If you’re wondering about the best time of year to move house in Australia, here’s the honest truth from our side of the truck: winter wins on price nearly every time. After years on the trucks around Wollongong and the Illawarra, we’ve watched removalist diaries fill up and empty out with the seasons, and the pattern barely changes. Move when everyone else is moving and you’ll pay a premium. Move when the calendar is quiet and you’ll save real money, get your pick of dates, and deal with a crew that isn’t run off its feet. Let’s break down exactly when to book.
The best time of year to move house: why winter wins
Australia’s moving season runs hot in every sense. Demand peaks over summer and the Christmas–New Year window, when leases turn over, families move before the school year, and everyone wants to be settled by the holidays. All that competition pushes removalist rates up and books out the good crews weeks ahead.
Winter is the opposite. Fewer people want to lug furniture in the cold, so removalists across the country drop their rates to stay busy. In our experience, a winter move can land 15–25% cheaper than the exact same job in January. You’ll also find it far easier to book the date you actually want. If saving money is your priority, the cold months are your friend — and we’ve written a whole guide on moving house in winter to help you do it without the wet-weather headaches.
Cheapest months to move: May, June and July
Drill into the calendar and the three cheapest months to move are consistently May, June and July. Demand bottoms out, so rates follow. May is often the sweet spot — cold enough to keep the crowds away, but usually drier than the depths of winter.
The flip side: January is the most expensive time to move, followed by December. Between the summer holidays, end-of-lease turnovers and the pre-school-year rush, everyone wants a truck at once. If you have any flexibility at all, shifting your move from January to May or June is the single biggest lever you can pull on cost. For a full breakdown of what a move actually costs locally, see our Wollongong removalist cost guide.
Best day of the week to move house
Timing isn’t just about the month. The day of the week matters just as much for your wallet.
Weekends are the most popular — and therefore the most expensive and hardest to book. Saturday is the busiest moving day in Australia, hands down. If you can take a day off work, a weekday move (Monday to Thursday) is cheaper, and Tuesday and Wednesday are usually the quietest and best-value days of all. You’ll often get a sharper price, a more relaxed crew, and lighter traffic on moving day. That last point matters more than people think — less time stuck in traffic on an hourly job means a smaller final bill.
Best time of the month to move
Here’s a trick most people miss. The start and end of the month are peak times because that’s when most leases begin and end. Rental handovers cluster around the 1st and the last few days of the month, so removalists are slammed and prices climb.
Aim for the middle of the month — roughly the 10th to the 20th — and you’ll usually find better rates and more available dates. If you’re a renter with some say over your handover date, this one small choice can save you a chunk without changing anything else about your move.
When timing isn’t everything
Cheapest isn’t always the right call, and we’d never pretend otherwise. A few things can matter more than shaving off a few dollars:
- School terms: Families often prefer to move during holidays so kids aren’t switching schools mid-term. That convenience can be worth paying peak-season rates for.
- Weather: Winter savings come with a risk of rain. Check the Bureau of Meteorology forecast before you lock in a date, and have a wet-weather plan — good removalists move in the rain all the time, but you’ll want your boxes properly sealed.
- Your own deadlines: Settlement dates, lease end dates and work start dates don’t always leave room to chase the cheapest week. Work with what you’ve got.
The Australian Government’s MoneySmart guide to managing moving costs is a solid, unbiased read if you want to budget the whole move properly, not just the truck.
Moving in Wollongong: our honest local take
Locally, the pattern holds. Wollongong and the wider Illawarra get busy in summer as families relocate before school and university students move in and out around the start of the academic year. If you’re a student or renter, avoid trying to book around late January and February if you possibly can — that’s our craziest stretch.
Our advice, the same we’d give our own family: if you can move on a Tuesday or Wednesday in May or June, mid-month, you’ve hit the jackpot on price and availability. Whatever your dates, book early. The best crews go first, and a good removalist booked two or three weeks out will always beat a scramble the week before. Once you’ve locked your date, run through our things to do before you move checklist so nothing slips through the cracks, and if the budget is tight, our tips on moving house on a budget will stretch it further.
Book the right date with a local crew you can trust
Whether you’re chasing the cheapest week of winter or you’re locked into a peak-season settlement, our experienced Wollongong crew will give you a straight quote and turn up ready to work. Call us on 1300 015 050 for a no-nonsense chat about your move, or check what our house removalists can do for you. Fill in the form below and we’ll get straight back to you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest month to move house in Australia?
May, June and July are the cheapest months to move, with May often the best value of all. Winter demand is low, so removalists drop their rates — typically 15–25% below what you’d pay in January, the most expensive month.
Is it cheaper to move on a weekday or weekend?
Weekdays are cheaper. Saturday is the busiest and priciest moving day, while Tuesday and Wednesday are usually the quietest and best value. If you can take a day off work, a mid-week move will almost always cost less.
What is the best time of the month to move?
The middle of the month, roughly the 10th to the 20th, is best. Leases mostly start and end around the 1st and the last days of the month, so removalists are busiest — and dearest — then. Move mid-month for better rates and more available dates.
Should I move in winter even though it might rain?
For most people, yes — the savings are worth it. Check the Bureau of Meteorology forecast, seal your boxes well, and keep a wet-weather plan. Experienced removalists move safely in the rain all the time, so a bit of weather shouldn’t scare you off the cheapest season.
