The stress of moving can seem overwhelming. There are dozens of tasks to accomplish and scores of things to keep track of. The good news is that a well-organized checklist can do wonders to manage all that information. This article details the best of the moving checklists online or in print.
Create one �Open Me First� box for each room.Kitchen:For complete packing tips, see http://www.Movers-Edge.com/Packing-Tips-s/1.htm. NOTE: Almost everyone under-estimates how much time it takes to pack, so start early and leave plenty of extra time.Notify current and future utility providers of your move date. Note when current security deposits will be refunded and how much is due when for the new ones. This includes:__ Library books (neighborhood and school)NOTE: It�s a good idea to schedule utility �turn on dates� at least one day prior to the move date and �turn off dates� at least one day after the move to allow for emergencies or issues that may arise. Confirm start time, current home address and future home address with movers.__ hammer__ Tools (borrowed or rented)__ DentistIRA�s, mortgage, safe deposit box, savings Take all garbage out of the house.� Are the air conditioning, fans, and heat turned off?__ batteries Start separating cherished items from the non-essential.__ Health clubsUse this checklist to help manage the details of your upcoming relocation, and enjoy your move!__ DoctorWith discounters generally slowing their tabletop and cookware upscaling efforts for fear of consumer backlash, buyers were especially glad to see the new wave in electrics that will help them shift department emphasis this year.__ Clothing lent to friends Set the date.__ Cell phone provider__ Local phone service__ Clothing at dry cleaners, tailors or in storage__ Eyeglasses__ bath mat Recruit friends for �moving day madness.�If you will be using professional movers, see http://www.Movers-Edge.com/Movers-s/2.htm for details on finding movers.Choose one or several vegetables and prepare as directed.__ Chiropractor__ frying pan and spatula__ Swimming pool membershipsHere are some final items to verify before shutting the door for the last time:__ shampoo Make sure you have enough cash. Most moving companies insist on being paid in cash before they unload a single box. Be sure have the correct amount with you with moving expenses, deposits, tips, and anything else you�ll need on moving day.Discounters are also projecting 15% volume growth in kd furniture, on the strength of computer desks, VCR stands and TV tables. "The electronics industry is driving the furniture business," said Clover buyer Jan Clausing. He noted further that European designs popular at chains the Conran's and IKEA have yet to dent full-line discounter assortments, where oak case goods are becoming increasingly popular.__ New business cardsTo serve, let sorbet stand at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes to soften slightly, then, with a heavy spoon, break into chunks. Whirl chunks in a food processor or beat with an electric mixer (start slowly, then beat faster as mixture softens) until a thick icy slush forms.Bring about 4 quarts water to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart pan. Immerse tomatoes, a few at a time, in boiling water for 15 to 30 seconds. Core tomatoes and pull off skins. Cut tomatoes in half horizontally and gently squeeze out seeds; discard seeds. Puree tomatoes in a blender or food processor, adding Worcestershire, cumin, celery salt, and liquid hot pepper. Season puree to taste with salt and pepper. Freeze according to preceding directions. Makes 2-1/2 cups; allow 1/4 to 1/3 cup per serving.__ Diaper serviceRecipes for grilled vegetables in soup and salad start on page 204. Directions for beet, carrot, celery, cucumer, and red bell pepper sorbets starts on page 206.Having small children and pets watched on Moving Day can eliminate a lot of stress and confusion on the big day, especially while taking care of all the other important details. Open bank accounts near your new address.__ Credit card issuers__ Cable/DSL modems Finish off packing for �non-living� rooms.Promising Area__ Old employerFor more succulent, evenly cooked results, blanch the vegetables first (except for the less dense mushrooms and peppers). If you do this ahead, it will shorten grilling time. You can blanch different vegetables in sequence using the same pot of water. If grilling vegetables raw, cook on cooler part of the grill to prevent drying and burning. Raw vegetables take about twice as much time to cook as blanched vegetables and require closer attention and more frequent turning.__ Business cards (order new ones)Eggplant. Cut off stem ends of slender Oriental eggplant or regular small eggplant (about 3/4 lb. each). Cut Oriental eggplant in half lengthwise, or regular eggplant lengthwise into 1-1/2-inch-thick wedges. Blanch 2 to 3 minutes.__ Packing tape__ Schools (BONUS: get copies of transcripts)__ Post office__ Swimming pool maintenance (pool cleaning, pool opening or closing)Things come up on moving day- make sure you have a way to stay in contact. q Be available for movers� questions. You need to be visible and available at all times- near the door is usually a good spot.__ hair dryer__ Cell phone serviceYou�ll need to access certain packed items almost immediately after you arrive, and they need to be packed together in special boxes (one per room) and marked with either bright red markers or special stickers so you can spot them easily. The specific rooms are:__ Three days� worth of changes of clothes Start a �change of address log.�Serve hot or at room temperature. If made ahead, cover and let stand at room temperature up to 4 hours, or cover and chill up to overnight. To reheat, place cold vegetables in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan; put in 350[deg.] oven until hot, 7 to 10 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow 2 or 3 whole vegetables per serving, about 2 pounds for 6 to 8 servings.== 1 Week Prior to Moving Day ==At minimum, file a Temporary Change of Address with the U.S. Post Office to buy you time before you notify everyone else. You can file online at http://www.MoversGuide.com or call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) (both have a $1 fee), or go to the local Post Office and complete form PS 3575.__ soap__ dish detergent__ Family members1 Day Prior to Moving DayOr you can freeze the vegetable puree in a self-refrigerated ice cream machine, following the manufacturer's directions.__ Long distance phone serviceMoving is stressful enough without waking up late and running around with movers waiting outside.__ Child care/ daycare__ Newspaper subscriptionsTomato Cocktail SorbetAt minimum, you will need:__ Water delivery service__ tea kettleEven if you�re only moving across the street, having a suitcase with the following, taken with you instead of on the moving truck if possible, will make things easier once you move in:__ bath towelsGrilled vegetables--hot and smoky== Moving Day ==__ House of worship� Is the water shut off, including to hoses? Perform final checks before leaving current home.__ Physical therapist__ Credit bureausVegetable sorbets--Cold and frosty__ House cleaning service__ Moving boxes__ Binder, 3-ring, at least �� wideBroccoli. Cut off tough ends of stalks and peel skins. Leave heads whole or, if heads are thicker than 2 inches, cut in half lengthwise. Blanch 2 to 3 minutes.__ duct tape__ Scissors or utility knifeMushrooms--button, shiitake, oyster. Place button mushrooms (1- to 1-1/2-in. caps) on skewers, threaded through stem. Cut off tough stems of shiitake. If using dry shiitake, soak in hot water until soft, about 20 minutes. Squeeze out water; trim off stems. Grill raw mushrooms whole, placing shiitake and oyster mushrooms, unskewered, directly on grill.Invite trusted friends over for a �Farewell Packing Party.� Provide free food and drinks, provide upbeat background music, and allow friends to tackle projects that require little supervision, such as packing books or pots and pans. Have friends take pictures and send you copies.__ Insurance providers (auto, health, life, other vehicles)The March show dates posed another problem, particularly for catalogers who'd virtually sewn up their next books. "It'd be very difficult to find a worse time for us," said H.J. Wilson dmm Richard Portno. "The November date will be in the middle of Christmas sales, but might help us schedule vendors and complete spring flyers."__ Courts, especially for traffic tickets or local disputesTo grill, coat raw or blanched vegetables with olive oil and fresh herbs. Place vegetables on a grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of hot coals (raw vegetables do better on slightly lower heat). Cook, turning often and brushing with as much oil as needed to keep moist, until vegetables are hot and covered with brown streaks, 4 to 6 minutes for blanched vegetables, 10 to 15 minutes for raw vegetables.However, like children eying a candy store window who've already spent their allowance, many buyers said they were cautious and restricted by still high housewares inventory levels which were crimping their open-to-buys.Create a change of address log by writing down who you receive mail from each day. Then contact those organizations with your change of address each morning or evening. This breaks up the task and helps make sure you aren�t missing important contacts.__ Cable/satellite television__ Cable/ satellite receiver boxes, remote controls, dishes__ BrokerWhile the turkey occupies the oven, use the freezer to make icy-cold vegetable sorbets, and use the barbecue to grill vegetables, giving them a light smoky flavor.__ level Make arrangements to retrieve items.Venture buyer James Whitehead expects them to sell well near H&BA, records and posters. Gold Circle and Fisher's Big Wheel buyers said they'll promote the blister-packed items during summer and back-to-school.If you're moving yourself, start recruiting friends, family, neighbors and co-workers well in advance. Offer free breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks for your workforce, and be sure to deliver as promised!Puree cored tomatillos (peeled or unpeeled) with chili and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Season puree to taste with salt and pepper. Freeze according to preceding directions. Makes 1-1/2 to 2 cups; allow 1/4 to 1/3 cup per serving.Here are some critical items to return prior to moving:__ Snow removal serviceGrilled Vegetables 2 pounds vegetables (choices follow; use one or several kinds) Water (optional) 1/3 cup olive oil or salad oil 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, fresh oregano, fresh rosemary, or fresh tarragon, or 2 teaspoons of the dry herbs Salt and pepper Start eating up perishable food from freezer and refrigerator.However, companies such as Black & Decker, Sunbeam, Norelco, Conair, Waring, Rival and Hamilton Beach--which led appliance introductions at the show--appeared to have enough working samples and mock-up packaging to present to buyers.__ Physician (BONUS: get referral for new location)__ Internet/broadband__ Passport__ Alumni associationsaccount) Recruit help for the move.__ Magazine subscriptionsPresent in slender glasses garnished with celery stalks; serve as first course or after the turkey. It also goes well with scrambled eggs and sausages for breakfast. Water 1-3/4 to 2 pounds ripe tomatoes (or 2 cups tomato juice) 1-1/2 teasponss Worcestershire 1/i teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon liquid hot pepper seasoning Salt and pepperUnderscoring retailer confidence in the new segment, BJ's Wholesale Club buyer Terry Gula will divert from warehouse operators' usual stance of selling established products only, and add B&D rechargeables. "Their marketing groundwork makes me comfortable resourcing these new items," he said.__ flat-head screwdriverAnd, Nichols last month took chainwide the West Bend cordless iron it was testing in six stores, said hard lines gmm Herb Kaltbaum. Make sure drivers have your cell phone number and you have theirs, along with their names.__ Toothbrush and toothpaste (if not in �Open Me First� box)Potatoes--Sweat, russet, thin-skinned; yams. Scrub well and cut lengthwise into 1-inch wedges. Blanch 4 to 5 minutes. Make arrangements to return items.If desired, blanch vegetables. Bring about 3 quarts water to boiling in a 6- to 8-quart pan. Add one type of vegetable (up to 1 lb. at at time.) When water returns to boiling, cook until vegetable is barely tender when pierced (see each choice for times). Lift out with tongs and plunge into cold water to cool quickly; lift out and drain in a colander. Repeat with remaining vegetables. (If made ahead, cool, cover, and chill up to 24 hours.)Summer squash--zucchini, crookneck, pattypan. Trim off stem ends. If thicker than 1 inch, cut in half lengthwise. Blanch 2 to 3 minutes.__ flashlightFreezing sorbets. Pour vegetables puree into an 8- to 9-inch pan. Cover airtight and freeze at 0[deg.] or colder until solid, at least 5 hours; it can then be stored as long as 4 weeks.K mart senior buyer Dennis Dorn disagrees, while alluding to a possible male market segmet for cordless: "What's the difference if you put batteries in a flashlight, or use a cordless knife to filet a fish by the lake."Bell peppers--red, yellow, and green; fresh pimientos. Cook raw whole peppers and pimientos directly on grill.__ Retirement plan holdersThe show date switching also upset some manufacturers. "The show isn't tied to buying seasons, nor to our product development schedules," said Conair new products marketing manager Larry Artz. "It'll be two years before we adjust."__ first-aid kit (aspirin, band-aids, hydrogen peroxide) Make sure everyone�s cell phone is fully charged.__ Pharmacy (BONUS: get year-to-date expense summary for taxes)__ scissors Get the essential moving supplies.__ tape measure Arrange for utility transfers.__ Propane__ Newsprint, packing peanuts or other cushioning materialThis year, the nation's unit sales of blood pressure kits will grow 30% and digital thermometers 300% because of falling prices which are attributable to factory automation and increased competition, said Sharp product planning manager Glen Weinberg.== 4 Weeks Prior to Move: Organizing ==Besides rechargeables, which discounters expect to forge 20% appliance sales growth in 1985, this year's big gainers will be microwave cookware, health care and kd furniture, buyers said.__ Something to read� Anything left in refrigerator, freezer, stove, drawer under stove, in closets, in bathroom, under porch, in garage, in attic, in crawlway?__ Babysitter/ child care providerDiscounters are less enthusiastic about SilverStone-lined microware which costs about $2 more than unlined goods. Gee Bee, for instance, eliminated its assortment several months ago. Nichols dmm Bernie Solomon noted no need for that trade-up because "microware cleans like a dish, and most people use microwaves for reheating only. Nonstick surfaces might be useful on roasting pans, on which food might get hot enough to stick." Start early.Conair's Artz said the unrebated line is meant to be high margin at $12.99. "It's impulse. A person who wants a purple dryer will pay for it. If someone thinks he'll sell more at $10.99, he's nuts. This costs less than a double album."� Did you pack your hoses and sprinklers? Make arrangements for child and/or pet sitting.Tool room or drawer:== 2 Weeks Prior To Moving ==__ Parent-teacher associationOnions--red, yellow, white. Cut small unpeeled onions in half lengthwise, large peeled onions in quarters; thread through layers onto slender skewers. Grill onions raw. Or first blanch unpeeled halves 3 to 4 minutes; if large, peel, cut in half again, and skewer.Vendors tempted discounters with bursts of new rechargeable appliances, under-cabinet blenders and glassware packaging concepts; more freezer-to-microwave cookware, and neon blues, reds, pinks and purples in personal care and tabletop.Despite notable exceptions such as Caldor, Venture, Wal-Mart and Gee Bee with unhampered open-to-buys, buyers from most full-line and catalog chains said they'd be particularly selective about adding to assortments in 1985. They don't want a rerun of last quarter's promotional markdown bath, which was caused by overbuying for Christmas.Be sure to retrieve any of the following items:__ Clothing (borrowed)__ Electricity__ coffee maker (don�t forget the filters!)__ Luggage tags (replace existing ones)__ AttorneysIf desired, remove skins from the tomatillos: bring about 3 quarts water to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart pan; immerse tomatillos, a few at a time, in boiling water for 15 to 30 seconds; core and pull off skins.__ Sewer__ Return address labels (order new ones)On top of that, chains such as S. E. Nichols, Gee Bee and distributors Outlet are promoting 16- and 20-piece Brazlian ironstone sets at about $10, and T.G. & Y. imports 20-piece stoneware sets to sell at $19.99 daily. To stem further encroachment by imports, which grew to 52% of dinnerware volume in 1984, Corning has dropped prices 20%-41% and introduced a stoneware-look line, said Hal McMenamin, up-marketing and sales.__ Carpet shampooerFirst-course options include serving tart and chili-warm tomatillo sorbet in halves of avocados or in small cups to go with hot or cold shrimp. About 1 pound tomatillos, papery husks removed Water 1 fresh or canned jalapeno chili, stem and seeds removed 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves Salt and pepper� Are the keys and garage door openers for current home turned in or left on the kitchen counter?__ Banks (auto loans, checking accounts, credit cards, home equity,You may want to open a new safe deposit box at the same time, and move all vital papers and/or jewelry into the box in advance. That way you don�t have to worry about them on moving day. Notify specific people of your change of address. Some of the people who might need your change of address include:You can make a moving organizer for all your important notes, receipts, and important information by getting:The trade-ups buyers said will work in 1985 are in kitchen electrics, particularly rechargeables which will be touted as part of B&D's $100 million 18-month brand transition campaign and Sunbeam's $42 million advertising plan for the second half.Mondays � Thursdays are your best choices so that banks and offices are open in case you have a problem.__ Unwanted purchases Hold a yard sale.__ WaterAnchor Hocking also received lukewarm response to its packages for bulk glassware, intended to save front-end wrapping time and shelf space. Many buyers said promotional 18- and 24-piece sets were becoming more important than bulk for presentation and value. "Singles are too costly pwe piece, and too low a total sale for us to stress," said Nichols' Solomon.Vegetable sorbets have the best texture when softly frozen--just after they are beaten into slush. At this point, they can be held in the freezer up to 20 minutes until serving. If stored longer, cover; let sorbet stand at room temperature until you can break it up with a spoon. If desired, you can whirl or beat the sorbet again. Because sorbets melt quickly, serve in small cups or in the containers suggested with each recipe.
Use this checklist to help manage the details of your upcoming relocation, and enjoy your move!
Author: T. Scott Clendaniel
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