What the movers wouldn't take in Coolangatta

A friend in Coolangatta gave me Clear Out's number, and I sat on it for a fortnight before ringing. We were moving to Brisbane for my partner's job, and the removalists quoted by the cubic metre. Suddenly half of what we owned didn't seem worth paying to move.

Old bikes, a busted pram, a washing machine we were replacing, a pile of moving boxes from the last move and an outdoor setting held together with cable ties.

Coolangatta is the southern border beach precinct of holiday units and hospitality venues, and getting things out isn't always simple. Dock access and early morning loading work best.

When I rang, the person who answered asked a few simple questions about what it was, where it was and how to get to it, and said they could come and look that afternoon.

The crew pulled up, had a look, and told me the price straight away. No surprises, no 'we'll see how it goes'. I said yes and they got started within five minutes.

Timing was tight because the removalists were due at noon. The crew loaded in the order that cleared the driveway first, so the big truck could still back in when it came.

What I appreciated most was that nothing was rushed and nothing was a hassle. They explained where everything was going: charity, recycling or the tip. I felt good about it.

It's a small thing, but having someone else carry it all out made a much bigger difference than I expected.