Moving Yourself Is Tricky! Top 5 Self-Moving Mistakes To Avoid:

You’ve probably heard numerous clever quotes about making mistakes in life, and until you’re the one making a mistake, these words of wisdom actually sound fine. Depending on your current state of mind, such quotes can even be somewhat inspirational /”Mistakes are stepping stones to success.”/. But make no mistake, once you find yourself on the other side, the grass doesn’t even seem remotely green. Make a costly blunder and you may not be able to see any grass at all.

Now, it’s never fun to err, especially during a period where there’s a bad combination of elevated stress, money at stake, and too little time – like a house move, for example. Without a doubt, moving from one home to another is a unique period in one’s life where the extremely transitional nature of the life-changing event tends to put a lot of pressure on people. And as you can imagine, increased levels of stress lead to a higher number of errors from the people who are often already too stressed out enough as it is.

If you yourself are facing a house move anytime soon and you’re thinking of moving on your own, then it’s extremely important that you stay away from serious trouble by avoiding the most common mistakes when moving on your own. Some move related mistakes are too insignificant and you can simply ignore them (like forgetting to clean your refrigerator prior to moving day), other errors will greatly slow down your progress (running out of essential packing materials), while yet other blunders could really cost you (hiring the services of a bad moving company).

Stay safe. Stay protected. Learn the top 5 mistakes when moving by yourself.

DIY mistakes #1: “Professional movers are too expensive!”


With experienced movers, you can rest assured that your prized possessions are in good hands.
It’s a common misconception to assume that professional relocation services are always much costlier than organizing and executing a Do-It-Yourself house move. The truth is that it’s very hard, and even unfair, to make general comparisons due to the fact that the moving price is formed on a case-by-case basis. In other words, because of the great number of additional factors that affect the final moving price, no two house moves will cost the same even if they seem extremely similar.

Generally speaking, DIY moving can be cost effective only if:

you’re moving within the same town and city,
you’re moving locally within a radius of 100 miles and won’t cross another state,
you have previous experience in organizing a house move,
you’re moving out of a relatively small home with not too many, too heavy or too expensive household items in it, and
you know you can rely on a few good friends to give you a hand when you need it the most.
Don’t make the moving mistake of assuming that hiring a professional moving company will cost you more, especially if you don’t meet all, or almost all of the conditions above. Once you leave the realm of a local move, a top rated cross country mover becomes vital for the successful end of your relocation adventure. After all, not for a moment should you forget the staggering number of hidden costs when moving on your own – obtaining quality packing materials, renting a moving vehicle and moving equipment, purchasing adequate relocation insurance, paying for road tolls and taxes, paying for additional loading/unloading labor, food and lodging along the road, etc.

Learn how much your house relocation will cost you and use that valuable info to set up your moving budget accordingly.

VERY IMPORTANT: What to know when hiring a mover



DIY mistakes #2: “Packing is just another pre-move task.”

Let’s get straight to the point: packing up a house for a move is not just another task you need to mark as checked before Moving day comes around. No matter how you look at it, packing is the most important job during your pre-move preparations and failure to approach it with the urgency and dedication it requires could easily become one of the most serious mistakes when moving yourself.

To avoid costly mistakes when packing your home by yourself, you must be familiar with and follow these 5 fundamental Do-It-Yourself packing rules:


Whatever you do, you can’t really hide from packing.
Start thinking about packing up your home as soon as you know for sure that you’re moving to a new home. Or on the next day at the latest. It’s easy to underestimate the staggering amount of time that packing up for a move requires, and it’s even easier to switch into a procrastination mode. Trust us – just don’t it.

Unless you really wish to lose extra valuable time and waste even more valuable money, don’t even think about packing all of your earthy possessions without sorting them out first. Make a detailed home inventory to help you slim down the number of your belongings prior to the move.
Create a packing calendar to introduce discipline and order into your packing process. Start the process from the premises that are the hardest ones to sort and pack – storage rooms and the kitchen.
Safety is a real concern when moving home yourself, and especially when you’re packing on your own. Safety both for you and for your prized possessions. So, the first step to ensuring nothing bad happens is to get hold of quality packing supplies.
Packing up an entire home is a challenge that cannot be usually dealt with by only one person. To avoid falling behind schedule, ask your good friends to lend you a hand, or even better – if you can afford it, hire professional packers to finish the job several times faster and several times safer.
DIY mistakes #3: “I’m immune to move related injuries.”

It’s important to keep in mind that some DIY moving mistakes can be rather painful – literally! One of the major differences between having professionals handle a house move and having non-professionals do it is the level of overall safety. In fact, professional movers are vigorously taught how to reach and maintain the highest degree of safety when working on a move – both personal safety and protection of property.

Therefore, if you have decided to undertake the DIY approach to moving to another home, don’t make the mistake of assuming that you are immune to any type of accidents. Instead, follow this self-moving advice to stay on the safe side of things from Day 1.

Avoid personal injuries by using your common sense at all times. Before having to lift and move heavy furniture pieces with your pals, make sure 1) the walking path is clear of any obstacles, 2) you use proper moving equipment /an appliance dolly, moving straps, etc./, 3) you know the proper lifting techniques to avoid nasty (back) injuries, 4) you wear durable work gloves to protect your hands and fingers, and 5) you have your most comfortable pair of shoes with excellent traction and ankle protection.
Remember to 1) double tape your cardboard boxes even if they seem sturdy enough, 2) place clean sheets of paper on the bottom of each box to protect, 3) use plenty of crumpled packing paper, bubble wrap or pieces of clothing to create cushioning layers inside the moving boxes and fill up any empty spaces, and 4) keep all your moving containers less than 40-45 pounds each.
Don’t make the self-move mistake of letting small children and/or pets be around the action on Moving day! Too many pairs of playful feet could endanger the safety of the entire DIY moving operation. Keep your loved ones away from the moving epicenter for both your sakes.
GOOD TO KNOW: How to ensure your safety when moving house




DIY mistakes #4: “Renting and driving a moving truck is child’s play.”

As far as DIY moving tips go, an important stage in most self-moving adventures is to secure a vehicle with which to transport your household items. And when it comes to self-move rental trucks, there are some not-so-funny mistakes you should avoid at all costs.


The important job of loading a rented moving truck on your own is not to be underestimated.
Truck rental mistake #1: If you select a rental truck with smaller storage capacity than you need for your stuff, then you might be forced to make more than one trip to your destination. Or worse – you may need to return the vehicle and rent a larger one, which would mean loads of wasted time and nerves.

Truck rental mistake #2: If you choose a truck with larger space than you actually need, not only will you be paying for extra storage which you have no way of utilizing, but you will also run the risk of damaging some of your belongings if you fail to secure them well for safe transportation. Still, it’s the “preferred” mistake out of the two scenarios.
Above all, it’s useful to have a basic understanding about the approximate capacities of self-move rental vehicles. Here are some approximate truck capacity calculations to help you make a good choice. However, discuss this important issue with a knowledgeable representative of a truck rental moving company before your final decision.

Pickup truck. Good for small loads and partial moves.
Cargo van. Suitable for college moves, partial moves or moving out of a studio apartment when moving locally.
10-12 foot truck. Ideal for college moves and small apartments.
14-17 foot truck. Good for moving out of a 1-2 bedroom homes or smaller offices. These are the most common rental moving trucks on the market.
20-26 foot truck. Ideal for moving the household items found in large 3, 4 bedroom homes.
IMPORTANT: Learn the best ways to protect your move

DIY mistakes #5: “My friends will gladly help me move out.”

One thing you should do at all costs when moving on your own is to explore your self-moving options as far as they can go. Of all the self-move mistakes to avoid, the costliest error you can ultimately make is to underestimate the complexity of the upcoming relocation, and therefore only think you’ve got all the bases covered.

As mentioned above, a self-move is not the right time to attempt to prove to yourself that you can manage all the tasks without assistance of any kind. If you can’t afford to let professional packers and movers take care of the toughest relocation stages for you, then you will most definitely need to reach out to your friends and ask them for help.


Having your friends bail out on you in the last minute could really complicate things for you.
However, don’t make self-moving mistake of assuming that your pals are obligated in any way to give you a hand. On the contrary, they will probably be dealing with complicated work schedules, previous commitments and other responsibilities, so

contact them as early as you possibly can to maximize your chances of positive answers;
it’s best to ask them for help face in face, if possible;
don’t try to underplay the amount of work they are expected to help out with, but be a straight shooter from the start;
show understanding to the ones who cannot lend you helping hand for one reason or another;
prepare and organize in advance whatever you can yourself to save your friends much valued time and efforts; and
remember to show your enormous gratitude and reward their sacrifice in a way that you seem to be the most appropriate and memorable.

How to Calculate Your Real Hourly Wage:

1. 
   1
   Understand your real hourly wage. Most people are familiar with their hourly wage, but chances are very good your real hourly wage is less. Your real hourly wage deducts all the costs associated with doing your job from your income, and divides the result by all the hours you spend doing work related tasks.^[2]

   • For example, you may earn $30,000 per year but, when you deduct your taxes, costs to commute to work, costs to eat at work, and clothing costs, you are left with a smaller net salary each year. After expenses, you may earn $20,000, for example. When you divide this by the number of hours you spend on all work related tasks (working from home, for example), you would get your real hourly wage. This may be less than the hourly wage you see on your pay check.
   • When you know your real hourly wage, it can give you perspective on how much you are spending. For example, you may make $20 per hour, but your real hourly wage may be $10. This means when you eat out and buy a $20 meal, you are really trading in two hours of work, instead of one.
2. 
   2
   Calculate your total annual income. In order to calculate your real hourly wage rate you must first calculate your total annual income. This is because your annual income is the starting point from which you will subtract the costs, time and other expenses that comprise your real hourly wage.^[3]

   • If you are a salaried employee you should use your yearly salary amount as your annual income.
   • If you are paid based on an hourly wage rate you should multiply your hourly wage rate by the total number of hours you expect to work in the upcoming year.
   • If you are an hourly employee you should make sure to include any paid overtime or other pay received for work completed beyond the agreed-upon number of hours you work each week.
   • For example, if you make $30 per hour, and expect to work 40 hour weeks all year, your annual income would be $62,000 (or 40 hours per week X 52 weeks in a year X $30 per hour).
3. 
   3
   Calculate the total annual amount of employment benefits. Employee benefits are added to your actual annual earnings because they are valuable goods/services that you are benefiting from without paying for.

   • Does your employer offer health insurance, life insurance, dental and vision and/or discounted gym memberships?
   • Does your job provide you with a free or subsidized computer or cell phone? How much would you pay for these items on your own?
   • Does your employer match your 401(k) contribution or provide other retirement benefits?
   • Add these amounts to your total annual income.
4. 
   4
   Determine your annual income tax expenses. Federal, state and local income taxes greatly decrease the amount actually received each pay period. Calculate the total amount of taxes paid each year by multiplying your annual income by each relevant tax percentage rate. Or look at your W-2 for the previous year in order to get an estimate of your projected income tax expense.

   • Use this formula to determine the percentage of gross income paid in taxes each year: Projected Tax Rate = 100 - (net income/gross income).
   • If your tax rate is 25%, and your annual income is $62,000, your after tax income would be $46,500.
5. 
   5
   Calculate all of the expenses associated with your employment. To determine your employment related expenses, consider the things you spend money on that you would not need to if you didn't work. Major categories include transportation, food, clothing, and childcare.^[4]

   • Transportation costs related to travelling to and from work can have a big effect on your real hourly wage. Sit down and estimate how much money you spend each month on gas, public transportation and other travel-related expenses associated with your job. Multiply these monthly expenses by 12 in order to create a good estimate of your yearly transportation work-related expenses. If you want to be precise, find out the gas mileage for your vehicle (40 cents per mile), for example, and multiply this by the number of miles to your work.
   • The costs associated with sending your child to daycare or school should be factored in when calculating your real hourly wage. Make sure to include annual costs for childcare services such as tuition and babysitter fees.
   • If you are required to purchase equipment or uniforms in order to perform your work duties, these costs should be included when calculating work-related expenses.
   • Estimate how much money you spend per month on food that you consume during your lunch break, or while otherwise on the job. Multiple this monthly amount by 12 in order to determine your annual work food costs.
   • Calculate how much money you spend each year on vacations and other work-related decompression expenses, and when applicable subtract the amount of paid vacation time used for vacations each year from this total expense amount.^[5]
6. 
   6
   Tally up all of your work-related expenses. Create a rough estimate of the cost of each work-related expense discussed above. Add together the costs of work-related food, transportation, clothing, childcare and any other similar cost in order to determine your total amount of work-related expenses.
7. 
   7
   Deduct your total expenses from your after-tax annual earnings to determine your real income. Take your after-tax earnings ($46,500, for example), and subtract your work-related expenses.

   • If your after-tax earnings are $46,500, and your total work-related expenses are $10,000, your real income would be $36,500.
   • $36,500 would be your real income, or how much you truly have to spend on your own personal expenses and interests.

6 Benefits of Hiring a Moving Company:

So you are moving across country and you think you can do it on your own. While that may be true, you may be shocked at how fast an interstate move can get a little out of hand. When you hire a moving company, you can save yourself a lot of stress and it offers with many benefits.

1.) Moving companies have experience in long distance moves. When it comes to packing and moving, there is no one better for the job than an experienced moving company. They are skilled in making your move as smooth as possible.

2.) A moving company can help ease your mind. There are many things that go along with moving like packing, moving, storage and more. When you make the huge decision to move across the country, you have many other things to worry about like getting ready for a new job in a new state or getting your kids ready for a new school. Hiring a moving company will allow you to handle all of the things you need to do while they take care of the actual move for you.

3.) Hiring movers can actually save you money. When you attempt to move on your own, you may be inclined to buy extra things such as bubble wrap for protecting valuables or boxes to pack your things in. When you hire a moving company, these things are generally included in the cost of the move. Also, moving takes time so you will likely have to miss work to get everything done which will result in lost wages.

4.) Safety when it comes to lifting heavy furniture. Professional movers are used to heavy lifting. Carrying furniture up and down stairs is no easy task. By hiring professional movers, you can save yourself from possible injuries as they have all of the necessary equipment to move heavy objects.

5.) Peace of mind knowing that your belongings are protected. Moving companies will usually offer some type of insurance to make sure that your personal possessions are protected. Accidents happen all the time, but knowing that your things are protected will definitely give you piece of mind.

6.) No need to make multiple trips. When you hire professional movers, you don’t have to worry about loading up multiple vehicles, making more than one trip or having to drive a huge box truck on your own. Moving companies are equipped with multiple size trucks to make sure all of your things can be moved in a single trip.

With all of the benefits of hiring a professional moving company, you just can’t go wrong. When you are planning your next move, whether you are moving across the country or across the state, make sure you think smart and consider using a moving company. In the end, we are sure you will be glad you did.

How to Host a Housewarming Party:

Housewarming parties have been going on for hundreds of years.  In fact, some believe the term “housewarming” literally comes from the act of warming up a new home.  In the days before the furnace, guests would bring firewood as a gift and build fires in all the available fireplaces. This not only warmed the house, but was also believed to repel evil spirits. Uninhabited houses were thought to be attractive to evil spirits, and therefore required a certain level of spiritual cleansing before a house was considered safe for a new family.

Because most houses now come with central heating (and without evil spirits), housewarming parties have changed over the last few centuries.  If you just moved and are thinking about throwing a housewarming party, we’ve answered a few of the most frequently asked questions.

What’s the point of a housewarming party anyway? Moving can be pretty stressful.  So now that all the packing and planning and unpacking is over, it’s time to celebrate.  A party is a great way to meet new neighbors, let your old friends know you still love them and thank those kind souls who assisted you during your move.  Okay, and maybe to show off your new space (just a little).

Can I have a housewarming party if I rent?  Does a big renovation count?  If the house or space is new to you, then you can have a housewarming party.  If you just got married and moved into his house, you can still throw a shindig.  However, if you’re feeling uncomfortable about the idea, then call it an “open house” instead.  Open houses are traditionally more casual, where guests can come and go, and gifts won’t be an issue.

I should wait until the kitchen is painted, and I buy that new dining room furniture, right?  If you wait until your house is totally unpacked and perfectly put together, then you’ll never have a party.  A home is always a work in progress.  Your guests really won’t mind if everything isn’t quite together yet.

What should we serve?  Keep it simple.  Housewarming parties are generally laid back affairs, because you’ve just gone through the major life complication of a big move.  Also, the invitation list tends to include a lot of people, so nobody’s expecting a formal sit-down dinner.  Housewarming parties are frequently just cocktails and appetizers.  Maybe consider a breakfast brunch if you’ve redone your kitchen or have a fabulous new cooking space.  Finally have that big backyard or even just a functioning patio?  Then a barbecue might be the way to go.

How should I handle invitations?  This one really depends on time and budget.  If you have several weeks and don’t mind paying a little more, then you might consider getting invitations printed that can also serve as “new address” cards.  But an e-vite or store bought invitations are perfectly acceptable.  If you don’t know your new neighbors, just slip a note in their mailbox.  Also, you should give your guests anywhere between 2 to 4 weeks notice before the party, so they can plan ahead.

Do I need to invite my new neighbors even if I haven’t really met them yet?  You might want to extend an invitation.  It’s the neighborly thing to do and the best way to get to know them.

Should we play games?  We think so!  Games are fun and help break the ice, especially if you have groups of people all congregating together from different parts of your life.  Here are a couple ideas.

Scavenger Hunt: One way to make sure your friends get the lay of the land in your new place is to plan a scavenger hunt.  Hide clues and treasures throughout your home and split your guests up into teams.  Make sure to have a good prize on hand for the winning group.

Paint Chip Pairs: Get pairs of those hardware store paint chips to hand out as everyone arrives.  Then instruct each guest to find their matching chip during the party.  If you have a lot of guests who don’t know each other, this is a great icebreaker.

Old Keys: Buy vintage keys at the craft store, or regular cheapo keys at the hardware store, thennumber or paint each key.  Hand them out as guests arrive, then draw a winner during the party and give out a door prize.

Are housewarming gifts required?  Gifts are traditionally given but are, actually, totally optional.  Therefore, it might not be wise to add the link to your registry at the bottom of the invitation.  However, if you’re just starting out in life – first apartment, recently married – you will likely get more loot than, say, your great uncle who just moved from his million dollar house to a two million dollar house.  Bread, salt and coal have long served as traditional housewarming presents.  Bread is given in hopes that the homeowner will never know hunger; salt symbolizes flavor or spice of life, and coal represents warmth and prosperity. Other traditional gifts include sugar, honey, wood and brooms.  In today’s world, you’re more likely to get a houseplant, a great bottle of wine or a pretty candle.

Do we have to give tours?  Yep, give the people what they came for.  If you have a large guest list with people coming and going throughout the party, then organize tours every half hour so you can take people in groups.  Another option is to let guests wander freely to look around on their own.  Signs posted in each room answering the most obvious questions will save you from having to answer the same questions over and over.

What’s the most important thing about a housewarming party?  Have fun, enjoy your new home and be grateful for your friends and family. Cheers!

How to do perfect house removals:

Good organization is the most important thing for a removal in order to avoid problems when the van will come for your boxes. It’s a must guarantee that also our littlest and most fragile items are safe during all the steps of the removal, especially if we are moving house and we can’t go back. In this little guide I’ll give you some tips for the perfect removal!

1) Things you should think of before the packing.
First of all, write down a moving checklist. We should think of the items we’ll need and we would like to have for the relocation, so it’s better to avoid unnecessary waste and give it to the charity shops, friends, and families or sell it online. Decide in advance when you would like to do the house removal, so you have plenty of time to make a comparison between different removal companies and choose the best. Once this has been done, call the supplies to advise them when you will leave the house.

2) Here’s what we need!
– Boxes
– Brown Tape
– Cling Film
– Scissors
– Permanent marker

3) How to pack your things.
It is very important to put your clothes and accessories in cardboard boxes, which must be well sealed by using the brown tape. Always start with the littlest items and things less important. It’s better to leave the tape out of the boxes because we could need it on the removal day. If we have lamps or fragile items, those things should be well wrapped in the bubble wrap that we will fix using the tape again, so in this way we will avoid having our belongings breaking.
We can put in the boxes also the cutlery, dishes, cups and glasses (wrapped in the bubble wrap) as well.
Always write on the boxes with a permanent marker what’s inside each box, as it will be easier when you will arrive into our new home.
We don’t only have to use the boxes, in fact we could also use bags or trolleys.

4) Things to leave out of the bags and boxes.
– Documents about the new house (for example the contract)
– Everything we need to clean
– Box with tools
– Health pack
– Bags with the latest things we put in (items we immediately would need)
– Plastic glasses, dishes and cutlery
– Something to drink and eat during the journey and for when we’ll come at home (probably we’re going to buy something more the day after the removal)

5) Removal day has come!
Finally the day of the move, let us check that we don’t forget anything at home while often there are places which haven’t been inspected properly and some object can remain there, inside our old house.
We suggest bringing some packs outside the house and put them close to the gate or into storage, at least half an hour before the van arrives. In fact, in this way we can help to accelerate all the various operations.

6) Finally we’re at home, it’s time to unbox!
Luckily you have written with your marker on each box, so now you know what’s inside for sure. We have two options at this point, we can check the belongings we need more, or we can decide to unbox based on the room we want to order for first.

7) Ecological tips.
Once we have unboxed everything, we could decide to take the boxes with us and put them in storage so we could use them again, or we could go to the landfill and leave them here. Read more at:manwithvanilford.co.uk

Tips for moving overseas:

If you are planning on moving overseas, it is important to consider different means of transport you could use. Traveling by a plane or a car to another country is not an issue when you have from 1 to 6 suitcases, but what If you are relocating your entire home? It might be cheaper to buy new furniture overseas and deliver it to your new home. It will be also easier and less hassle, because finding the right delivery service can take a lot of effort. If you have fragile and valuable belongings, for example, a crystal chandelier or a vase, which you would like to bring with you to your new place, you might want to consider removal companies on their own, rather than packing it all in boxes and taking them with you on a plane.

Removal services on international scale could be found in many countries, as most of them have offices everywhere in big cities or country’s capital. There is a big choice of moving companies, if you are starting from there, but make sure they can do international transfer.

When moving your belongings overseas think of the time it will take for them to arrive and if long time could damage or spoil them. If items are carried on the plane, there might be a problem of freezing. This could apply for transferring musical instruments made of wood. When those get too cold, the sound they make alters greatly. Be careful with other fragile items when you use simple means of international traveling. For that reason be sure to label all the necessary boxes with a “fragile content” notice. Make sure you insure all of your belongings with such flight delivery, so that in any case of the damaged caused by them or by an accident can cover your losses.

Another means of international transport may include man in van service, where a car can be assigned for your items to be delivered to another address in your new home overseas. Such delivery may take weeks, so think ahead, before ordering this service. Transferring belongings by car may be cheaper than by plane, but of course there are limitations and risks. Therefore, make sure you insure your items completely in case of any damage at all caused by the driver or by any other sort of accident on the road, where the driver is not to blame.

Removals of furniture and other possessions may require a lot of effort, when packing them in separate boxes. Make sure that all dismounted parts for each item of your furniture are packed together to avoid losing any screws or small pieces belonging together. Pack fragile items in bubble wrap and paper to provide the safest, damage free travel. Remember, that when using a plane for overseas deliveries the price you will be paying depends on the volume of the items you require to be delivered as well as on their weight. In order to avoid large costs per transfer try and pack your belongings so that they occupy least amount of space.
That could be achieved by packing some items together in one box, leaving no spare spaces in each of your boxes. This will make you use less moving boxes overall and it will ensure that the volume of your overall package is not large enough for a bigger cost.

Moving day checklist:

Spring and summer are high season for moving in Canada. Even if you’re moving into your dream home, the actual process of moving itself can be highly stressful. But if you stay organized and pace your preparations over a few weeks, you’ll do a lot to make the big day go more smoothly. Just follow our guidelines below, and good luck in your new home!

Four to six weeks before the move

1 Create a master list of everything you need to do, and keep it handy to jot down things that occur to you in the coming days. Make note of special tasks like booking piano movers, sending change of address forms out, cancelling newspapers and utilities, special packing and storage needs.

2 Clean out closets, drawers, cupboards, chests, shelves, garage, attic, basement. Divide everything into four groups: Throw Away; Recycling; Giveaway/Yard Sale; Keep.

3 Hold a yard sale to get rid of things that are too valuable to throw away or recycle, but that you don’t want to take to your new home. Check your municipal website for items that can be donated for recycling or reuse: electronics, leftover paint, appliances and reusable building materials are a few items that can be dropped off there. Charities like The Furniture Bank will pick up old furniture and mattresses at no charge and give you a tax receipt.

4 Send out change-of-address forms to magazines and other correspondents. (Many periodicals now allow you to do this online.) Arrange with Canada Post to have mail forwarded to your new address starting on moving day. Begin changing over driver’s license and registration, passport, health cards, and other official forms.

5 Notify utilities, cable company, alarm companies, lawn service companies and other service providers of your moving dates.

6 Plan to use up as much of your food as possible, especially frozen items.
 
7 Call your insurance company to set up insurance for your new home and cancel your old policy on moving day.

8 Research schools in your new neighbourhood and register your kids at the new school.

9 Have upholstery and rugs cleaned; book window and eavestrough cleaning services.

10 Begin researching moving companies and getting estimates. Once you have chosen the company you want, confirm and sign the contract. If you are doing the packing, obtain boxes and other packing materials from your mover, or a moving supply or discount store.

11 Start packing less used items and storing the boxes in a convenient but less central room, such as den or family room. (Avoid storing them in the basement, which will just make headaches for the movers on moving day.)

12 If possible, visit your new home and make note of any special issues for the movers, such as narrow hallways or steep or winding staircases.

Two to three weeks before moving day

1 Keep records of all your moving expenses; in some cases, you can deduct them on your income taxes.

2 Continue packing boxes. Be sure to label all boxes clearly with the rooms they are going to.

3 If you live in (or are moving to) a condo, book the freight elevator for moving day.

4 Make sure appliances and house are in good working order and make any repairs agreed upon in your house sale.

One week before moving day

1 Defrost (if necessary) and clean out refrigerator, and clean oven. If you have a wood fireplace, have the chimney cleaned.

2 Start cleaning the house as much as possible, to minimize this task on moving day.

3 Finish packing all but the essentials you’ll need right before and right after the move.

4 Arrange to have pets and small children spend moving day with a sitter.

5 Start to plan for changes to the new house, such as booking painters or contractors.

6 Take down artwork and mirrors and pack them in special boxes or crates designed for this purpose.

7 Be sure arrangements have been made to ensure a smooth handover of keys to both the old house and the new house on moving day; usually these are given to the buyers’ and sellers’ lawyers.