Things to Do before Signing Contracts and before Moving Day

This is the last in my series about moving and buying another house with your spouse. Before you sign a contract, check how far it is to schools, shopping, doctors and transport facilities. Check out how long it will take you and your spouse to get to work and to church. After you have found a house and area you like, come back a few times at night at varying times of the day to scope out the neighborhood and make sure all is quiet. If you know people in that area talk to them about how they find things. … Continue reading

8 Essentials When Moving House

Moving house with your spouse can be a frustrating time but it will go smoother of you take note of the suggestions on this checklist. 1. Make sure you and your spouse are in agreement about moving and where you want to move to. It sounds obvious but isn’t always the case. 2. Consider your financial situation, Decide what you can afford in house price or for rent and then stick to it or as close to it as possible. Don’t be tempted by houses far outside your price range. 3. Study the market so you know what a reasonable … Continue reading

Weekly Pet Health Checklist

We spend a lot of time with our pets — after all, we share the same living space! But frequent contact can make it easy to miss subtle changes in health or behavior. This weekly health checklist can help you keep on top of your pet’s well being. A weekly health check is also a good way to get your pet used to being handled regularly! Is your pet acting “normal” — are they active and in general good spirits? Is your pet sleeping as much as he usually does? Does your pet move without stiffness, pain, or limping? Is … Continue reading

Four Questions to Ask Your Moving Company

When it comes time to make a move to a new home, one of the scariest things to do is to find a moving company that you can trust. Everyone has horror stories to share about bad situations they have been in with the movers that they selected. I have heard tales of movers damaging or losing belongings, or worse, outright stealing or holding items hostage until an inflated fee is paid. This makes it hard to feel secure about hiring movers. Each year there are, in fact, thousands of complaints filed against disreputable moving companies. How can you protect … Continue reading

Into the Woods: Our Diary of Buying, Flipping and Moving Into Our First House

I brazenly admit–I’m a city girl. I love the fact that I can run about ten different errands without getting into my car. I love that there’s always something going on. I love the cultural influences that my kids have had by living in a multi-ethnic neighborhood. I love that I get to use my Spanish and French on a regular basis. I love that we live where history happens. . .that everyone wants to know what’s happening here. I love that my children have enjoyed top notch art schools. I love that we live next to dozens of world … Continue reading

Tips for Moving Day

Well, it is finally approaching! It’s going to be moving day. If you are planning a move, you have got to be both excited and overwhelmed. We made a move last year, and I thought I would never get done with everything. And of course, there are things that I wish we would have done differently. With my mistakes in mind (and also the things that did work well), here are some tips for moving day. Designate one person to stay at home with the movers. If you are closing on a new house the same day and need to … Continue reading

Moving Checklist Continued

Congratulations on your move! We are counting down all of the thing you need to do before the big day. If you missed the earlier article, click here: Moving Checklist. We started out preparing at six weeks before the move, now we are down to the wire. Here is the rest of the list. 2 weeks before the move Clean out your pantry. Plan out using items from your pantry to make your meals for the next two weeks. Separate out any food items that you won’t be using and consider donating them to a food bank or giving them … Continue reading

Moving Checklist

Planning a move? Here is a checklist of what you need to do. 8 weeks before the move Set a date for a garage or estate sale, or make arrangements for a donation pick up. Contact your children’s new school to find out how to register. Ask the old school to begin the transfer process and make any paperwork requests. Contact your insurance companies to notify them of your move date and any changes if applicable. Start your move file with folders (either on your computer or in a file folder or binder. Include a to do list, and sections … Continue reading

Fire Your Maid Service and Get Your Family Cleaning

Admittedly, I wouldn’t say no to maid service, if it was free that is. Since it isn’t I have to rely on myself and my family to do the cleaning. Getting three kids to clean is a chore in itself, even when just has to do with cleaning up after themselves. Still, I’d rather have train the family to clean than pay for a maid. Plus, this way, my kids get some valuable real-life lessons, thrown in. Routine is Everything Establish some cleaning routines, and cleaning won’t take up so much time. It is easier to do a quick wipe … Continue reading

Dog Days of Summer: Pets on Vacation

Pet owners face a unique situation when making our summer travel plans: we have to worry about our pets. Do we only go places where we can take our pets, or do we try to find care for them while we’re away? Website Pet Relocation released its third annual Summer Pet Travel Survey. They found that 70% of the people questioned plan to travel with their pets. If you want to take your animals along with you on vacation this summer, there are a few things you have to consider. Make sure you can bring your animal with you where … Continue reading