ARTICLE

Safe Travels: How To Pack Up Your TV And Major Appliances When Moving House

March 2, 2023 – 4 min read

Is moving day creeping ever closer? Exciting! Except for those daunting to-do lists, right? And topping that moving house checklist of challenges? Getting your fridge, TV and washing machine into your new place safe and sound!

“Moving house is stressful and expensive enough, so the last thing you need is to have to burn through your budget with costly repairs to your appliances because you didn’t prepare them properly for removal,” says Peter Simic, The Good Guys Buyer – Refrigeration and Laundry.

Well, not on our watch!

Whether you’re taking on all the grunt work of moving house yourself or bringing in the removalists to help with the heavy haul, we’re here with expert moving tips on how to get your most hard-working major appliances ready to travel to your new home!

How To Move Your Fridge Safely

“Shifting a fridge is no picnic – and never more so than if you’ve got a French door model – and you’ll need to prep and plan carefully to get it smoothly from A to B and correctly installed in your new kitchen,” says Peter Simic.

Here’s Peter’s essential guide to moving your fridge, without losing your cool:

Remove all food and turn off the appliance at least 24 hours before moving day to let refrigerants settle.
Disconnect fridge hoses and purge water lines (if plumbed).
Defrost the freezer and clear any excess ice.
Remove interior shelves and pack these separately.
Secure doors and wrap the fridge with blankets to protect it (and your walls!).
Measure exit and entry points to prevent moving-day hitches.
As a general rule, wait around four hours before turning your fridge back on, especially if it hasn’t been transported upright, but always consult the manufacturer’s manual.

“Moving house is stressful enough, so the last thing you need is to have to burn through your budget with costly repairs to appliances because you didn’t prepare them properly for removal.”

Moving To A Bigger Or Smaller Space?

Done the maths and realised your old fridge just won’t fit your new kitchen? The Good Guys are here to help you get the best deal on a new one with all the latest bells and whistles (think customisable cooling compartments, on-trend black finishes or craft ice on demand!). You can earn StoreCash on any eligible product to put towards that seriously cool, new purchase or look out for a model that qualifies for a RealCa$h cashback bonus, straight to your bank account.

Shop Future-Fit Fridges

CHiQ 396L Bottom Mount Refrigerator

Westinghouse 609L French Door Refrigerator

LG 635L InstaView SxS Refrigerator >

How To Transport Your Washing Machine Safely

Washing machines might be big and bulky, but they also house lots of delicate internal parts that need to be handled with care when on the move. To avoid damage to your appliance, follow these important steps:

1. Deep clean the exterior and interior (some models, such as the Hisense 7.5kg Front Load Washer, have a handy self-clean cycle).

2. Disconnect the power cable and secure it to the machine with tape.

3. Turn off the water supply and detach the hose from it, leaving the hose to drain out in a bucket or sink.

4. Remove the drain hose from the machine and let all the water drain out before removing it from the drain end.

5. Store the water supply hose and drain hoses safely inside the drum.

6. Protect the drum’s suspension with the transit bolts supplied by the manufacturer at purchase (for top loaders, insert padding such as foam or cardboard).

7. Tape the door closed and wrap the appliance in blankets.

8. Keep the machine upright during the move! At the other end, remove any transit bolts and run a test cycle.

Jury still out on whether or not to take your old washing machine with you? Here are some signs it might be time for an upgrade.

How To Transport Your TV Safely

Ending up with a busted TV after a house move is no-one’s idea of fun.

Here, John Milonas, The Good Guys Buyer – Televisions and Accessories, outlines the three golden rules to ensure your pride and joy survives the transfer:

#1 Keep TV Upright

Whether in its original box or well-padded in another, make sure your set can stay vertical during transportation. Laying your TV flat could damage it.

#2 Don’t Pinch The Screen

Today’s thrilling new TV tech means incredibly thin panels which need protection from accidental pinches or pressure when unpacking and installing at your new address. Always enlist extra hands to help with the job.

#3 Follow Wall-Mounting Instructions

Always read the manufacturer’s instructions to safely detach and then remount your television.

Outgrown Your Old TV?

Moving out, moving up? There’s no better time to retire your existing set to a bedroom or rumpus room (or rellie in need) and treat yourself to a TV upgrade! “The latest OLED, QLED or Mini LED TVs deliver unbelievable image brightness and contrast, along with in-built sound stages, for the ultimate in ‘true-to-life’ home viewing,” says John Milonas.

Shop Latest TVs

TCL 65" Mini LED Google TV

Sony 83" A90J 4K BRAVIA XR Master Series OLED TV

Samsung 65" LS03B 4K The Frame QLED Smart TV >

Whether you choose to shop online or in-store, The Good Guys are here to help your household heroes live longer! Add our Concierge Gold Services Extra to any qualifying fridge, TV, washing machine or other major appliance to access any replacements, exchanges or repairs you may need down the line.