Four weeks is the sweet spot for planning a Brisbane move. Long enough to lock in your removalist, short enough that nothing falls through the cracks. This checklist is built for Queensland residents — it includes the QLD-specific steps most generic moving guides skip, including vehicle registration transfer with Transport and Main Roads, electricity with Energex or Ergon, and the AusPost mail redirect process.
Work through each section week by week. Tick everything off and you’ll arrive at moving day with nothing left to stress about.
4 Weeks Before Moving Day
This is your strategy week. Make the big decisions now so the rest of the month is execution.
Book Your Removalist
- Get 2–3 written quotes — comparing apples to apples (same crew size, same inclusions)
- Confirm what’s included: fuel levy, truck size, furniture blankets, insurance
- Ask whether it’s the same team door-to-door or a relay/depot transfer model
- Check reviews on Google — look for volume and recency, not just star rating
- Book and pay your deposit to lock in your date — good removalists fill up 3–4 weeks out in Brisbane
- Confirm your move window (e.g. 7am–4pm) and what happens if the job runs long
Relocation Rangers is rated 4.9★ from 153 Google reviews and operates same team door-to-door — no depot handoffs. Get a written quote here.
Notify Key Organisations
- Notify your landlord or property manager (check your lease for required notice period — typically 2–4 weeks in QLD)
- Notify your building manager if you need a lift booking or loading bay at your apartment
- Advise your employer of your new address for payroll records
- Begin change-of-address with your bank, super fund, and insurance providers
Sort Out Your Storage (If Needed)
- If there’s a settlement gap between properties, arrange storage now — not the week before
- Relocation Rangers offers secure storage at Kennards Coorparoo: $150/week per 20ft container (35m³)
- For long settlement gaps, consider what you’ll need access to and what can go straight into storage
More on our Brisbane storage options here.
Start Your Declutter
- Go room by room with three bags: keep, donate/sell, bin
- List larger items on Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree — Brisbane pickup items move fast
- Book a BCC hard waste collection if you have large items to dispose of (Brisbane City Council offers this — check your suburb’s schedule at brisbane.qld.gov.au)
- Donate clothing and housewares to Vinnies, Lifeline, or Salvos
3 Weeks Before Moving Day
Utilities, addresses, and the start of serious packing prep.
Electricity & Gas
- Energex distributes electricity in South-East Queensland (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba). Your retailer (AGL, Origin, Alinta, etc.) manages billing — contact them to transfer or open an account at your new address
- Ergon Energy distributes electricity in regional Queensland — if you’re moving to a regional area, your retailer will liaise with Ergon
- Set your final meter read date for your old address and a connection date for the new one
- If your new home uses gas, organise that separately — gas distribution in Brisbane is via Jemena
- Arrange water/sewerage notifications with Urban Utilities (Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Somerset, Scenic Rim) or your local council
Internet & Phone
- Check NBN availability at your new address at nbnco.com.au — connection type (FTTP, FTTN, HFC) and available speeds vary by suburb
- Contact your provider (Telstra, Aussie Broadband, Internode, etc.) to transfer your service — allow 2–4 weeks for connection at the new address
- If your current address has the NBN and the new one doesn’t, you may need interim 4G/5G home internet
- Transfer your mobile phone plan address if it affects billing
AusPost Mail Redirect
- Set up a mail redirect via auspost.com.au/mail-redirect — allows 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months
- Set the redirect to start 1–2 days before your move date (not after — mail sent on moving day may go to the old address)
- Cost is approximately $33–$132 depending on duration (check current AusPost pricing)
- Also update your address directly with: Medicare, myGov/ATO, Centrelink (if applicable), Electoral Commission of QLD, and your GP’s clinic
Source Packing Materials
- Order boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and packing paper — don’t leave this until the week before
- Relocation Rangers offers materials bundles: $258 (small / studio–1 bed) / $436 (medium / 2 bed) / $656 (large / 3 bed) / $994 (XL / 4+ bed)
- See our materials and packing services page for bundle contents
- Most people underestimate how many boxes they need — if in doubt, order more
2 Weeks Before Moving Day
The heavy lifting of packing begins. Work through rooms systematically — not randomly.
Vehicle Registration Transfer (QLD)
- You must update your Queensland vehicle registration address within 3 months of moving — do it now rather than forgetting
- Update via tmr.qld.gov.au (Department of Transport and Main Roads) online using your rego label number and date of birth
- If you’re moving from interstate to QLD, you’ll need to re-register your vehicle with TMR — you have 3 months to do this
- Update your driver’s licence address separately (also via TMR — $0 to change address)
Council Rates & Voting Enrolment
- Notify Brisbane City Council (or your local council) of your change of address for council rates
- Update your electoral enrolment at aec.gov.au — it’s a legal obligation within 8 weeks of moving
- If you’re an owner-occupier, check your land tax or rates notice for any credits or adjustments at settlement
Healthcare Providers
- Notify your current GP and request a copy of your medical records or a referral to a new practice
- Research GPs in your new suburb — Brisbane’s inner-city and growth suburbs can have long waiting lists for new patients
- Notify your dentist and optometrist
- Transfer any repeat prescriptions to a pharmacy near your new home
- If you have children: advise their school of the move date; enrol in the new school well before the move
Pack Non-Essentials
- Books, ornaments, artwork, seasonal clothing, spare linen — anything you won’t need in the next two weeks
- Pack by destination room, not by category — label every box with the destination room (e.g. “Master Bedroom — Books”) not just contents
- Heavier items in smaller boxes; lighter items in larger boxes
- Don’t leave boxes half-full — fill gaps with packing paper to prevent crushing
- See our kitchen packing guide for the hardest room in the house
1 Week Before Moving Day
Final preparation. The goal this week is to have nothing left to do on moving day except open the door for the crew.
- Confirm your booking with your removalist — date, time, addresses, and any access notes
- Defrost your fridge and freezer at least 24 hours before the move (food defrost means condensation and leaks in the truck)
- Pack your kitchen — save only the essentials you need for the final week (see our kitchen packing guide)
- Disassemble flat-pack furniture, beds, and large items where possible
- Drain and dry your washing machine (run an empty cycle first; disconnect hoses the day before)
- Pack your “moving day” bag: phone charger, toilet paper, kettle, mugs, instant coffee/tea bags, a change of clothes, medications, laptop, important documents
- Confirm lift bookings or loading bay reservations with your building manager
- Notify your neighbours as a courtesy — moving trucks need space, and a quick heads-up avoids conflict
- Take photos of the walls, floors, and fixtures at your current property — useful if there’s a bond dispute
- Arrange care for children and pets on moving day (this is serious — it makes a big difference to how smoothly things run)
Moving Day
The crew is booked, everything is packed. Here’s how to make the day run smoothly.
- Be ready before the crew arrives — everything packed, boxes near the door, no items still in drawers
- Show the crew around when they arrive: point out fragile items, anything that disassembles, and any access concerns
- Clear the pathway from the door to the truck — move cars, fold back rugs, remove trip hazards
- Keep your “moving day” bag with you, not in the truck
- Do a final walk-through of every room, cupboard, roof space, and garden before the truck leaves
- Take meter readings at both properties (electricity, gas, water) — photograph them with a timestamp
- Hand back your keys and collect the new set
- At the new property, direct the crew — tell them which room each item goes to; don’t leave them guessing
- Check off large items as they’re unloaded
- Do a quick inspection of furniture for transit damage before the crew leaves — note anything, even minor
First Week in Your New Home
The move is done. Here’s what needs to happen in the first week to get settled properly.
- Unpack the essentials first: bed, kitchen, bathroom — in that order
- Confirm electricity, internet, and gas connections are live and working
- Check that the AusPost mail redirect is active (you should start receiving forwarded mail within a few days)
- Register with a local GP if you haven’t already — don’t wait until you need one
- Introduce yourself to neighbours — especially important in quieter suburbs where community expectation is high
- Find your nearest: supermarket, GP, pharmacy, emergency service, public transport stop
- Update your address with remaining organisations (subscriptions, memberships, loyalty cards)
- Check the new property for anything missed at settlement inspection (leaking taps, faulty switches, broken door hardware)
- If you’re renting, submit a condition report with photos within the timeframe specified in your lease — typically 3 business days in QLD
- Explore your new suburb — you’ve earned it
Moving to a new Brisbane suburb? Check out our suburb pages for local tips on Paddington, New Farm, and other popular inner-city locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I book a removalist in Brisbane?
At least 3–4 weeks in advance for a standard move. For end-of-month dates, school holiday periods, or long weekends, book even earlier — these dates fill up in Brisbane very quickly. Late notice bookings (under 1 week) are sometimes possible but not guaranteed.
Do I need to redirect mail before or after I move?
Set your AusPost redirect to start 1–2 days before your move date. Mail sent after you leave the old address should follow you. The redirect doesn’t cover all senders — update your address directly with banks, Medicare, and myGov regardless.
How long does it take to change your address in QLD?
Most Queensland address changes (Medicare, ATO, TMR, AEC, utilities) can be done online in under 10 minutes each. The Queensland vehicle registration address change is done at tmr.qld.gov.au and takes about 3 minutes. Allow a week for mail and utility changes to flow through to billing systems.
What should I do with food before moving?
Use up perishables in the 2 weeks before your move — plan meals around what’s in the fridge and freezer. Non-perishables (tinned goods, dry pantry items) can be packed in boxes labelled “kitchen — pantry.” Defrost your fridge at least 24 hours before moving day.
How do I transfer electricity when moving in QLD?
Contact your electricity retailer (AGL, Origin, Alinta, etc.) — not Energex directly. Energex is the distributor; your retailer manages the account. Tell them your move-out date for the old address and the move-in date for the new one. They’ll arrange meter reads at both ends. Allow 2–5 business days for new connections.
Ready to Book?
Relocation Rangers handles Brisbane local moves and all interstate routes. Rated 4.9★ from 153 Google reviews — same team, door to door, photo updates throughout.