Brisbane to Melbourne moving inventory: prepare your removalist quote

Build your Brisbane to Melbourne inventory one room at a time

Use one row for each item or clearly defined group

Walk through the home with the list open. Record the furniture that is leaving, not everything you own. Give items a simple reference such as L01 for the lounge sofa or B02 for the second bedroom mattress. A set of six matching dining chairs can be one line with a quantity of six; a dining suite should show its table, chairs and separate sideboard.

Mark each line moving, staying or undecided. Do not silently omit the undecided items. If a wardrobe is advertised for sale but has no buyer, ask how the quote would change if it travelled. Record a decision date and update the list when the outcome is known.

This is a whole-household inventory method. If you are only sending selected large pieces, our Brisbane to Melbourne furniture-only moving guide deals specifically with that smaller scope.

Describe furniture so the quote matches the load

Combine quantities, dimensions and preparation responsibilities

For large or unusual furniture, give the maximum outside length, width and height in centimetres, plus a clear photograph. Identify a modular lounge by its separate sections. State whether a bed base is one piece, two pieces or a frame that needs dismantling. “Queen bed” alone does not explain the construction or the work required.

Measure the item in the condition in which it will travel, where you know that condition. If you cannot safely dismantle it or do not know whether the legs detach, say so. Ask who will disassemble, protect and reassemble it, and whether those tasks are included. Photographs help clarify the description but do not prove that furniture will fit through a doorway.

A rectangular measurement can be converted to cubic metres by multiplying metres of length, width and height. The example above is 2.20 × 0.95 × 0.85 = 1.7765 m³ as a bounding box. That is not a confirmed truck-space allocation or price. Protection, shape, safe stacking and the rest of the load affect the transport assessment. Let the removalist confirm the load estimate rather than treating a home calculation as the booking.

Record visible existing marks for your own condition record. For valuable or delicate pieces, ask what assessment and protection are needed before collection. IRCO can discuss the move with you without relying on an assumed standard size for every sofa or dining table.

Keep packed cartons separate from estimated cartons

Update the count without losing the original quote basis

Early in packing, “about 30 boxes” may be the best information you have. Label it as an estimate. Note the box types or dimensions if they are unusual, because 30 small book cartons and 30 large light linen cartons are different loads. Keep heavy contents in appropriately sized cartons and follow the supplier's weight guidance.

Use three columns: packed now, still expected and total forecast. For example, 18 sealed cartons plus an estimated 12 remaining gives a forecast of 30. When packing reveals another five cartons, revise the forecast to 35 and tell the quoting contact. Do not wait until the crew arrives to explain the extra boxes.

Number each finished carton and note its destination room. Keep fragile or unusually shaped packages identifiable. A mirror carton, television package or framed artwork should not disappear into an unexplained “miscellaneous” total. Our guide to moving televisions and mirrors without their original boxes covers the protection discussion in more detail.

Keep one current inventory rather than several conflicting messages. Add a version date and a short change note, such as “added five kitchen cartons; removed outdoor bench”. Ask for confirmation of any price, space or service change. Your inventory is a planning record; the agreed written quote and terms establish the booking.

Include the garage, shed and outdoor furniture

Separate belongings to assess from belongings accepted for transport

Walk outside before calling the list complete. Include bicycles, camping equipment, folding chairs, garden furniture, storage shelves and toolboxes. Check whether shelves are moving assembled and whether the contents are separately boxed. Photograph awkward items rather than describing the whole garage as “a few extras”.

Do not assume every item can travel with household furniture. Identify fuel-powered equipment, gas cylinders, chemicals, batteries, plants and soil-related items for a separate acceptance discussion. Ask the carrier what is permitted and how accepted items must be prepared. Relevant biosecurity rules also need checking before moving plants or other regulated material between states.

Give away, sell or otherwise deal with excluded items through an appropriate channel before collection. Keep them physically separate from the moving load. Do not conceal an item in a sealed carton to avoid the discussion. For outdoor furniture that is travelling, tell the mover about glass tops, detachable cushions and bulky shapes so the preparation is included.

If you are reducing the load, compare the full cost and practicality of moving an item with replacing it. Removing one chair will not necessarily reduce a quote where a minimum charge applies. Ask IRCO to assess the revised inventory rather than assuming each item has a fixed individual discount.

Add Brisbane pickup and Melbourne delivery details

Pair the inventory with the route from truck to room

The same inventory can involve different labour at two different homes. Provide both full addresses, the level of the property, stairs, lift requirements, parking restrictions and the approximate carrying route. Say whether the Melbourne address is confirmed or still provisional. An unknown destination needs a clearly recorded assumption and a later review.

For example, a Brisbane house in Chermside, Carindale, Indooroopilly or Eight Mile Plains may have a short driveway but internal stairs. A Melbourne delivery to Richmond, Carlton, Brunswick, Southbank, Docklands, Footscray, Preston, Coburg, Glen Waverley or Point Cook may have very different access. The suburb name helps identify the location; it does not replace property-specific measurements and instructions.

For a Melbourne apartment, ask the building manager about move bookings and loading access. For narrow streets or older homes, our Melbourne terrace-house access guide explains the information worth checking. Make sure the person receiving the furniture has the latest inventory and knows which room each item belongs in.

List the earliest collection date, any fixed vacancy date and the earliest date the Melbourne property can receive goods. Distinguish a preferred delivery day from an agreed booking commitment. Read the wider Brisbane to Melbourne moving guide for transport choices and handover planning; this page focuses on preparing the load information that supports those decisions.

Send IRCO a complete moving brief for a useful quote

Confirm the inventory, inclusions and outstanding decisions

Bring Interstate Removalists Co your room-by-room list, photographs of larger items and the details of both properties. You do not need to invent a precise truck volume. Clear descriptions and honest unknowns are more useful than a confident estimate that misses half the garage.

• One dated inventory showing quantities and which items are moving.
• Measurements and photos for large, delicate or unusual pieces.
• Current and forecast carton counts, with special packages listed separately.
• Requested packing, dismantling and reassembly tasks.
• Collection and delivery access, contacts and timing constraints.
• A separate list of restricted items awaiting acceptance.
• Written clarification of inclusions, possible additional charges and changes.

Queensland's independent guidance on using a removalist is a useful reference when reviewing your inventory, costs and contract. Read the actual quote for your move and ask about anything that is not clear.

IRCO does not provide insurance. The removalists it uses generally have transit insurance, but you should confirm the actual cover, exclusions and excess with the carrier. IRCO recommends CARTS Removals Insurance for people seeking more comprehensive cover; check the policy against your own move, packing and storage arrangements.

When the list is ready, request your Brisbane to Melbourne removalist quote from Interstate Removalists Co. If the inventory changes afterwards, use the existing enquiry reference when sending the revision so the right job can be updated.

Brisbane to Melbourne inventory questions