Moving House, Downsizing & Whole-Home Decluttering

Decluttering before moving house

The cheapest box to move is the one you never pack. Decluttering before a move means a smaller removal quote, fewer boxes to unpack, and a new home that doesn't start out full. Our checklist for decluttering before a move:

• Start before the removalist quote. Removal quotes are based on how much there is to move, so clear the garage, storeroom and spare room first.
• Sort by category, not by box. All the linen, all the books, all the kitchen gear at once. Doubles and things you haven't used are obvious straight away.
• Book the council clean-up early. On the Northern Beaches, mainland households can pre-book two bulky-goods collections within 12 months. Ku-ring-gai and Lane Cove each allow four booked collections a year; other North Shore councils differ, so check yours.
• Deal with dangerous goods. Most removalists won't move fuel, gas bottles, paint or pool chemicals. Kimbriki takes household paint free, up to 100 litres, and the NSW EPA's Household Chemical CleanOut takes chemicals and gas bottles.
• Label for the new house. Mark boxes with the room they're going to, not the room they came from.

For where donations, e-waste and bulky items go locally, see our Northern Beaches donation and recycling guide.

Downsizing to a smaller home or apartment

Downsizing is decluttering with a hard limit: the new place's floor plan. We measure first, so decisions are about what fits rather than what's being lost, then work through the family home room by room, starting with low-emotion spaces like the laundry and linen cupboard. Family can join the plan from anywhere, and items they may want are set aside until they decide. If you're 55 or older and selling a long-held home, the ATO's downsizer contribution may be worth raising with your accountant. Our downsizing help page covers the process, the furniture question and the downsizer rules in detail.

Moving day and our unpacking service

• Pack a first-night box with bedding, a kettle and mugs, chargers, toiletries, medications and a change of clothes.
• Keep documents, keys and valuables with you, not on the truck.
• Apartment moves: book the lift and loading dock with your building manager for both the old and new buildings.

Once the removalist leaves, we unpack for you. The kitchen, bedrooms and bathroom come first so the house works on the first night, then wardrobes, linen and storage are set up in zones, and boxes are flattened as we go. It's move-in organisation, not just emptying boxes: everything goes where it will actually be used.

Whole-house decluttering: how a reset runs

Not moving? A whole-home reset works through every room over several sessions:

1. Walk-through and plan. We agree what isn't working in each room and set the order.
2. Fix daily friction first. Usually the kitchen or the entry, so mornings get easier straight away.
3. Clear a holding area. The garage or spare room gets sorted early, so later rooms have somewhere for things in transit.
4. One room, one category at a time. You decide what stays, and it goes back where it's used.
5. Donations leave every session, and the same labelling logic runs through the whole house.

Moving house checklist NSW: who to notify

• Australia Post mail redirection: 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, applied for online or at a Post Office with proof of identity. Up to six names can go on one application.
• Service NSW: a MyServiceNSW account updates your driver and vessel licence and registration, Seniors Card and RSA/RCG card in one go. CTP insurance follows your registration. Other government services may need updating separately.
• Electoral roll: update your enrolment with the AEC once you've lived at the new address for a month.
• Everyone else: bank, super fund, insurers, employer, schools, doctor and dentist, utilities, and online shopping accounts.

How much does decluttering before a move cost?

We don't publish prices, because the cost depends on your house: how much is in it, how many rooms need sorting, and how quickly decisions get made. After a free discovery call we send a written quote in Australian dollars, including GST, with travel across the Northern Beaches and North Shore included. It's worth weighing against the removal quote, because every room cleared before the move is volume you're no longer paying to transport.

Before your first session

Don't tidy up or buy storage first. If you're moving, have your moving date, the removalist's quote or inspection date, and the new home's floor plan handy.

Moving, downsizing and unpacking FAQs