Category Archives: Home

Home, Money, Moving, Preparation

How to budget for your office or commercial relocation

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How to budget for your office or commercial relocation

When moving office, it’s almost impossible to keep track of every little thing that might surface. But you can make the move as seamless as possible if you budget everything right. Here are a few pointers to follow:

  1. Create/download a template

It’s very easy to budget everything well when you use an online template. That will help you keep all your expense in one place, where they can be easily accessed as you would need to consult it often in the days leading up to the move.

  1. Be realistic about the removals cost

Some things you should do include:

  • It’s important to conduct a certain amount of research on different removal companies in your area and get quotes from multiple providers. While it may seem like adding the lowest amount to your budget is the best thing to do, you should add in the highest one so you have some buffer in case there are changes and you need some additional packing material or need to add some more items for removal etc.
  • Factor in extra services such as hiring the removalists for packing and unpacking, disconnecting and connecting PCs etc.
  • Include extra charges such as special transport arrangements (such as temperature-controlled trucks for transporting sensitive materials), on-site custom crating for expensive equipment, accommodating tight schedules, expediting the move or moving over a holiday.
  1. Include packing materials cost

Most removal companies will provide quotes with and without packing materials (as per your requirement) and many providers also include a certain amount of packaging in the quote as part of their standard services. If you plan to complete the entire packing project by yourself, the cost of all the required packing materials isn’t something you can ignore.

An office move involves a variety of packing materials such as bubble wrap, small/medium/large boxes, packing paper, furniture blankets, packing tape and stretch tape etc. All these supplies will cost a significant amount of money; but you might be able to get a very good deal and have them included in the quote and overall packing cost.

  1. Disconnecting and reconnecting your utilities

Aside from this, you need to ensure that all office repairs and cleaning is completed at the older premises. Check Simplymaid prices for more info. Include the expense of disconnecting utilities at the existing office and reconnecting them at the new location.

All of these expenses can amount to a lot; the one way to reduce your stress is to examine your budget beforehand and allocate a little more than the estimated costs. In addition, look for a removal company that gives you packaging materials at a discounted rate. While some unexpected problems may arise, if you focus on budgeting for the move well, you will find that you have enough left over for contingencies and will be able to manage the move well.

If you want to know more about packing and moving or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.

Home, Misc

How You Can Donate to Charity When Moving

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How You Can Donate to Charity When Moving

When moving home we generally de-clutter and discard a number of items that we no long have any use for. Kitchen items, toys and old clothing are a large percentage of the things we discard while moving. While it’s great to take the opportunity to de-clutter when moving home, we also tend to throw away a large number of perfectly good items in the bin. But it’s possible to put these to better use- why not donate them so someone less-fortunate than you   It’s a great feeling to know that you are helping others.

When you are moving house, you go through the process of sifting through heap loads of belongings. As we grow older and our family size increases, we end up collecting a lot of things and also have multiples of certain items. We often start cleaning our closets and find clothes that haven’t been touched for years; but we don’t throw them away and they just get put back in the closet again.

In addition we also end up collecting a number of things we don’t need such as books, old TV’s, shoes and more. Only when we start packing during a move do we realise that there are so many excessive things that are in perfectly good shape that we have no use for any longer. These are the things you should consider donating to charity when moving.

The charities

Some of the charities many our clients donate their unwanted belongings to  are:

  • Red Cross Australia– Red Cross Shops rely on the local communities to donate items for them to sell. Some of the items you can donate to them include good quality summer and spring clothing and accessories and homewares. You can find a Red Cross Shop, closest to you via their site.
  • St Vincent De Paul– Donating to Vinnies as they are called is a great idea. You can donate good-quality books, clothes, music and any other bric-a-brac and it will get a new life, as it helps support Australians that are having a tough time and it helps reduce landfill. Most of these shops don’t accept electrical appliances for safety and legal reasons and they don’t accept mattresses either. You can find more information on their website.
  • Save the children– This organisation accepts a variety of items including school supplies, board games and crayons etc. If you have kids, there are bound to be a lot of extra things in a good condition that can be donated to a good cause.
  • Salvos– You can donate your quality used furniture, toys clothing & homewares to the Salvos. You’ll introduce far less waste into the environment and it’s a great way to help raise money for the organisation’s vital community projects. Don’t donate anything that is damaged, stained, ripped, torn or broken or faulty; if there’s something wrong the item, it can’t be sold.

If you want to know which other charities you can donate your old belongings to before moving, check the Give Now site and choose a charity you prefer.

If you want to know more about packing and moving, or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.

Home, Packaging

Use Plastic Boxes

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Use Plastic Boxes

Why use Plastic Boxes For your Move? 

Most people use cardboard boxes during a move and they are considered the standard way to transport things; but are they really the safest way? While cardboard boxes are designed to offer some level of impact protection and support, they won’t keep your possessions completely safe. In fact, it’s not uncommon for delicate items to become damaged during the move because cardboard boxes didn’t offer the amount of protection the items needed. That’s one of the reasons why it’s a good idea to consider plastic boxes.

What are the benefits of plastic boxes? 

Plastic boxes offer a number of advantages over cardboard ones and can make the entire moving process easier for you. Here are some reasons why you should consider using them:

  • Resistant to impact – Plastic boxes have higher impact resistance than regular cardboard moving boxes. They can easily withstand the rattling and shaking during the transportation process so you don’t need to worry about the more fragile items that are being transported.
  • Stackable – These boxes are designed to be stackable so you can easily place them on top of one another, which allows you to utilise the space in the transport truck more efficiently.
  • Opening and closing boxes – Most plastic boxes come with a snap lock mechanism that can keep the lip in place. You don’t need to worry about tape and other such items to seal your possessions in. It’s also easier to open or close these boxes as you won’t need to peel away the tape.
  • No risk of falling open – There is no risk of these boxes falling open at the bottom as cardboard boxes are.

We offer plastic boxes on all moves if required. We can also provide advice on the number of boxes you will need in order to transport all of your possessions.  If you want to know more about packing and moving, or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.

Home, Moving, Preparation

Tools Handy To Reassemble Items

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Tools Handy To Reassemble Items

Have Tools Handy To Reassemble Items

Large pieces of furniture like shelves, beds, and storage units are often disassembled and packed before they are moved. This ensures they’re less likely to become damaged and are easier to move. If you have hired an experienced removalist with a full-service move, they will handle disassembling the furniture and reassembling it at the location. However, if you haven’t engaged a full service, you will need to hire a professional to reassemble or handle the process yourself.

What kind of tools do you need? 

It’s a good idea to keep a number of essentials handy if you need to reassemble furniture at your new home. Make sure all of these tools are stored in a clearly marked box so you don’t need search for them through a large number of packed boxes. Here’s a list of tools you should have:

  • Scissors or a cutter to remove the packaging.
  • Pencil or marker to make notes and mark areas if needed.
  • Allen wrenches or hex keys to drive the screws and nails into the material and ensure they’re not visible from the top.
  • Phillips head screwdriver to drive the screws into the material.
  • A traditional hammer or a rubber mallet.
  • Furniture adhesive if needed.
  • Instruction manuals to reassemble furniture.
  • Spare screws and nails that fit into the furniture pieces to ensure you have something to use if your original screws go missing.
  • Power screwdriver if you need to assemble several pieces of furniture at the same time.

Furniture reassembly is best left to the professionals because you might damage the pieces while attempting to reassemble them. Professionals can also fix any minor scratches and cosmetic problems that might happen during the moving process and restore the appearance of your furniture.

If you want to know more about packing and moving, or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.

Home, Moving, Preparation

Start Early

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Start Early

Start Early if You Want Your Move to Go Smoothly

Moving from one place to another can be a hectic process, especially if you’re on a tight deadline and need to get everything done quickly. When you rush through the moving process, you’re more likely to make mistakes and experience problems during the move. That’s one of the reasons why you should make sure you start early.

When should you start? 

This usually depends on the amount of personal possessions you have and how much you need to pack. However, as a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to start at least two weeks before you’re scheduled to move. You can start by packing things you won’t need during the two weeks leading up to the move. For example, if you’re moving during summer, you won’t need your winter clothes so you can pack them early.

Just create a list of priorities and start from the bottom so by the time you reach moving day, everything but the essentials you need on that day, will be packed. If you have to pack up a large home or office, it’s a good idea to start a month in advance just to ensure you don’t need to rush through the process.

The benefits of starting early

  • Your packing will be organized and you’ll have an easier time keeping track of everything.
  • You won’t be stressed or tired at the end of the day because you have time to pack at your own pace.
  • You won’t forget to pack something or leave items behind because you’ll have time to double check everything before you leave.
  • You will have ample time to focus on other personal and professional concerns before you need to move.

As you can see, starting to pack early has a number of advantages and can help you carry out a smooth move. If you want to know more about packing and moving, or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.

Home, Moving, Preparation

House and Contents Insurance – Do You Need It?

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House and Contents Insurance – Do You Need It?

Insurance helps protect your home and possessions from a variety of disasters, including theft and fire. But what happens to these items when they’re in transit, and you move them from one place to another? Most removalists have their insurance, but that isn’t enough to cover all of your possessions. The best way to handle this situation and avoid future problems is to get your insurance coverage.

House and Contents Insurance 

The House and Contents or Home and Contents insurance is an essential home insurance policy that covers your property and everything that’s stored inside it. Most companies will cover the move as well so you won’t have to take out another insurance policy right before you move. Before your move, check what’s included in your policy and call your insurance provider to get more information on the product. If your possessions don’t have insurance cover, look for alternative options and ask your insurance provider for recommendations.

It’s never a good idea to move without insurance, even if you hire a reliable and well-insured removalist company. If you don’t take this step, you might have to pay for some replacements and repairs out of your pocket if any items get damaged or lost during the move.

Getting insurance for your new home 

It’s best to arrange for insurance as soon as you purchase or rent a new house. This will help protect your investment and ensure you have some cover if something goes wrong. You can compare different insurance options available in the market on online platforms to determine which one is the best option for you before you make your choice. You can also ask your real estate agent to provide recommendations for good House and Contents insurance.

Housing professionals such as Adelaide Broker recommend all clients ensure they checked their insurance policies annually to ensure they’re covered – which can also be a requirement as a part of their rental or home mortgage requirement.

If you want to know more about packing and moving or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.

Home, Moving, Packaging, Preparation

Get a professional to help you pack

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Get a professional to help you pack

Packing is one of the most tedious aspects of the moving process. It takes weeks, a lot of packing material, good planning, and a considerable amount of effort in order to pack up all personal possessions and organise the move. Why handle this yourself when you can hire a professional to do it for you at a reasonable rate? Most moving companies will provide packing services along with their moving services and often at a discounted rate.

Why hire a professional for the job? 

It’s tempting to save money and try to pack all items yourself because moving can be expensive, but hiring a professional for the job can offer a number of benefits including:

  • Saves time – Professionals have experience and will know how to employ time saving techniques in order to get the items packed quickly. You can focus your time and energy on other concerns and let experienced packers and movers handle the process.
  • Efficient – Packers will label and mark every package so you can keep track of all items that are packed easily. This makes the unpacking process easy and less time-consuming as well.
  • Packing materials – Most professional packers will provide packing material and know how much you need in order to store and transport all of your possessions. You don’t need to worry about buying or renting the right amount of packing material.
  • Unpacking – Most professional removalists will provide unpacking services at the destination as well so you can focus on getting used to your new home while the removalists unpack and organise everything.
  • Safety – Professionals will know how to safely and securely pack all items so they’re not damaged in transit. They will use the right materials and ensure all delicate items are wrapped securely before they’re transported.

If you want to know more about packing and moving, or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.

Home, Moving, Preparation

Connect and Disconnect Services

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Connect and Disconnect Services

You rely on a number of public and private institutions to provide you with essential services and non-essential services. Before you move, you need to make arrangements to ensure these services are disconnected at your old residence and connected at your new one. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Electricity 

The electricity provider will handle the disconnection so all you need to do is call them and inform them that you intend to move and want to cancel the service. Schedule the disconnection for a day or two after you move to give yourself some breathing room for delays. To connect electricity in your new home, just call the future electricity service provider at least a week in advance and place the request. This will ensure the electricity is up and running when you move in and you don’t have to deal with lack of power when you enter your new home.

  1. Gas 

The same process is applicable for gas as well; you can contact your service provider and ask them to disconnect the service on a set date. It’s a good idea to choose the day of the move or the day after for disconnection. Similarly, you can ask the new service provider at your new location to connect gas on the day of the move or the day before. Most people don’t start using gas immediately as they move into their new home so there’s some room for the connection to be set up.

  1. Internet 

Internet takes more time to set up than regular utility services; and in most cases, you need to be present in the house to set up a connection. You can request a disconnection at any time and ensure your internet service has been stopped a day or two before the move. Set up the connection immediately after the move to avoid delays. The same process applies to paid TV.

If you want to know more about packing and moving, or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.

Home, Misc, Preparation

Change of Address Checklist

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Change of Address Checklist

When you move from one location to another, you need to change your address on all your official and unofficial documentation and ensure all your connections are informed. People often forget to change their address with some institutions and organisations, which can cause trouble down the line. Here’s a checklist that can help you:

  1. Personal Connections 
  • Parents
  • Separated spouses
  • Siblings and distant relatives
  • Neighbours
  • Friends
  1. Government organisations 
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Electoral Commission
  • Pap test registry
  • Local councils
  • Concession cards
  • Seniors cards
  • Human services like Child Support Agency and Medicare
  1. Related to work 
  • Employers
  • Colleagues and work friends
  • Business associates
  • Customers
  • Employees and contractors
  1. Education
  • Your children’s schools
  • College and universities
  • Any after school or extracurricular programs 
  1. Related to finances 
  • Banks
  • Pension
  • Brokerage firms
  • Lenders
  • Superannuation funds
  • Credit card companies
  • Bonds, stocks, and shares
  • Accountants
  1. Healthcare 
  • General practitioner
  • Paediatrician
  • Dentist office
  • Special healthcare providers
  • Optician
  • Veterinarian
  1. Related to your vehicles 
  • Drivers licenses
  • Car registration
  • Car insurance
  • Maintenance service contracts of garages with franchise branches in your new location
  • Car companies you purchased the car from
  1. Utilities 
  • Australia Post office
  • Electricity
  • Gas
  • Television subscription
  • Phone
  • Broadband internet
  • Water
  1. Insurance companies 
  • Ambulance insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Health insurance
  • House and contents insurance
  • Special insurance
  • Medicare
  1. Legal services 
  • Personal lawyer
  • Real estate lawyer
  • Corporate lawyer related to work

These are just some of the many places you need to change your addresses during the move. Others are miscellaneous organisations like gyms and libraries that can wait until you settle down. If you follow this checklist, you’ll change your registered address at all important organisations and people. This ensures you get all your mail, government documentation, school and collage communication, and other such mail at the right location. You should also change your address with any magazine or service subscription in order to ensure you get the items at your new location.

If you want to know more about packing and moving, or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.

Home, Preparation, Space

Decide What Needs to Go in Storage

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Decide What Needs to Go in Storage

Storage is a great way to keep items you don’t need out of the way during your move. You can store them in a secure place while you organise everything else, transport essential items to your new location, decorate your new home and make it liveable, and then get items from storage transported to your location. However, before you can use this service, you need to decide which items you need to store in storage facilities:

  1. Items you don’t need to use urgently 

If you have items that you intend to keep but don’t need urgently, you can store them in a different location until you can sort your new space. For example, if you have decorative items that you don’t know where to place in your new home, you can store these at a facility until you determine where you want to place them. 

  1. Items you intend to sell in the future 

It doesn’t make sense to transport items that you intend to sell in the near future to your new home. You can sell them online and then ask the removalist company to transport them directly to your customer. You won’t need to worry about a cluttered home as you settle into your new space. Most storage units offer affordable deals for long-term storage as well.

  1. Extra furniture you don’t have room for 

Many clients have extra furniture that they don’t want to sell but don’t have room to house in their home. This is most common with clients moving into a rental home that’s smaller in size and doesn’t have enough space to accommodate all of their older furniture. These clients often intend to move into larger homes in the future and need the furniture then. Long-term storage is an excellent solution for that.

If you want to know more about packing and moving, or need to book a service, don’t hesitate to contact us at Next Level Removals or all 1300 005 400.