7 Last-minute moving tips for stress-free relocation

Dream job across the country? Unexpected lease break? Life moves fast, and sometimes, your living situation needs to catch up just as quickly. With more than 40% of Australians having moved within the last five years, last-minute moving situations are incredibly common.

Today, most relocations require two to three months of planning, giving plenty of time to research removalists, declutter properly, and pack room by room at a comfortable pace. But when you’re working with days instead of months, you need an entirely different approach.

The good news is that anyone can absolutely pull this off without losing their mind (or their bond). In this post, we’ll share seven efficient moving tips, including hour-saving shortcuts, key priorities, and strategies for relocating when time is your biggest challenge.

1. Make a quick plan

When you’re planning a move with minimal time, your first instinct might be to jump straight into packing boxes. Resist that urge. Instead, grab a piece of paper or open your phone’s notes app and spend 20 minutes creating a simple checklist of absolute essentials.

Start with the big three:

• Booking removalists (or a truck hire)

• Calling utility companies to arrange disconnections and connections

• Deciding which category to pack first

Your checklist should also include time-sensitive items like arranging mail redirection and notifying your bank and workplace of address changes. You may also start listing any bulky or delicate items that need special attention (like packing your TV or piano safely).

2. Declutter ruthlessly

Sorting and folding clothes during a home declutter session. (Source: iStock)

Learning how to pack a house quickly starts with a simple rule: the less you own, the less you pack. To have fewer items, you need to declutter efficiently by being honest about what you actually need versus what you think you might need someday.

For most rooms, you can use the four-box method: label boxes ‘keep’, ‘donate’, ‘sell’, and ‘throw away’, then sort items quickly. If everything’s going to the keep box, go through each item again and ask when you last used it. If you can’t remember the last time you did, that’s your answer right there!

For categories where you have multiples of similar items (like when packing clothes, books, or kitchen gadgets), try one-in, one-out. In this strategy, you need to keep one item and remove another from the same category. This prevents decision paralysis when you’re staring down at five similar jackets or three coffee makers.

3. Pack by category, not by room

One of the best moving hacks is to abandon the room-by-room approach and pack by category instead. This method lets you see exactly how much of each item you have and makes unpacking at your new home much more efficient.

Start with similar items from across your entire house: Gather all your towels and bedsheets, kitchen pots and pans, or decorative items in one spot before packing. To maximise your packing materials, you can also mix categories to pack them simultaneously.

For instance, you can use your towels and bedsheets as padding for plates and fragile items instead of buying bubble wrap. You can also nestle breakable ornaments or pack jewellery and trinkets inside sturdy pots. Doing this can shorten your moving supplies checklist because you’re using items you already own as protective padding, saving money and storage space in the moving truck.

4. Pack a ‘First 24 Hours’ essential box

Preparing an essential box with hygiene supplies for moving. (Source: iStock)

When facing a last-minute removal, it’s smart to picture your first day. What items are you going to need personally? Which items are you going to need to eat, sleep, or clean your space? For this reason, it’s recommended that you create at least two survival boxes and keep them in your car.

First, pack your personal survival box using sturdy cardboard boxes or plastic bins. This box contains your moving essentials, including:

• Phone chargers and power banks

• Medications and a first aid kit

• Toiletries and toilet paper

• Coffee, tea, and snacks

• Box cutter for opening packages

• Change of clothing

• Important documents and IDs

Next, prepare your second box for immediate home setup needs.

• Basic bedding for sleeping

• A few plastic plates, cups, and utensils

• Cleaning supplies and garbage bags

• Basic tools for quick fixes

• Towels and shower curtain

Notice how we mentioned plastic plates and cups? This prevents breakage during the move and gives you one less thing to worry about on an already stressful day.

5. Ask and hire for help

Now is not the time to prove you can handle everything solo. Moving quickly requires a team effort, so ask friends for help with specific tasks like packing clothes or disassembling large furniture. Give them clear, time-bound requests like ‘Can you help pack my books on Saturday morning?’ rather than vague offers to help.

For larger items and appliances, it’s strongly recommended to hire last-minute removalists instead. Professional movers can typically load a two-bedroom home in two to three hours, while the same job might take you and your friends an entire day. They also prevent costly injuries and damaged walls from amateur lifting attempts.

If you’re really pressed for time, check with your furniture removalists to see if they offer end-of-lease cleaning packages so you can also hand off the cleaning.

6. Sort out utilities and mail online

Managing utilities and mail online before a move. (Source: iStock)

Whether you’re moving across town or from Sydney to Melbourne, you need to sort out your ‘digital move’ to prevent service interruptions and double payments. Simply go online to schedule electricity, water, and internet connections for your new home while arranging disconnections for your old property. Energy Australia recommends that your move be at least two business days away to arrange new connections.

Aside from your utilities, set up mail redirection immediately through Australia Post to forward your mail and parcels. Update your address with banks, insurance companies, gym memberships, subscription services, and government agencies like the ATO and Centrelink.

If you can’t get online to set up mail redirection, ask your neighbours to collect any mail that arrives after you’ve moved.

7. Plan for the final clean

Leaving your old place spotless is important for getting your bond back. To avoid scrambling after same-day removalists have loaded the truck, plan your cleaning strategy early.

If the budget is tight, you can do the final cleaning yourself by scrubbing the bathroom and kitchen thoroughly, vacuuming all carpets, wiping down walls and surfaces, and cleaning inside all cupboards and drawers. However, it’s not entirely practical due to the effort it takes and the fact that you’ll need to buy cleaning supplies and paper towels.

Alternatively, you can book a professional cleaner. Experienced cleaners know exactly what landlords expect beyond fair wear and tear and can work while you handle other tasks. Need extra fixes done? Many cleaning services also offer additional fixes like filling nail holes, touching up paint, or minor repairs that can help secure your full bond.

Get moving help today

As you can see, moving at short notice doesn’t have to be a disaster. With these seven practical packing tips, you can turn your time crunch into an organised, successful relocation to your new house.

Need extra hands to make it happen? Post a task on Airtasker to hire professional removalists, cleaners, or packers in your area. Simply create a post, describe what you need, compare quotes from local moving services, and book the help that fits your budget and timeline. Who knew a smooth move was just one booking away?