What, When, and Where Decisions
Before you call a moving company, decide: What, When, and Where...early in the planning. What's the best way to dispose of items you don't want in your new home? Identify furnishings that won't fit and things your family has outgrown. What furnishings will you replace within two months? Keep receipts if you give to charity. Try to arrange your move during the least busy period of the month. A high percentage of moves occur during the last week of the month and in the summer.

Who Will Move You?
Before you decide whether to move yourself or to have a professional move you, answer these five questions:
• Do you have adequate physical strength and endurance?
• Do you have at least two helpers, one who is stronger than you?
• Can you be sure to have adequate time off work to complete the move on schedule?
• Will your homeowner's policy cover potential loss in case of accident en route?
• Can you carry everything through doorways and up stairs without damage?

Packing for Your Move
Packing is both art and science—art in combining just the right items in each box so that they arrive damage-free, science in producing an inventory that enables you to quickly find anything you need at a moment's notice after arriving in your new home. Some helpful hints:
• When possible, combine items that will go together in your new home.
• Pack heavy items in smaller, heavy-duty cartons.
• Clearly mark room destination on top and at least one side of each carton.
• Remember, your mover won't know which child is which, so tag bedroom boxes with BR-1 or BR-2 and tape the same tags on appropriate bedroom doors.

Be sure to have these items readily available:
• Children's health records (schools require proof of immunization)
• Documentation for your lender, including back tax returns, last two pay stubs, and bank statements for the last
   six months.

Some items should be moved with you:
• Family records
• Passports
• Insurance, health, and other related paperwork
• Photo albums

Don't Forget! Pets, Plants, and Perishables:
• Moving is especially tough on pets. Have them groomed on moving day and make plans early for their transit to your new home.
• Some states don't permit plants to cross the state line. Plan to give away your plants to people you know will care for them.
• Four weeks prior to moving, begin the process of reducing your freezer's contents to avoid throwing out large quantities of food.

Records, Valuables, Notifying Utilities
Notify utilities and others before the move. Check this list of businesses to be notified. Gather memorabilia and make plans to move them as carefully as possible. Do the same for records from the following:
• Business, social organizations
• Country, boat, or sports clubs
• Credit card companies, banks
• Diplomas, school records
• Electric power company
• Family genealogies, pictures
• Health-care providers
• Accountants or tax preparers
• Local telephone company
• Long-distance telephone company
• Magazine subscriptions, book clubs
• Natural gas supplier
• Religious organizations
• Stock brokers, mutual funds
• Cable company
• Water company

Moving Ideas for Kids
For the younger members of your family, moving can be upsetting. Communicate openly and realistically with all family members as early as possible. Here are some other helpful hints you can use: Tell children what is happening and include them in the process of selecting the new home, if possible. If children feel included in the decision-making process and "take ownership" of their new home, the transition will be easier.
• Don't try to get rid of children's favorite items at this time, even though it might make moving simpler.
• Don't throw away personal stuff behind a child's back.
• Negotiate what goes and what stays.
• Bring pictures from the new home and school, as well as special things about the area, according to
   their interests.
• Ask the new coach, scout leader, teacher, etc., to call your child.
• Don't forget grandparents, cousins, and your extended family, close friends of adults and children. Share the
   excitement and responsibilities.
If every family member takes responsibility for an age-appropriate part of the move, yours can be an easy move.

Additional Tips
Prudential Home Connections offers you two exciting magazines to help you and your kids through the moving process. The EasyMoves magazine is designed to help you organize, understand, and facilitate the entire process from selling your existing home and buying a new one, to moving tips, decorating ideas, and assistance with furniture placement. The EasyMoves for Kids magazine is a fun packet with colorful pages full of puzzles, mazes, maps, and stickers to help make the transition easier for kids.

To request a complimentary copy of the EasyMoves magazine or the EasyMoves for Kids magazine, simply e-mail us your request.