Arrange short-term storage if there's a gap between homes

An interstate move is the most likely place for a gap to open up between when your old place needs to be empty and when your new one is actually ready -- settlement, removalist delivery, and your own arrival date don't always land on the same day, especially over a long distance.

How to do it

1. Ask your removalist first. Many interstate movers offer short-term storage as part of the same booking, which is usually simpler than arranging it separately.
2. Compare a dedicated storage company for anything longer than a few weeks -- self-storage facilities are usually better value than a mover's short-term option past that point.
3. Check unit size against what you're actually storing, not what you think you have -- most facilities have a size guide, and a house's worth of boxes and furniture is easy to underestimate.
4. Ask about access hours, especially if your own schedule around the move is tight.

Common mistakes

• Assuming your removalist automatically includes storage -- confirm this explicitly when getting quotes
• Booking a unit sized for what you think you have rather than what you've actually measured
• Leaving it until the week of the move, when short-term availability is tightest

Related tasks

If you're also arranging temporary accommodation for yourself, sort both at the same time -- they're usually driven by the exact same date mismatch.