Moving house can get expensive quickly.
You start with the obvious costs, such as hiring removalists and buying boxes. Then there are cleaning costs, utility connections, packing materials, storage, time away from work and all the little expenses you did not think about when you decided to move.
If you are moving house in Perth, the good news is that there are plenty of ways to keep those costs under control.
The secret is not necessarily finding the absolute cheapest removalist. In many cases, the biggest savings come from being organised, moving fewer belongings, choosing the right day, packing efficiently and making sure your removalists can get straight to work.
At Advanced Perth Removals & Storage, we help people move throughout Perth every day. Based on what makes a move quicker, easier and more cost-effective, here are eight practical ways to save money moving house without making moving day harder than it needs to be.
Quick Answer: How Can You Save Money When Moving House?
The best ways to save money when moving house are to declutter before packing, compare removalist quotes carefully, book early, move on a weekday where possible, pack your own everyday belongings, source free or reusable boxes and have everything ready before the removalists arrive.
If you are paying removalists by the hour, preparation is particularly important. The less unnecessary furniture you move and the easier you make it for your removalists to load and unload, the lower your overall moving cost is likely to be.
Table of Contents
- Declutter Before You Start Packing
- Choose the Right Perth Removalist, Not Just the Cheapest
- Book Early and Choose Your Moving Day Carefully
- Get Everything Ready Before Your Removalists Arrive
- Pack Strategically and Do What You Can Yourself
- Find Free or Cheap Moving Boxes
- Use Things You Already Own as Packing Materials
- Organise Utilities, Access and Storage in Advance
- How Much Do Removalists Cost in Perth?
- Get a Quote From Advanced Perth Removals & Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. Declutter Before You Start Packing
The first rule of moving on a budget is simple: do not pay to move things you no longer want.
It is surprising how much stuff can accumulate in a house. Garages, spare rooms, sheds, wardrobes and kitchen cupboards are usually the biggest offenders.
Before you put anything into a box, go through your home room by room and divide your belongings into four categories:
- Keep: Things you genuinely use or want in your new home
- Sell: Furniture, appliances and other items that still have value
- Donate: Good-quality belongings you no longer need
- Dispose or recycle: Anything broken, damaged or no longer useful
This can directly reduce your moving costs.
If your removalists are charging by the hour, fewer belongings mean less time spent loading and carrying things to the truck, potentially fewer trips, and less time unloading at your new property.
You may also be able to turn unwanted belongings into moving money.
Furniture, TVs, appliances, outdoor equipment, gym equipment, tools, and other household items can often be sold on Facebook Marketplace or other local marketplaces.
If you are moving from a larger home in Perth to a smaller property or apartment, be particularly ruthless. There is no point paying someone to move a three-metre outdoor table if you already know there is nowhere to put it.
Start decluttering early
Do not leave this until the night before your removalists arrive.
Ideally, start several weeks before moving day. That gives you enough time to sell valuable items, donate usable belongings and dispose of unwanted items properly.
Advanced Perth Removals & Storage can also assist with your belongings during your move, particularly if you are downsizing or need temporary storage.
The fewer unnecessary items that make it onto the truck, the more efficiently your move can run.
2. Choose the Right Perth Removalist, Not Just the Cheapest
When people search for cheap removalists in Perth, it is easy to focus entirely on the hourly rate.
That can be a mistake.
Imagine one removalist charges a slightly lower hourly rate but takes eight hours to complete your move. Another experienced team arrives with the right equipment, loads efficiently and completes the same move in six hours.
Which one was actually cheaper?
The quality and efficiency of the removalist can significantly impact the final bill.
Experienced Perth removalists should know how to safely manoeuvre furniture, load a truck efficiently, protect belongings and organise the job so unnecessary time is not wasted.
There is also the cost of damage to consider.
Saving $100 on the moving bill does not look particularly clever if your dining table, television, or fridge is damaged along the way, or if you are left with damage to your walls, flooring, or doorways.
What should you compare when getting removalist quotes?
Do not compare quotes based only on the advertised hourly rate.
Ask what is actually included:
- How many movers are included?
- What size truck will be supplied?
- Is there a minimum booking time?
- Are there travel or depot-to-depot charges?
- Are there fuel charges?
- Are stairs charged differently?
- Are weekend rates higher?
- Is GST included?
- Are moving blankets and trolleys supplied?
- Can they handle particularly heavy or fragile items?
- Are packing services available?
- Is storage available if you need it?
A good removalist will include all this information in their initial estimate and be absolutely transparent about all the charges you can expect, and include details about the truck size and number of staff required.
Knowing exactly what you are comparing makes it much easier to find affordable removalists in Perth without choosing purely on price.
If you are trying to work out what separates an experienced moving company from simply hiring someone with a truck, our guide to house removal experts is worth reading before you book.
You can also learn more about the benefits of hiring residential movers when deciding which parts of the move you want to tackle yourself.
3. Book Early and Choose Your Moving Day Carefully
One of the easiest ways to save money moving house is to be flexible
Moving dates are not all equal.
Fridays, weekends and the end of the month are naturally popular because they fit more easily around work, leases and settlement dates.
If you have some flexibility, ask your removalist whether a quieter weekday is available.
Moving on a Tuesday or Wednesday may give you more booking options than trying to secure a Saturday morning at short notice.
Public holidays can also attract different rates, so check before locking in your date.
Book your Perth removalists as early as you can
Last-minute bookings reduce your choices.
If you start calling removalists only a few days before you need to move, your preferred company or time may already be booked.
Once your settlement date or moving date is reasonably certain, start getting quotes.
Booking ahead also gives you more time to prepare properly, which is where many of the other savings in this guide come from.
Coordinate keys and access.
There is another easy way to waste money: paying your removalists to wait.
Make sure you understand when you will receive the keys to your new property and when your removalists will be able to access it.
If settlement is happening on moving day, discuss the timing with everyone involved.
There is little value in having a fully loaded truck arrive at your new home if nobody can get inside for another two hours.
A little coordination beforehand can prevent expensive downtime.
4. Get Everything Ready Before Your Removalists Arrive
If there is one tip that can make an immediate difference to the cost of house removals in Perth, it is this:
Be ready when the truck arrives.
If you are paying by the hour, you want your removalists moving furniture and boxes, not waiting for you to finish packing.
By moving morning, your boxes should ideally be packed, sealed and labelled.
Before the removalists arrive:
- Finish packing loose belongings
- Tape all boxes securely
- Label boxes by room
- Disconnect suitable appliances
- Empty furniture where appropriate
- Clear hallways and doorways
- Remove obstacles from paths
- Organise access to the property
- Make sure pets are safely secured
- Identify anything that is not being moved
- Keep important documents and valuables separate
Think about truck access
This is particularly important in Perth because access varies enormously between properties.
Moving from a suburban home with a wide driveway in areas such as Hillarys, Joondalup or Duncraig is very different from moving out of an apartment complex or an inner-city property with limited parking.
The further your removalists need to carry every item between the house and truck, the longer the job can take.
If possible, organise a suitable parking area close to the property.
For apartments, check whether you need to reserve:
- A loading bay
- Visitor parking
- A service lift
- A particular lift time
- Access through security gates
Tell your removalist about stairs, lifts, narrow entrances, steep driveways or difficult parking before moving day.
That allows the team to plan the move and bring appropriate equipment.
Label where everything needs to go
Do not simply write “stuff” on 30 identical boxes.
Clearly mark boxes with destinations such as:
- KITCHEN
- MAIN BEDROOM
- BATHROOM
- GARAGE
- STUDY
When your boxes arrive, the Advanced Perth Removals & Storage team can take them directly to the appropriate rooms.
That is faster than piling everything into the living room and moving it again later.
If you want to make the whole process easier, our guide to easy Perth removalist services has more advice on simplifying moving day.
5. Pack Strategically and Do What You Can Yourself
Professional packing can be extremely useful, particularly when you are short on time or have valuable belongings.
However, if your main goal is to save money moving house, packing everyday household items yourself can reduce the amount of professional help you require.
The trick is doing it properly.
Poor packing can create a false economy if boxes collapse or belongings are damaged.
Start with things you rarely use
You do not need to pack your entire home in one exhausting weekend.
Start several weeks before moving day with things such as:
- Books
- Decorations
- Spare linen
- Seasonal clothing
- Extra kitchenware
- Garage items
- Stored belongings
- Toys that are not being used regularly
As moving day gets closer, work towards the things you use every day.
Do not make boxes unnecessarily heavy.
A giant box filled with books might be technically packable, but nobody is going to enjoy lifting it.
Put heavy belongings into smaller boxes and use larger boxes for lighter items such as linen and clothing.
Fill empty spaces where necessary so belongings cannot move excessively inside boxes.
Fragile items should be individually protected and clearly marked.
Pack an essentials box.
There is nothing enjoyable about arriving at your new home at 7 pm and realising your phone charger, medication and toilet paper are buried somewhere inside 70 boxes.
Keep one essentials box with you.
Depending on your household, it could contain:
- Phone chargers
- Medication
- Toiletries
- Toilet paper
- Basic cleaning supplies
- Kettle and coffee
- Snacks
- Pet food
- Children’s essentials
- Important documents
- Basic tools
- A change of clothes
It will not necessarily reduce your removalist bill, but it can stop you buying things you already own simply because you cannot find them.
Know what you should not DIY.
Saving money does not mean you need to pack every item in the house personally.
Large televisions, mirrors, artwork, antiques and valuable or unusually fragile belongings may need additional protection.
Advanced Perth Removals & Storage offers professional packing assistance for items you would prefer to leave to an experienced team.
A good compromise when moving on a budget is to pack your everyday belongings yourself and use professional assistance where the risk of damage is higher.
6. Find Free or Cheap Moving Boxes
Buying a few boxes does not seem expensive.
Buying enough boxes for an entire three- or four-bedroom home in Perth is another story.
Once you add tape, labels, protective material and other packing supplies, the cost can quickly grow.
Fortunately, you do not necessarily need to buy everything new.
Where can you find free boxes in Perth?
Start looking several weeks before your moving day.
Try:
- Supermarkets
- Bottle shops
- Local retailers
- Friends and family
- Your workplace
- Facebook Marketplace
- Local community groups
- Buy Nothing groups
- People who have recently moved
People who have just finished moving are often happy to give away boxes because otherwise they need to flatten and dispose of them.
You can return the favour once your own move is complete.
Free boxes are not suitable for everything
Check every second-hand box before using it.
It should be:
- Clean
- Dry
- Strong
- Free from food residue
- Free from insects
- Structurally sound
If the bottom looks questionable before you fill it, imagine what will happen when it contains 15 kilograms of kitchenware.
Use stronger purpose-made moving boxes for heavy, fragile or valuable belongings where appropriate.
You can then use free boxes for lighter belongings such as clothing, toys, shoes and linen.
This combination keeps costs down without sacrificing sensible protection.
7. Use Things You Already Own as Packing Materials
Before buying rolls and rolls of packing material, look around your house.
You already own plenty of things that need moving, and you can carry or protect other belongings at the same time.
Suitcases are a perfect example.
An empty suitcase takes up the same amount of room in the truck as a full one, so use the space.
Fill suitcases with clothing, shoes, linen or other appropriate belongings.
Other useful containers include:
- Laundry baskets
- Duffle bags
- Backpacks
- Storage tubs
- Reusable shopping bags
- Plastic containers
- Original appliance boxes
Use linen to protect suitable belongings
Towels, sheets, blankets and other soft furnishings can provide additional protection for suitable items.
Tea towels can separate dishes.
Towels can add cushioning around kitchen items.
Blankets can help protect suitable larger belongings.
Pillowcases can hold lightweight or awkward items together.
You are reducing the amount of packing material you need to purchase while also packing things that had to be moved anyway.
It can also mean less plastic and packaging to dispose of afterwards.
Do not take unnecessary risks with valuable items
There is a limit to this strategy.
A $5,000 television should not be thrown between two bath towels because you wanted to save $10 on packing material.
Use proper protection for valuable, fragile or delicate belongings.
If you are uncertain about how to pack something, ask Advanced Perth Removals & Storage before moving day.
Sometimes spending a small amount on the right packing material can prevent a much larger replacement bill.
Advanced Perth Removals & Storage can supply all your packing materials, including boxes, butcher’s paper, tape, and anything else you might need.
8. Organise Utilities, Access and Storage in Advance
Moving expenses do not stop when the truck leaves your old driveway.
Last-minute decisions around utilities, storage and the new property can also cost money.
Try to have these organised well before moving day.
Sort your utilities early
Depending on your property, organise services such as:
- Electricity
- Gas
- Internet
- Water-related account changes where required
You do not want to arrive at your new property and discover that you have no electricity or internet, only to pay extra for urgent connections or temporary alternatives.
If you work from home, internet access can be particularly important.
Measure your new home before moving large furniture
This is a surprisingly effective money-saving tip.
Measure:
- Doorways
- Hallways
- Staircases
- Lift dimensions
- Fridge recesses
- Laundry spaces
- Bedrooms
- Living areas
- Garage access
Then measure your larger furniture.
There is no point paying removalists to transport a huge lounge across Perth if it will not fit through the entrance of your new property.
If something clearly will not work in the new house, sell or dispose of it before the move rather than paying to move it twice.
Organise storage before moving day
Sometimes the problem is not that you do not want an item. You simply do not have room for it yet.
Perhaps you are downsizing, renovating, waiting for settlement or temporarily moving into a smaller property.
In that situation, storage can be much more practical than getting rid of belongings you will need again.
Advanced Perth Removals & Storage offers secure storage services in Perth, allowing you to combine your move with temporary or long-term storage as needed.
Planning this before moving day means the removalists know which belongings are going to the new property and which are going into storage.
That is much easier than discovering halfway through unloading that there is nowhere to put half your furniture.
How Much Do Removalists Cost in Perth?
One of the most common questions when moving house in Perth is how much to budget for removalists.
There is no single price because every move is different.
However, current Perth pricing for a standard residential move with two professional movers and a truck typically falls within a broad range of However, current Perth pricing for a standard residential move with two professional movers and a truck typically falls within a broad range of $150 to $200 per hour50 to $200 per hour.
The total price of a three-bedroom house move can vary considerably depending on the amount being moved, access, distance and how long the job takes.
| Moving Cost | Indicative Perth Range |
| Two removalists and truck | Around $150 to $200 per hour |
| Typical 3-bedroom local move | Often around $1000 to $2,000 |
| Larger or difficult moves | Varies according to time, access and requirements |
These figures are a guide only. Your actual cost will depend on your particular move.
Factors that can affect the final price include:
- Number of belongings
- Size and quantity of furniture
- Distance between properties
- Number of movers
- Truck size
- Stairs
- Lift access
- Parking
- Walking distance to the truck
- Packing requirements
- Heavy or difficult items
- Storage requirements
- Day and time of the move and even the weather.
This is why comparing removalists purely by their hourly rate can be misleading.
How can you reduce the number of removalist hours?
Focus on the factors you can control.
For example, imagine you are paying $160 per hour.
If good preparation saves two hours, that is potentially $320 saved.
That could mean decluttering beforehand, dismantling appropriate furniture, packing everything before the team arrives, securing nearby parking and clearly labelling every box.
This is one of the reasons organisation can be more valuable than simply searching Google for the lowest advertised rate.
Is It Always Cheaper to Move House Yourself?
Not necessarily.
If you are moving the contents of a studio apartment five minutes down the road and have access to a suitable vehicle, DIY might make sense.
A three or four-bedroom home is very different.
Before deciding that moving yourself is cheaper, calculate the actual costs involved:
- Truck or trailer hire
- Fuel
- Trolleys and moving equipment
- Packing materials
- Insurance
- Time away from work
- Help from friends or family
- Multiple trips
- Potential damage
- Physical effort
Then consider how long it will take.
Professional residential movers spend their working days carrying, loading and transporting household belongings. They generally have equipment and processes specifically designed to make the job efficient.
The cheapest option on paper is not always the most economical once all costs are included.
The Cheapest House Move Is Usually the Most Organised One
There is a common theme running through almost every tip in this guide: preparation saves money.
Imagine two families using the same Perth removalist at the same hourly rate.
At the first house, everything is packed and labelled. Unwanted belongings have already been removed. The driveway is clear, the truck can park near the door, and the removalists know exactly what is going.
At the second house, people are still filling boxes when the truck arrives. There are loose belongings everywhere, nobody knows what is staying, cars are blocking the driveway, and half the furniture needs to be emptied before it can be moved.
Which move do you think will cost less?
You do not need to cut corners to make moving house more affordable.
You need to make every dollar you spend on the move count.
Get a Quote From Advanced Perth Removals & Storage
If you are planning a move in Perth, Advanced Perth Removals & Storage can help you make it easier from the beginning.
We provide professional residential and office moving services throughout Perth and can assist with everything from the physical move to packing and storage when required.
Whether you are moving a small household or relocating an entire family, our team can help you plan the move efficiently and understand what is involved before moving day.
The goal is simple: move your belongings safely, efficiently and with as little stress as possible.
If you are comparing affordable removalists in Perth, talk to us about:
- Where you are moving from
- Where you are moving to
- Your preferred moving date
- The size of your home
- Any access issues
- Large or unusual items
- Packing assistance
- Storage requirements
The more information we have, the easier it is to plan your move properly. We can even send one of our senior consultants to your current property to assess your moving requirements. This service is absolutely cost- and obligation-free and simply helps ensure we recommend the most appropriate resources for your move and helps eliminate surprises on the day of your move.
Ready to start planning? Contact Advanced Perth Removals & Storage today for a free moving quote.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saving Money When Moving House
1. What is the cheapest way to move house in Perth?
The cheapest approach depends on how much you need to move, but preparation is usually the biggest opportunity to save.
Declutter before packing, source free boxes, pack everyday belongings yourself, compare removalist quotes and have everything ready before your removalists arrive.
If your dates are flexible, ask about quieter weekday bookings as well.
For a larger home, do not automatically assume DIY will be cheaper. Once truck hire, fuel, equipment, your time and the possibility of multiple trips are included, professional removalists can represent better value.
2. How much do removalists cost per hour in Perth?
As a general 2026 guide, two removalists and a truck in Perth typically cost between $150 and $190 per hour, though rates vary by company and move.
Do not use the hourly rate alone when comparing quotes.
Ask about minimum booking periods, travel charges, GST, truck size, number of movers and any additional costs that could apply.
An efficient team charging a slightly higher hourly rate may still complete the move for less overall.
3. Is it cheaper to move house during the week?
It can be.
Weekends, Fridays and end-of-month periods are popular moving times, which can affect availability and, depending on the removalist, pricing.
If you have flexibility with settlement or your lease, ask whether moving on a quieter weekday would offer any advantage.
Even when the hourly rate is the same, greater availability can make it easier to secure the time and removalist you actually want.
4. Should I pack my own boxes to save money?
For many households, yes.
Packing everyday belongings yourself can reduce the amount of professional packing assistance you require.
Start early and pack carefully rather than trying to complete the entire house the night before moving day.
However, valuable, fragile, or unusually difficult belongings may be better packed professionally. Replacing a damaged television, mirror, or piece of artwork can cost far more than properly protecting it in the first place.
5. How can I make my removalist move cheaper?
Make it as easy as possible for your removalists to work efficiently.
Before they arrive:
- Finish packing
- Seal and label boxes
- Declutter unwanted belongings
- Clear access routes
- Organise parking
- Disconnect suitable appliances
- Arrange apartment lift access if required
- Tell the removalists about stairs and difficult items
- Make sure your new property will be accessible
If you are paying by the hour, every unnecessary delay can add to your final bill.
A well-prepared move is generally faster, and a faster move can be more affordable.
Planning to move? Get in touch with Advanced Perth Removals & Storage and let our Perth removalist team help make your next move simpler, safer and more cost-effective.
