What people are saying about handledwithcare
"Thank you so much, Tanya, for the pre-planning, organising, suggestions, great tips, excellent information and hard work that you have done. It really made such a difference to what has been a rollercoaster ride for us. Your team were all fabulous, exceptionally helpful and very professional. You and your company are a blessing."
Estelle – Bespoke Relocation, Camberwell
October 2020
"We have been very impressed with the professionalism of the handledwithcare team, and the smooth way everything was handled. We will not hesitate to use you again and will recommend you to our friends."
Ron – Senior Relocation, Cheltenham
July 2019
"Thank you so much for all your hard and productive work, for your honesty and for being so conscientious in finding all the hidden treasures. It has been tougher than we expected, packing up a house with all its memories and reflection of the lives spent among its walls. Your kindness, thoughtfulness and sensitivity has been very much appreciated.
Once again we can't thank you enough. We would have never been able to empty the house without your help, and are so glad that the donated items will help various charities and people in need. We've already recommended handledwithcare to our friends."
Anonymous – Cleared estate, St Kilda East
March 2019
"Not only were both Sara and Tanya extremely thoughtful, sensitive and caring when it came to taking the stress out of such an emotionally and physically challenging move, but so too were their team. They all showed impeccable detail to every aspect of our move, leaving nothing for us to do or worry about.
There wasn’t anything too much for the handledwithcare team to manage for us, and indeed our move was handled with much care. I would like to thank Sara, Tanya and their entire team for enabling my wife and I to settle so quickly into our new home. We honestly could not have done this without you!"
Dave – Retirement Relocation, Brighton
June 2018
"The legends from handledwithcare helped me sort, clear and pack up Mum’s place in just seven days! The compassion and care they showed throughout was amazing and I couldn’t have done it without them."
Carmelita – Cleared estate, Mt Waverley
October 2017
"Thank you handledwithcare for all your help and guidance during this difficult process. It definitely made things easier for our family and made an overwhelming task seem much more manageable.
We were pleased too that we were able to assist so many people in need. I know our mum, who started her life in Australia as an immigrant with very little in the way of material things, would also be happy to know that she had contributed in this way."
Fiona – Property clear, Caulfield
August 2017
"Many, many thanks handledwithcare, for the prompt and professional handling of the clearance of Mum’s unit. The task had seemed quite daunting and overwhelming. I am most grateful for having “found” you!"
Megan – Cleared estate, Brighton East
June 2017
"Many thanks for the professional way in which you handled our move - it was very much appreciated. Without your help, we would have been in a right mess. Once again many thanks."
Frank – Senior relocation, Donvale
March 2017
“A big thank you to handledwithcare and to Sara and Michelle who worked their magic in decluttering and preparing my house for sale. Their professionalism and compassion at this very emotional and exhausting time was just what I needed to get me on track and focused. Their enthusiasm and energy for the task at hand was contagious and they both worked tirelessly without a break.
I would have no hesitation in recommending handledwithcare, and I wish their team all the very best for the future. I am sure they will go from strength to strength.”
Jan – Home decluttering and styling, Mt Waverley
September 2016
“I would like to strongly recommend the services of handledwithcare who helped me with the clearing and cleaning of my brother’s home on his sudden death. This business is so accurately named because the whole project was ‘handled with care’. Sara, Tanya and their team showed great empathy and efficiency at a very difficult time for the whole family. Despite this being a difficult job, I received regular updates and the whole process gave our family ‘peace of mind’ to deal with a myriad of other issues on our plate.
In my role as a financial adviser specialising in aged care, I have recommended handledwithcare to many clients. In every case, the feedback has been one extolling the great care, efficiency and professionalism shown by Sara and Tanya and their team. Please consider handledwithcare for a move to retirement living or aged care, when clearing deceased estates or even just for your own move. I only wish I knew of this service when my Mum and Dad’s home needed to be cleared and cleaned a few years ago.
I have no hesitation in referring you to the team at handledwithcare, who I have every confidence will provide you with an excellent result.”
John Carson, Financial Advisor – Carson Financial Advisory
May 2016
“I chose to employ handledwithcare because a reliable professional person recommended the company to me. I had considered other options but was unsure of the quality of service available and I was reassured by the recommendation and company’s name. Tanya from handledwithcare visited my home, which badly needed decluttering, discussed my needs with me and explained their method of operation.
I feel that my needs were very well understood, and I received the highest level of service. Tanya even spent time searching online and shopping for items on my behalf, which I found very helpful. This extra care was certainly a unique approach, and I appreciated that very much. I would certainly recommend handledwithcare to anyone intending to declutter, move house or downsize.”
Jean - Home decluttering and styling, Hawthorn
January 2016
"I would like to sincerely thank Sara and the handledwithcare team for helping me with my home relocation. Sara assisted me during the most difficult time in my life – having to move houses while dealing with the recent and unexpected loss of my husband.
I am so grateful for handledwithcare’s unique, understanding and caring approach when dealing with the practicalities of packing up the contents of a home and relocating to a new address. They were able to address and manage all my concerns - from recommending the best storage solutions, providing boxes and materials for packing, finding a trustworthy and suitable removalist, assisting with packing and seeing the removal process through from start to finish.
Their approach was efficient, they were reasonably priced, had great attention to detail and had care for my personal and household effects. handledwithcare was genuinely sensitive to my personal circumstances - a quality that other businesses were unable to provide. Their services were invaluable."
Bonnie - Home Relocation, McKinnon
February 2015
“I just want to express my compete satisfaction with the magnificent job you did with my recent sale in Bent Street, Bentleigh. My initial inspection of the property showed a home that had been lived in for 37 years by my elderly owner and it was now completely filled with papers, documents, filing systems, furniture, personal photos...you name it and it had it!
Enter handledwithcare! In the space of one week the home had completely changed - the documents were all viewed and sorted; the gardens trimmed; the internals repaired and repainted; and the furniture was all displayed on eBay for subsequent sale. Anything that could be donated to charity was, and the home was left in immaculate condition and ready to present to the buying public.
I am totally convinced that the final auction price of some $120,000 over reserve was, in no small part, a result of the professional manner in which you and your company, handledwithcare, undertook the daunting task of a major clean-up of this property. Your subsequent work in ensuring that all sold furniture was removed from the property in a most timely manner only enhanced your professional efforts to date.
You can be assured that you will be my first call if similar properties and circumstances arrive and indeed, I have already passed on your details to some of my solicitor contacts.”
Michael Egan, Director – Century 21 On Centre Real Estate, Bentleigh
July 2013
“Dear Sara and Tanya,
Firstly, Sara, thanks for calling me and making the time to come and see me at my office to introduce yourself and discuss your business. Before meeting you, I never really knew of such a service other than to call the Salvation Army or the Council to collect unwanted goods....so I'm glad that you did.
The property in Grange Road, Carnegie was in dying need of a full declutter and tidy up. With the owner going into aged care and her son based in Brisbane this was going to be a monumental task that may have taken months or not at all.
Step in handledwithcare.
The job that you all did from the declutter, to the gardens, to the cleaning of the home made a huge difference to the final presentation of the property, which certainly made our job easier when showing potential buyers at inspections. Had we not engaged your services to assist here I firmly 100 percent believe that we would not have secured a sale price $136,000 above the reserve price on auction day.
I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending your services to anyone who may require them in the future.
Thanks again.”
Josh Hommelhoff, Senior Estate Agent – Ray White Carnegie
September 2014
“On behalf of Mum and myself, I wish to thank you both for the fantastic effort that you put in to make the whole process more manageable and comfortable for Mum. It is never easy to move, especially for someone getting on in age.
A credit to you both on being so caring and empathetic, yet, very professional in your dealings.
I think your service went far beyond that we initially discussed and I thank you both for that. Your value cannot be judged in monetary terms alone.
I wish you both well in your business venture and there's no doubt that there will be countless people in our shoes who will benefit from your "Handled with Care" approach in years to come. Of course, there are many who have already done so!”
Tibor and Eva - Aged-care relocation, Carnegie
November 2014
“handledwithcare did just that for us when they helped our mother move recently. Sara and Tanya did everything in a logical and methodical way - including packing, helping Mum decide which items to keep and throw out, organising removalists and unpacking at the other end. They are understanding, patient, professional and smart. And their work can preserve family harmony at a stressful time. We couldn't recommend handledwithcare highly enough.”
Heselev Family – Retirement relocation, Malvern
November 2014
“Thank you for all your hard work, professionalism and kindness. As I looked around the cleared house, I couldn’t have imagined a better way of achieving this. handledwithcare did an amazing job and made the whole process as easy as possible for me. I think the way you worked has really honoured my Mum. On behalf of my family, I want to thank you for everything and wish you and your business success and prosperity. I can see that you get satisfaction out of the work - which is really the best reward.”
Corinne - Cleared estate, Glen Iris
April 2014
“I would like to endorse the services of handledwithcare who recently cleared our elderly parents’ apartment.
As I live interstate and my brother runs an extremely demanding business, we were concerned about how we would have the time or expertise to clear the apartment of our parents who recently moved into care. The property housed several furniture items, artworks and a large number of personal belongings that had to be sorted then packed for removal and storage, donated, disposed of or sold – all within a tight time frame with settlement fast approaching.
Sara and Tanya were amazing and the process was stress-free. They had a great plan, consulted with us regularly to keep us informed and handled everything efficiently and sensitively. Their network of dealers and suppliers made the whole exercise extremely economical too. The Caretaker of the apartment complex was impressed with handledwithcare’s respect for other residents. I would have no hesitation in highly recommending this service to anyone in need especially those faced with similar circumstances.”
Debbie - Aged-care relocation, Toorak
December 2013
“We moved house from Adelaide to Melbourne recently and decided to contact handledwithcare to see if they could help. It was a move we dreaded, but once we had made Skype contact and met prior to the move, our minds were at ease and we looked forward to moving day. Sara and Tanya took the stress out of the move, helped us unpack and organise our home so that at the end of the day we were completely in and settled. Their organisation, efficiency and professionalism was outstanding and we can highly recommend them.”
Miriam & Rob - Retirement relocation, Glen Huntly
July 2013
“As you know, an outstanding result was achieved at the auction of our client’s unit in Bentleigh. The Auction result could not have been achieved without the work carried out by handledwithcare in clearing and cleaning the property and presenting it for sale. All of this within a week of me contacting you.
I would also like to acknowledge the extra effort taken by handledwithcare to identify and distribute historical and other documentation uncovered during the sorting process. Your attention to detail was much appreciated. My client who has relocated into aged care is pleased with the result.”
Douglas, Solicitor – Aged care relocation, Bentleigh
July 2013
“Dear Tanya,
When we first met, I was feeling overwhelmed by the task ahead. Moving house at any age is one of the greatest stressors in life but as a 60+ year old the physical and emotional toll seems greater. I am fortunate that a close friend suggested I call handledwithcare to see if you could help.
You and Sara and your service providers work so well as a team. Your list of contacts (and tips) were also invaluable. It was not only the furniture and other chattels’ that were ‘handled with care’ - your empathy and understanding of the issues facing clients underpins everything you do. The patience, organisational skills and diligence in ensuring that my move was as effortless as possible were always apparent.
I will recommend handledwithcare to anyone who is moving house or who is daunted by the thought of decluttering a home or a room.
Thank you again for your assistance.”
Ilona - Retirement relocation, East Bentleigh
January 2014
“Being retirees living in Queensland, we decided to rent out our property in Melbourne. It needed, however, to be refurbished to suit the short-term rental market. We approached handledwithcare to help with the process. They took the time to understand our requirements and from there arranged everything.
They organised home and garden maintenance; negotiated with trades people; installed new lighting and window coverings; purchased and arranged delivery of furniture, white goods, electrical items and artwork; unpacked all goods delivered; arranged rubbish disposal and set up the home to rent. Access to the apartment for all trades and real estate people was arranged and unwanted household items sold.
handledwithcare took care of everything and kept us up-to-date every step of the way. We did not have to worry about a thing and both we and the leasing agent were amazed with the result. We could not have done it without them.”
Sylvia & Allan - Retirees, South Caulfield
January 2013
“Many thanks to Sara Meadows from handledwithcare who found some documents from the early days of Bentleigh Church of Christ when she was coordinating the packing up of a client’s home. We really appreciate her honouring the life of her client and going out of her way to return the items to the Historical Society Archives.”
Australian Churches of Christ Historical Society’s Historical Digest, Issue 180, August 2013, pp.18
June 2014
“The historical material you sent is of great interest to the school and will be passed on to our archivist.
Your firm's action in this matter does you credit. I am sure that many in the same position would simply have disposed of the material.”
Alumni Register, University High School, Parkville (in response to receipt of historical documentation)
June 2014
Estelle – Bespoke Relocation, Camberwell
October 2020
"We have been very impressed with the professionalism of the handledwithcare team, and the smooth way everything was handled. We will not hesitate to use you again and will recommend you to our friends."
Ron – Senior Relocation, Cheltenham
July 2019
"Thank you so much for all your hard and productive work, for your honesty and for being so conscientious in finding all the hidden treasures. It has been tougher than we expected, packing up a house with all its memories and reflection of the lives spent among its walls. Your kindness, thoughtfulness and sensitivity has been very much appreciated.
Once again we can't thank you enough. We would have never been able to empty the house without your help, and are so glad that the donated items will help various charities and people in need. We've already recommended handledwithcare to our friends."
Anonymous – Cleared estate, St Kilda East
March 2019
"Not only were both Sara and Tanya extremely thoughtful, sensitive and caring when it came to taking the stress out of such an emotionally and physically challenging move, but so too were their team. They all showed impeccable detail to every aspect of our move, leaving nothing for us to do or worry about.
There wasn’t anything too much for the handledwithcare team to manage for us, and indeed our move was handled with much care. I would like to thank Sara, Tanya and their entire team for enabling my wife and I to settle so quickly into our new home. We honestly could not have done this without you!"
Dave – Retirement Relocation, Brighton
June 2018
"The legends from handledwithcare helped me sort, clear and pack up Mum’s place in just seven days! The compassion and care they showed throughout was amazing and I couldn’t have done it without them."
Carmelita – Cleared estate, Mt Waverley
October 2017
"Thank you handledwithcare for all your help and guidance during this difficult process. It definitely made things easier for our family and made an overwhelming task seem much more manageable.
We were pleased too that we were able to assist so many people in need. I know our mum, who started her life in Australia as an immigrant with very little in the way of material things, would also be happy to know that she had contributed in this way."
Fiona – Property clear, Caulfield
August 2017
"Many, many thanks handledwithcare, for the prompt and professional handling of the clearance of Mum’s unit. The task had seemed quite daunting and overwhelming. I am most grateful for having “found” you!"
Megan – Cleared estate, Brighton East
June 2017
"Many thanks for the professional way in which you handled our move - it was very much appreciated. Without your help, we would have been in a right mess. Once again many thanks."
Frank – Senior relocation, Donvale
March 2017
“A big thank you to handledwithcare and to Sara and Michelle who worked their magic in decluttering and preparing my house for sale. Their professionalism and compassion at this very emotional and exhausting time was just what I needed to get me on track and focused. Their enthusiasm and energy for the task at hand was contagious and they both worked tirelessly without a break.
I would have no hesitation in recommending handledwithcare, and I wish their team all the very best for the future. I am sure they will go from strength to strength.”
Jan – Home decluttering and styling, Mt Waverley
September 2016
“I would like to strongly recommend the services of handledwithcare who helped me with the clearing and cleaning of my brother’s home on his sudden death. This business is so accurately named because the whole project was ‘handled with care’. Sara, Tanya and their team showed great empathy and efficiency at a very difficult time for the whole family. Despite this being a difficult job, I received regular updates and the whole process gave our family ‘peace of mind’ to deal with a myriad of other issues on our plate.
In my role as a financial adviser specialising in aged care, I have recommended handledwithcare to many clients. In every case, the feedback has been one extolling the great care, efficiency and professionalism shown by Sara and Tanya and their team. Please consider handledwithcare for a move to retirement living or aged care, when clearing deceased estates or even just for your own move. I only wish I knew of this service when my Mum and Dad’s home needed to be cleared and cleaned a few years ago.
I have no hesitation in referring you to the team at handledwithcare, who I have every confidence will provide you with an excellent result.”
John Carson, Financial Advisor – Carson Financial Advisory
May 2016
“I chose to employ handledwithcare because a reliable professional person recommended the company to me. I had considered other options but was unsure of the quality of service available and I was reassured by the recommendation and company’s name. Tanya from handledwithcare visited my home, which badly needed decluttering, discussed my needs with me and explained their method of operation.
I feel that my needs were very well understood, and I received the highest level of service. Tanya even spent time searching online and shopping for items on my behalf, which I found very helpful. This extra care was certainly a unique approach, and I appreciated that very much. I would certainly recommend handledwithcare to anyone intending to declutter, move house or downsize.”
Jean - Home decluttering and styling, Hawthorn
January 2016
"I would like to sincerely thank Sara and the handledwithcare team for helping me with my home relocation. Sara assisted me during the most difficult time in my life – having to move houses while dealing with the recent and unexpected loss of my husband.
I am so grateful for handledwithcare’s unique, understanding and caring approach when dealing with the practicalities of packing up the contents of a home and relocating to a new address. They were able to address and manage all my concerns - from recommending the best storage solutions, providing boxes and materials for packing, finding a trustworthy and suitable removalist, assisting with packing and seeing the removal process through from start to finish.
Their approach was efficient, they were reasonably priced, had great attention to detail and had care for my personal and household effects. handledwithcare was genuinely sensitive to my personal circumstances - a quality that other businesses were unable to provide. Their services were invaluable."
Bonnie - Home Relocation, McKinnon
February 2015
“I just want to express my compete satisfaction with the magnificent job you did with my recent sale in Bent Street, Bentleigh. My initial inspection of the property showed a home that had been lived in for 37 years by my elderly owner and it was now completely filled with papers, documents, filing systems, furniture, personal photos...you name it and it had it!
Enter handledwithcare! In the space of one week the home had completely changed - the documents were all viewed and sorted; the gardens trimmed; the internals repaired and repainted; and the furniture was all displayed on eBay for subsequent sale. Anything that could be donated to charity was, and the home was left in immaculate condition and ready to present to the buying public.
I am totally convinced that the final auction price of some $120,000 over reserve was, in no small part, a result of the professional manner in which you and your company, handledwithcare, undertook the daunting task of a major clean-up of this property. Your subsequent work in ensuring that all sold furniture was removed from the property in a most timely manner only enhanced your professional efforts to date.
You can be assured that you will be my first call if similar properties and circumstances arrive and indeed, I have already passed on your details to some of my solicitor contacts.”
Michael Egan, Director – Century 21 On Centre Real Estate, Bentleigh
July 2013
“Dear Sara and Tanya,
Firstly, Sara, thanks for calling me and making the time to come and see me at my office to introduce yourself and discuss your business. Before meeting you, I never really knew of such a service other than to call the Salvation Army or the Council to collect unwanted goods....so I'm glad that you did.
The property in Grange Road, Carnegie was in dying need of a full declutter and tidy up. With the owner going into aged care and her son based in Brisbane this was going to be a monumental task that may have taken months or not at all.
Step in handledwithcare.
The job that you all did from the declutter, to the gardens, to the cleaning of the home made a huge difference to the final presentation of the property, which certainly made our job easier when showing potential buyers at inspections. Had we not engaged your services to assist here I firmly 100 percent believe that we would not have secured a sale price $136,000 above the reserve price on auction day.
I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending your services to anyone who may require them in the future.
Thanks again.”
Josh Hommelhoff, Senior Estate Agent – Ray White Carnegie
September 2014
“On behalf of Mum and myself, I wish to thank you both for the fantastic effort that you put in to make the whole process more manageable and comfortable for Mum. It is never easy to move, especially for someone getting on in age.
A credit to you both on being so caring and empathetic, yet, very professional in your dealings.
I think your service went far beyond that we initially discussed and I thank you both for that. Your value cannot be judged in monetary terms alone.
I wish you both well in your business venture and there's no doubt that there will be countless people in our shoes who will benefit from your "Handled with Care" approach in years to come. Of course, there are many who have already done so!”
Tibor and Eva - Aged-care relocation, Carnegie
November 2014
“handledwithcare did just that for us when they helped our mother move recently. Sara and Tanya did everything in a logical and methodical way - including packing, helping Mum decide which items to keep and throw out, organising removalists and unpacking at the other end. They are understanding, patient, professional and smart. And their work can preserve family harmony at a stressful time. We couldn't recommend handledwithcare highly enough.”
Heselev Family – Retirement relocation, Malvern
November 2014
“Thank you for all your hard work, professionalism and kindness. As I looked around the cleared house, I couldn’t have imagined a better way of achieving this. handledwithcare did an amazing job and made the whole process as easy as possible for me. I think the way you worked has really honoured my Mum. On behalf of my family, I want to thank you for everything and wish you and your business success and prosperity. I can see that you get satisfaction out of the work - which is really the best reward.”
Corinne - Cleared estate, Glen Iris
April 2014
“I would like to endorse the services of handledwithcare who recently cleared our elderly parents’ apartment.
As I live interstate and my brother runs an extremely demanding business, we were concerned about how we would have the time or expertise to clear the apartment of our parents who recently moved into care. The property housed several furniture items, artworks and a large number of personal belongings that had to be sorted then packed for removal and storage, donated, disposed of or sold – all within a tight time frame with settlement fast approaching.
Sara and Tanya were amazing and the process was stress-free. They had a great plan, consulted with us regularly to keep us informed and handled everything efficiently and sensitively. Their network of dealers and suppliers made the whole exercise extremely economical too. The Caretaker of the apartment complex was impressed with handledwithcare’s respect for other residents. I would have no hesitation in highly recommending this service to anyone in need especially those faced with similar circumstances.”
Debbie - Aged-care relocation, Toorak
December 2013
“We moved house from Adelaide to Melbourne recently and decided to contact handledwithcare to see if they could help. It was a move we dreaded, but once we had made Skype contact and met prior to the move, our minds were at ease and we looked forward to moving day. Sara and Tanya took the stress out of the move, helped us unpack and organise our home so that at the end of the day we were completely in and settled. Their organisation, efficiency and professionalism was outstanding and we can highly recommend them.”
Miriam & Rob - Retirement relocation, Glen Huntly
July 2013
“As you know, an outstanding result was achieved at the auction of our client’s unit in Bentleigh. The Auction result could not have been achieved without the work carried out by handledwithcare in clearing and cleaning the property and presenting it for sale. All of this within a week of me contacting you.
I would also like to acknowledge the extra effort taken by handledwithcare to identify and distribute historical and other documentation uncovered during the sorting process. Your attention to detail was much appreciated. My client who has relocated into aged care is pleased with the result.”
Douglas, Solicitor – Aged care relocation, Bentleigh
July 2013
“Dear Tanya,
When we first met, I was feeling overwhelmed by the task ahead. Moving house at any age is one of the greatest stressors in life but as a 60+ year old the physical and emotional toll seems greater. I am fortunate that a close friend suggested I call handledwithcare to see if you could help.
You and Sara and your service providers work so well as a team. Your list of contacts (and tips) were also invaluable. It was not only the furniture and other chattels’ that were ‘handled with care’ - your empathy and understanding of the issues facing clients underpins everything you do. The patience, organisational skills and diligence in ensuring that my move was as effortless as possible were always apparent.
I will recommend handledwithcare to anyone who is moving house or who is daunted by the thought of decluttering a home or a room.
Thank you again for your assistance.”
Ilona - Retirement relocation, East Bentleigh
January 2014
“Being retirees living in Queensland, we decided to rent out our property in Melbourne. It needed, however, to be refurbished to suit the short-term rental market. We approached handledwithcare to help with the process. They took the time to understand our requirements and from there arranged everything.
They organised home and garden maintenance; negotiated with trades people; installed new lighting and window coverings; purchased and arranged delivery of furniture, white goods, electrical items and artwork; unpacked all goods delivered; arranged rubbish disposal and set up the home to rent. Access to the apartment for all trades and real estate people was arranged and unwanted household items sold.
handledwithcare took care of everything and kept us up-to-date every step of the way. We did not have to worry about a thing and both we and the leasing agent were amazed with the result. We could not have done it without them.”
Sylvia & Allan - Retirees, South Caulfield
January 2013
“Many thanks to Sara Meadows from handledwithcare who found some documents from the early days of Bentleigh Church of Christ when she was coordinating the packing up of a client’s home. We really appreciate her honouring the life of her client and going out of her way to return the items to the Historical Society Archives.”
Australian Churches of Christ Historical Society’s Historical Digest, Issue 180, August 2013, pp.18
June 2014
“The historical material you sent is of great interest to the school and will be passed on to our archivist.
Your firm's action in this matter does you credit. I am sure that many in the same position would simply have disposed of the material.”
Alumni Register, University High School, Parkville (in response to receipt of historical documentation)
June 2014