Reviewed by Michael Dunstan, Managing Director of Palmers Relocations | Originally published 27 March 2020 | Updated 5 November 2026
At a glance
- Sort belongings before packing so you have time to sell, donate or arrange suitable disposal.
- Contact charities before delivering furniture or booking a collection. Acceptance depends on the item, its condition and the organisation.
- Reuse boxes that are strong, clean and suitable for the journey. Fragile belongings still need proper protection.
- Arrange separate disposal for batteries, chemicals and unwanted electronics.
- After unpacking, keep suitable materials for reuse and follow local recycling instructions for the rest.
Moving has a way of revealing how much a household has collected. There is the furniture you still love, the cupboard nobody has opened for months and the pile of things you always meant to donate.
By the final week, it is tempting to pack everything and decide later—or throw things away because time has run out.
A less wasteful move starts earlier, with a few practical decisions about what to take, what someone else could use and how to protect the belongings you are keeping.
You do not need to get every decision perfect. Giving yourself time to make those decisions is a useful place to begin.
Decide what deserves to come with you
Before collecting boxes, take a walk through your home with the next property in mind.
Will the dining table fit? Do you still use the spare television? Is the outdoor setting worth keeping if the new home has no outdoor space?
It helps to separate what you genuinely want from what you have simply become used to owning. Moving something you will discard a month later means packing, handling and transporting it without much purpose.
Start with a cupboard or room you can finish, rather than emptying the whole house at once. Set aside belongings to keep, sell, donate and dispose of, with a clear next step for each group.
Once you have a better idea of what is coming, Palmers’ moving volume calculator can help you estimate the space those belongings will occupy. Share any significant changes with your removalist so the move can be planned around the final inventory.
Give donations enough time to find another home
A good sofa can be useful to another household. That does not mean a charity can collect it tomorrow.
Organisations have different acceptance rules, storage space and collection arrangements. Before setting furniture aside for donation, contact the intended recipient with photographs, dimensions and an honest description of its condition.
Salvos Stores accepts suitable goods in good condition and offers bulky-item collections across many areas, but availability and accepted items need to be confirmed. Its guidance also notes that collections in high-demand areas can be booked weeks ahead.
Give yourself an alternative if the first organisation cannot help. A local buyer, community giveaway group or someone you know may be able to use the item.
Be realistic about condition, too. Charitable Reuse Australia advises donating clean, usable goods and contacting the organisation first about furniture and electrical items. Passing on something broken, unsafe or unusable can simply leave the charity with a disposal bill.
Reuse moving boxes that are still fit for the job
Reusing a sound moving carton makes sense. Reusing one with a weakened base because it is the last box in the garage is a different decision.
Look for clean, dry cartons that hold their shape, with intact bases and no crushing or tears. Match the box to its contents: a large carton is not an invitation to fill it with books.
The journey matters as well. A box carrying linen across town has a different job from one protecting household goods through a longer interstate or overseas move.
Palmers’ guide to moving carton sizes and packing materials explains how different cartons and protective materials are used. It also describes inspecting suitable returned cartons before reusing them on local moves.
If you are packing yourself, discuss the requirements with your removalist before gathering materials. Finding suitable boxes at the beginning is easier than repacking them just before collection.
Use the protection your belongings need
It is easy to focus on the pile of wrapping paper left after unpacking. Less obvious is what happens when an item has too little protection and needs replacing.
The aim is to avoid unnecessary material while keeping belongings properly supported.
You may be able to pack suitable everyday items alongside clean linen or towels, provided the combination protects them and keeps the box manageable. That does not make household linen a universal substitute for protective wrapping, particularly for delicate finishes, glass or valuable pieces.
Fragile items need appropriate cushioning and separation. Empty spaces also need attention so contents cannot move freely inside the carton.
Keep useful packing paper and other materials clean as you unpack. They may be suitable for another move or someone else’s packing, depending on their condition.
Make a separate plan for batteries, paint and electronics
The garage, laundry and kitchen drawers often contain the things that need the most thought: old batteries, leftover paint, cleaning chemicals and electronics that no longer work.
Deal with these before the final clean-out. They should not disappear into a miscellaneous moving box because you have run out of time.
The Australian Government’s household recycling guidance says batteries must not go in household rubbish or recycling bins. Use the appropriate collection service and follow its instructions for the battery type and condition.
For paint and household chemicals, look up the service available where you live. In NSW, the EPA’s Community Recycling Centre and Household Chemical CleanOut directory explains the available options and accepted materials. Elsewhere, your council or state environment authority is a useful starting point.
Unwanted electronics may need a dedicated collection or recycling service too. Confirm that the chosen service accepts your particular item before making the trip.
Tell your removalist about anything you are unsure can travel. Disposal arrangements and transport requirements are separate questions, and both are easier to resolve beforehand.
Work through the food before moving day
A freezer full of food can become an awkward last-minute problem, especially when an appliance needs to be disconnected.
In the lead-up to the move, plan meals around what you already have and reduce the size of your grocery shops. Keep a small selection of easy meals available so the plan remains practical while the kitchen is being packed.
If the fridge is travelling or going into storage, allow time to empty, clean and dry it. Our guide to storing a fridge when moving explains the preparation and why the appliance’s own instructions matter.
For food you intend to take, arrange suitable temperature-controlled transport or storage. Do not rely on a disconnected fridge to do that job.
Decide what happens to the packaging after unpacking
Before flattening every carton, separate materials that could be used again from those that have reached the end of their useful life.
Clean, sturdy boxes may be useful to another household preparing to move. Keep them dry and describe their condition honestly when offering them.
For the remaining materials, follow your council’s instructions. Cardboard, plastic film, foam and tape do not necessarily belong in the same collection. A material described as recyclable is not automatically accepted in your household recycling bin.
The Australian Government’s recycling advice points households towards local guidance and services for materials that cannot go in kerbside collections. That is particularly helpful when you are dealing with a mixture of packaging.
If you want help with packing debris, discuss the arrangements with Palmers when planning your move so you know what is included and what needs to be organised separately.
Make the next move easier to plan
A less wasteful move is often the result of ordinary decisions made with enough time: finding a home for a useful table, choosing boxes that will last the journey and arranging a proper drop-off for the things that cannot travel.
When discussing your move with Palmers, explain what you are keeping, what still needs sorting and where you would like help. The team can plan around the belongings making the journey and talk through the packing requirements.
You can explore Palmers’ local moving services or get in touch to discuss your plans.
The aim is to arrive with belongings you want, protected for the journey—and fewer unfinished decisions following you through the front door.