Moving house? Here's how to get it right

This is a commercial collaboration with Taxibox.

Whether you do it more often than you'd like, or can count the instances on one hand, moving house can be stressful. But it doesn't have to be.

A successful move is generally a combination of being prepared, getting the right help, a few hacks, and having the right equipment. Here's how to set yourself up for smooth sailing the next time you move.

Before you begin to pack, there's a very important first step to make the rest of the job easier: decluttering. Sure, you may have given your belongings a good Marie Kondo-ing before. But think about it this way: everything you get rid of before you go is one less thing you have to pack and carry. Backed by this motivation, you might find you're keen to part with a bit more.

Got a stack of things to rehome? You could try selling them to make a bit of extra cash for your move, donate them to friends, charity, or through local 'Buy Nothing' groups on Facebook, or recycle what you can.

Once you know what you're taking with you, it's time to pack. Remember all those hours you spent perfecting your Tetris skills? This is where they can really shine. To minimise the space, you need to move your belongings, dismantle any furniture to decrease wasted space. Use soft belongings like clothing, sheets and towels to wrap other objects in boxes, which will not only minimise wasted space, but also provide added protection.

Don't forget to label boxes to make your life easier at the other end, and keep your everyday essentials far away from the moving boxes so you can keep them with you during the moving process.

Now it's time to get moving. If you're trying to save money, you might opt to do it all yourself. Unless you have access to one, you may have to hire a ute or truck, or rope in a friend with a roomy vehicle. And speaking of roping in friends, try and get some to help out to lighten the load-and make sure you thank them with the obligatory pizza.

If you want to outsource things completely, a removalist company can help. Just make sure you do your research and find a company who will do a great job. Online reviews are a great place to start.

A simple way to move is with TAXIBOX. They deliver a TAXIBOX storage container direct to you, and then once it's packed, move it to where you need it to go. It's a competitively priced option, and saves you time driving back and forth yourself. As an added bonus, if you need to store your belongings for a little (or long) while between places, they can keep it safe for you at their secure storage facility, so you can wait to do your unpacking once you've arrived at your new place.

When it comes time for the actual moving part, do your future self a favour and be careful with your back. Make sure you distribute weight evenly when packing your boxes-the weight of books can add up quickly-and use good lifting techniques when dismantling furniture and moving boxes around.

If you're moving yourself, hiring a trolley of some kind to help move your boxes and furniture to your truck or ute can lighten the load and make the whole process a lot easier.

If you choose to move with TAXIBOX, your storage container is delivered directly to you, so you just need to get everything out the front door and into the TAXIBOX, which you can keep closeby on your driveway or on your street (a trolley can help here too). You can even outsource the heavy lifting and book removalists through their website, where you can hire a helping hand to pack your TAXIBOX for you, and unpack it at the other end.

While these aren't strictly part of the packing process, don't forget the other admin essential for your move. Contact your relevant utility companies to disconnect your account, then set everything up at your new home. Lock in babysitters or pet sitters for moving day. And redirect your mail, and register your change of address-don't forget to update your address details for your rego, driver licence, Medicare, Centrelink and the tax office.

Need to move house? Make things easier for yourself by booking with TAXIBOX.