As per reports, the removalist industry in Australia generated revenue of $1 billion in the year 2012 alone, and this figure has increased over the years. It may also be mentioned here that about one-third of the shipping/moving consignments are handled by AFRA or Australian Furniture Removers Association. This is a self regulating body and its main objective is to “professionalize” this industry. It is of utmost importance to choose removalist of repute because in 2011 alone, as many as 300 complaints were received by the Fair Trading NSW. As such, exercising caution is required while moving from one place to another and most importantly, when you hire services of removalists.
Manly Removalists , for one, have a good track record and the feedback has been pretty good. In this article, we will go through few essential tips that can streamline your relocation.
1. Make a list of your goods
Taking one room at a time, make a list of the goods that you want to move. If you don’t require anything, dispose it off. Don’t pay for goods that you won’t require. In this way, you can shed weight of the consignment. Start from the room that has more number of things. Move on to the next and so on.
2. Arrange packing material
When you move your home, you will be required to gather packing material depending on the type of things you are moving. For instance, if it is glassware, the packing material has to be in accordance to the same. Also, when you arrange for the material, make sure you get some extra pieces too. This is because packing may cause damage to the boxes/cartons and you might have to use another one. So, always get extra ones while packing.
3. Use labels/stickers
Since you will be packing stuff room wise, make sure you use the right set of stickers. For instance, if you have packed all your stuff from the living room, mark “Living room” on the boxes that contain goods from the room. Use permanent marker that is waterproof.
4. Allot adequate time for packing
If you have plans to move your home, make sure you start the same well in advanced. Don’t wait for the last minute. This has several disadvantages. You will miss out on things, make mistakes out of anxiety, fail to arrange things in a proper way, and plan unsystematically. All this will lead to financial loss and loss of peace of mind. So, allot enough time to the relocation process.
5. Safeguard valuables
Moving your home also means that you will move your valuables (jewellery and valuable documents). Make sure you carry them in person.
6. Categorize goods
You can also categorize goods into separate boxes. For instance, your kitchen appliances can be packed in one large box. Most importantly, you can use colours to distinguish your category of goods. Let us say, you have packed cutlery and crockery in one carton. Colour the label green or any other colour. By doing so, you will know that the green labelled box contains kitchen goods. And make a list of category of goods with their corresponding colours.
7. Insurance
It is essential that you insure your goods without fail. However, if insurance is required by you will depend on whether or not you have bought Home and Contents Insurance and the spectrum of coverage it offers. It may be mentioned here that there are several removalist companies that will provide removalist-related insurance policies. But what these insurance policies actually cover should be read thoroughly.
8. Get answers from removalist
Last but not the least, there are few questions that you ought to ask your removalist company. These are as follows-
• Whether you will be charged on the basis of flat fee or hourly basis
• Will the removalist “subcontract” your consignment
• Do you have to shell out more if the destination area is difficult to access
• Do you have to pay more if your goods have to be carried up the stairs
• Do they follow the requirements established by the Australian Furniture Removers Association