell, donate or bin anything you will not move.
- Measure big furniture and the doorways at the new place.
- Work out whether there is a gap between moving out and moving in. If there is, sort storage now, not the week before.
- Start a moving folder for quotes, receipts, contracts and the keys handover details.
4 weeks before
Now you book the move itself and start packing what you will not miss.
- Book your removalist, or the truck and the friends if you are doing it yourself.
- Buy or collect boxes, tape, bubble wrap and marker pens. Our packing supplies guide covers what you actually need.
- Pack the rooms and items you use least: spare rooms, the garage, books, out-of-season clothes.
- Label every box with the room it goes to and a one-line list of what is in it.
- Arrange disconnection of electricity, gas and internet at the old place, and connection at the new one.
- Book time off work for moving day.
- Organise care for kids and pets on the day.
2 weeks before
Most of the house should be in boxes by the end of this stage.
- Pack everything except a week of clothes, basic kitchen gear and work things.
- Set up mail redirection with Australia Post so nothing goes astray in the changeover.
- Confirm the removalist's arrival time, the address and where they can park the truck.
- Use up the food in your freezer and pantry rather than moving it.
- Book a bond clean if you are renting, or an end-of-lease clean before the final inspection.
- Sort out what goes to storage and what goes to the new place, and mark those boxes clearly. See how to pack a storage unit.
- Book any bulky rubbish pick-up or tip run for things you are not taking.
Moving week and moving day
The last few days are about the small things that cause the biggest headaches.
The week of the move
- Defrost and clean the fridge and freezer at least a day before.
- Pack an essentials box: phone chargers, medication, toiletries, a change of clothes, toilet paper, kettle, mugs, snacks, basic tools.
- Keep important documents, keys and valuables with you, not in the truck.
- Take photos of the old place once it is empty, for your records.
Moving day
- Be there when the removalists arrive and walk them through what goes and what stays.
- Do a last walk-through: every cupboard, the meter box, the garage and the yard.
- Read the meters at both places and take a photo of each.
- At the new place, check everything arrived and note any damage before you sign off.
- Make the beds first. You will be glad of it by 9pm.
After the move: who to tell about your new address
Work through this list in the first two weeks. Most of it can be done online in an evening.
- Driver licence and vehicle registration, with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.
- Electoral roll, through the Australian Electoral Commission.
- Medicare and the ATO, both through myGov.
- Your bank, super fund and insurers (home, contents, car, health).
- Your employer, plus schools, childcare, your GP, dentist and vet.
- Pet microchip details, and your dog's registration with the local council.
- Subscriptions, online shopping accounts and loyalty programs.
Renting in Queensland? Complete the entry condition report (Form 1a) at the new place and return it on time. At the old place, your exit condition report is Form 14a, and the bond refund is claimed through the Residential Tenancies Authority. Our end of lease storage guide covers the timing.
When your moving dates don't line up
If your lease ends before settlement, or the buyer wants in before your new place is ready, your furniture needs somewhere to wait. Our guide to storage between house sales explains how to bridge the gap.
At Storage Land in Archerfield, a 20ft container is $349 a month, month-to-month with no lock-in, and holds a standard 3-4 bedroom home, with drive-up access, 24/7 gated PIN access and no bond or admin fees. Book your container online.
Moving house FAQs
How far ahead should I start planning a move?
Six to eight weeks is ideal. That gives you time to get removalist quotes, give notice on a lease and declutter without rushing.
What should I pack first when moving house?
Start with the things you use least: spare rooms, the garage, books, decorations and out-of-season clothes. Leave the kitchen and bathroom until the last week.
What goes in a moving day essentials box?
Chargers, medication, toiletries, toilet paper, a change of clothes, a kettle and mugs, snacks, basic tools and your important documents. Keep it with you, not on the truck.
Who do I need to tell when I move house in Queensland?
The Department of Transport and Main Roads for your licence and rego, the Australian Electoral Commission, Medicare and the ATO through myGov, your bank, insurers, employer, schools, doctor and vet.
Can I store my things for just a few weeks?
Yes. Storage Land is month-to-month with no bond and no admin fees, so you only pay for the time you need.