• Address Change
• 2-3 weeks before moving provide post office with forwarding address.
• Charge accounts and credit cards.
• Subscriptions: Notice requires 6-8 weeks.
• Friends and relatives.
• Bank
• Transfer funds, arrange check-cashing in new location.
• Arrange credit references.
• Insurance
• Notify company of new location for life, health, fire and auto coverage.
• Utility Companies
• Gas, electric, water, telephone, disposal service, etc.
• Ask for refunds on any deposits made.
• Return TV cable boxes.
• Delivery Service
• Newspapers, etc.
• Health Care
• Ask doctors and dentist for referrals, transfer needed prescriptions, medical records, etc.
• Pets
• Ask for referrals, transfer records, ask about regulations for licenses, vaccinations, tags, etc.

Before you move:

Simplify your life by leaving some of the load behind. Before you start packing, sort through your belongings and decide what can be sold, donated to charity or thrown away.

Start saving newspapers and boxes for packing.

If you plan to arrive in a new town before your home is ready to move in, make arrangements for interim lodging and storage.

Schedule repair, decoration or renovation work for the new home several weeks prior to the move so that messy or inconvenient work can be done before you unpack everything and get settled in.

Three weeks before the move, contact your local utility companies and arrange to have phone, electricity, water and gas services disconnected at the end of moving day. Arrange hookups in your new home.

Two weeks before moving day, arrange stop dates for pick-up and delivery services, including garbage and newspaper. Investigate these services in your new locale.

Two weeks before moving day, complete and mail change-of-address cards available at your local post office. When you pay your bills, remember to provide your new address.

If you're moving with pets, consult your veterinarian for special precautions.

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TIPS FOR A GOOD MOVE

Whether you're planning your first move or haven't moved for many years, a long-distance relocation can be an exciting, and sometimes unsettling, experience. You've probably already realized that there's so much to do-and so little time.

There are personal considerations-family ties, old friendships, and for many of us, what to do about children's schooling. At the same time, though, your move is most likely associated with an opportunity: a promotion; perhaps a new company; the change to assume greater responsibility; a new locale with a brand new lifestyle.

If you're a novice mover or even the most experienced transferee, these MOVING TIPS may help.

TIP #1: When using a long-distance mover, make a note of your shipment registration number and keep it with you in case you need to call your mover with questions about your shipment.

TIP #2: Designate one drawer of a dresser for sheets and towels so that you won't have to rummage through boxes for these essentials the first night in your new home.

TIP #3: If you need to store some of your goods, it's a good idea to tour the warehouse of the mover you're planning to use. Look for cleanliness, organization, security, etc.

TIP #4: After you've thoroughly cleaned and dried the inside of your refrigerator, put a handful of fresh coffee, baking soda or charcoal in a sock or nylon stocking and place it inside to keep the interior smelling fresh.

TIP #5: Pack your current phone book to take with you. You may need to make calls to residents or businesses back in your former hometown.

TIP #6: Pack heavy items in small boxes, light items in larger boxes.

TIP #7: Before the van foreman leaves for your destination residence, give him a phone number where you can be reached. It's also a good idea to provide him with an alternate contact in case you can't be reached.

TIP #8: Place pictures in boxes between sheets and blankets to give them added protection.

TIP #9: Plates and record albums should be packed on end vertically, rather than placed flat and stacked.

TIP #10: Before packing medicine and toiletry items, make sure that their caps and lids have been tightly secured.

TIP #11: Remove bulbs before packing your lamps.

TIP #12: Have a garage sale to make extra money and reduce the number of items to be moved.

TIP #13: In preparing for the garage sale, tag all items and be prepared to wheel and deal-garage sale gurus love to haggle.

TIP #14: To help with a child's transition, in addition to the room and contents, have children write their name and new address on the cartons from their rooms so they can become familiar with their new address before they get to their new home.

TIP #15: At destination, you might want to consider having the TV and VCR hooked up first to occupy the kids while the rest of the van is being unloaded.

TIP #16: Keep your pet calm and away from all the activity on moving day by arranging for a friend to watch your pet at their house.

TIP #17: When moving plants to your new residence via your car, try not to let foliage rest against the windows, as the leaves will scorch.

TIP #18: Upon arrival at your new home, let your PC "acclimate" itself to room temperature before plugging it in.