FAQ & Moving Tips

Every move is a little different, so it really depends on how much you’re moving, how far it’s going, and how easy we can get in and out at each end. Generally speaking though, allow 2–3 hours for a one bedroom, 2.5 to 4 hours for a 2 bedroom place, and anywhere from 3.5 to 6 for larger homes. Regardless of what you’re moving, our pricing is completely clear and upfront, with no sneaky surcharges for stairs, fuel or heavy lifting, and getting a personalised price for your next move takes less than five minutes. Tell us a bit about your move and we’ll give you a straight answer. For real average prices by home size, see our Melbourne removalist cost guide, or get a price.

Both! It’s totally your call on which you’d prefer. With the hourly rate you only pay for the time you actually use on the day. This works great if you’re really organised or have a bunch of mates who want to help out to speed things up. With a fixed price it’s all about peace of mind on what can be a stressful day. You know the all-inclusive number before we lift a finger, and that doesn’t change if there’s a traffic jam, out-of-service lift or any other unforeseen delay.

The only minimum charge we have is a simple, fixed call-out and return to and from your address. Everything else on the day is calculated in bite-sized 15-minute chunks, as opposed to half or full hours like other Melbourne removalists.

This is our strong suit. If your move turns out to be larger or more complex than originally planned (like, say, if there are heaps of extra items) we can always bring in extra movers or an additional truck to make sure we get you moved in one piece. This may mean additional costs for these on the day, but don’t worry, we’ll always chat you through your options so you stay in control.

Nope! With any booking confirmation we just send you a link to enter your credit or debit card to secure the booking. Nothing is charged at the time of booking, and should you cancel more than 48 hours before your move there’s no cancellation fee either!

Easy. Hit Get a price, give us the basics about your move, and we’ll sort you a quote and a date. Prefer a human? Call 03 9380 6444 and we’ll talk it through.

We accept all major credit and debit cards as payment. All payments are processed securely at the end of the move.

Of course! There are no fees for cancelling more than 48 hours before your booking. We do ask that you give us as much notice as possible, so our teams can help out with other moves on that day.

Sooner is better, especially for Fridays, Saturdays and the end of the month, as they book up pretty quickly. A week or two ahead is comfy, but we can often help at short notice too, so it’s always worth asking.

If you’re looking to save even more, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are our cheapest days to move.

We currently serve all of Victoria, basically anywhere we can get to and from in a single work day.

Each Little Red Truck is 4.3m long, 2.1m wide and 2.1m high. That’s about 18.5 cubic metres of space, which holds a lot more than people expect, comfortably a two bedroom home’s worth in a single load. Moving more? We have a whole armada of Little Red Trucks and will happily fit the right resources to make your move as smooth as possible.

We sure do. Every Little Red Truck comes with all the heavy-duty moving blankets, straps, trolleys, dollies and tools to make sure we move everything safe and sound.

Nope, just Little Red Trucks :) And there’s a very good reason why. Over our 16+ years of moving locals in Melbourne we’ve found one type of Little Red Truck is the fastest way to move anything from a single item to a whole house. Tight alleyways, tiny loading docks and low awnings. We’ve seen them all enough to know that big trucks often make moving a lot trickier on the day. Got more stuff than fits in a truck? Never fear, we can send two. Or three. Or twelve! We know this moving game back to front, so you can always count on us to send the right trucks and teams to make your move as smooth and efficient as possible.

No two moves are the same. It really comes down to how much you’re shifting, the access at both ends, and traffic. As a rough guide, we’ll move one Little Red Truck’s worth over 5 to 10km in about 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Whatever it takes, our Little Red Truckers are all in-house trained to the highest standard, so you can be sure you’ll be getting the quickest, safest movers in town!

We sure do. Beds, tables, shelving and the like are often best moved fully disassembled, and our team can handle that on the day. Doing the simple stuff yourself before we arrive saves you time and money, but if you’d rather leave it to us, that’s exactly what we’re here for. Just let us know prior to move day so we can bring the right tools for your items.

Never fear, we’ve got this moving thing down to a science and will figure out the most economical option for you. But here’s a rough guide for now:

• Studio to 2-bedroom apartments → two movers and one Little Red Truck.
• Two to three bedroom houses → two to four movers and one to two Little Red Trucks.

Not sure? Tell us what you’ve got and we’ll match you to the right team and gear. There’s no point paying for a semi-trailer to move a beanbag.

Of course! If there’s room up front and you’re happy to sing along to our Little Red Trucker playlist of the world’s greatest trucking songs, jump on in!

A few specialist items are out of our lane, like pianos, pool tables and commercial equipment. But to make things easy we’ve partnered with the best specialists in Melbourne, which gives you priority access to their services. Just let us know at the time of booking and we’ll organise the rest.

Melbourne being Melbourne, we move rain, hail or shine. Our teams will work with you to keep things dry and safe between the door and the truck. A heads-up: slippery steps may mean we take a touch more care.

We do! Check out Little Red Tubs, our reusable moving tubs that beat wrestling with cardboard. If you’re looking for cardboard boxes and cushioning, you can also check out Bunnings or your local self-storage provider.

We don’t, but we can certainly give you some recommendations for a couple of heroes in this area.

Carefully. Every Little Red Truck comes stacked with all the professional moving equipment we need for your move as standard. We use heavy-duty moving blankets for all items and strap everything in nice and cozy, so everything gets there in one piece. We basically treat your stuff like it’s our own. And in the rare event something does go wrong, we also offer our Damaged Goods Guarantee as standard on all moves (check out the insurance questions below).

Moving with plants requires a bit of extra care to ensure they arrive healthy and ready to thrive in your new home. Start by watering your plants 2–3 days before the move, which keeps them hydrated without making them too heavy or causing leaks during transport. Trim any dead leaves and overgrown branches to reduce size and stress on the plant, and inspect for pests beforehand.

Big plants. If your plants are in heavy or fragile pots, consider transferring them to lightweight plastic pots a couple of weeks before moving to reduce the risk of breakage and make handling easier.

Small plants. When it’s time to pack, place smaller plants in sturdy boxes lined with plastic or towels to catch any soil spills, and use packing paper or bubble wrap to fill gaps and keep them secure.

By following these tips, you can help ensure your green friends make a safe and healthy transition to your new home.

A smooth move starts with easy access, so reserving a park is really helpful if you can. If parking is limited at your place, park your car in the best spot the night before to reserve space for the truck. Simply move it when the team arrives. If you’re in an apartment or shared complex, let your neighbours or building management know in advance, as some places require notice or formal approval. A clear spot close to your entrance makes loading faster and easier.

Well-packed boxes keep your belongings safe and make moving day run a whole lot smoother. Start with strong boxes (or Little Red Tubs), using small ones for heavy items and large ones for light. Pack heavy to light, with the heavier stuff at the base and lighter items on top, then fill any gaps with towels or paper so nothing shifts around in transit. Wrap fragile items in bubble wrap or newspaper, keep the lid flat rather than overfilling, and tape each box shut securely top and bottom. Finally, label clearly with the room name and contents on the side, and mark ‘Fragile’ or ‘This Way Up’ where needed. Always keep your boxes liftable, especially when you’re packing heavy things like books or tools, and steer clear of closing your boxes up with masking tape or string, which can give way mid-move.

It’s best to empty all drawers before moving day. While it might seem convenient to leave items inside, full drawers add significant weight to furniture and make it harder (and riskier) to move. If we need to remove the drawers to carry or load the item, anything left inside can shift or spill. To keep your belongings safe and your move efficient, pack drawer contents separately into boxes or bags.

We can give you a hand with this one. Our team is happy to help disconnect your washing machine before the move and reconnect it at the other end. Just let us know at the time of booking so we can come prepared.

One thing to keep in mind: our Little Red Truckers aren’t licensed tradespeople, so anything that needs a qualified plumber, electrician or professional handyman is out of our lane. And while we can help you do this, we can’t take on liability for any damage or issues that crop up while helping with these jobs.

Before moving day, make sure to completely empty your fridge and freezer, including all food, ice and trays. Turn the unit off at least 24 hours in advance to allow the refrigerant oils to settle, which helps protect the appliance during transport. At your new place, don’t switch it back on immediately. Wait at least 12 hours (or follow your manual’s recommendation) before plugging it in to ensure it runs properly.

Use an esky or cooler to keep essential cold items fresh in the meantime. Planning ahead helps avoid leaks, damage and food waste.

Not at all. We’ll need someone to let us in at each property and do a quick walkthrough before we get started, but once we’re underway you’re welcome to duck out while we load and unload. We’re more than happy to lock up for you too. We do encourage you to be around at the end though, so you can have a look over everything, double-check nothing’s been missed, and give us the all-clear before we leave you to settle into your new home.

Yes, and we take it seriously. Most removalists aren’t required to carry insurance and plenty don’t bother. We carry full transit insurance and public liability insurance, plus the Little Red Trucks Damaged Goods Guarantee policy as standard on all moves, which covers you in the event of most accidents beyond general cover. Full details are in our Terms & Conditions or on request.

Absolutely. Moving in or out of an apartment? A lot of buildings want proof of public liability before you book the lift. We include this as standard on every move. Easy!

Yes! Little Red Trucks was founded in 2008 by Joel and Simon, both working Melbourne musicians who needed jobs outside of standard bar-shift hours to support their dreams of being famous rock and roll stars. Daytime moves and night-time gigs were the perfect combination. Suffice it to say that neither of them became particularly famous, but we’ve stuck to the model of giving young creatives a place to work while following their dreams ever since. It also helps that musicians are naturally adept at packing fragile instruments and heavy road cases into tight spaces! Know any young musicians looking for work? Get them to enquire!

Quite possibly! Have a look at Little Red Jobs and see what’s going.