• You need to decide whether you're going to hire a removal company or if you are going to personally move yourself. You'll need to consider the distance involved, the volume of your home inventory and the costs.
• If you do decide to use a removal company, choose a reputable one.
• Be sure that all your expectations are made clear upfront, establish what these expectations are and what the removal company offers
• Discuss the cost of the move. Does it include boxes and packing, and insurance if anything is damaged or misplaced? Insurance cover is normally an optional extra. Your ooba home finance expert can also advise you on an oobainsure plan that will cover the contents of your home while they're in transit - or in storage.

 Things to do 

• Cancel the household insurance on your old house and be sure that your new house is covered.
• Hire packing boxes if they are not supplied by the removal company.
• Start packing things you don't often use. It's easier to pack one room at a time.
• This is a good time to clear out items that are no longer used. Perhaps consider donating them to a charity.
• Arrange for the final reading of your electricity, telephone and other services.
• Arrange to have the electricity, telephone and other services connected at your new home, in advance, so that when you move in, it'll be livable.
• Cancel deliveries of any newspapers, milk, bread, and so on - or arrange for them to be transferred to your new address.
• Do not stock up on frozen food, as you must defrost your fridge and freezer for the move.

 Moving tips

• Mark and list your boxes to show which room they must go to, so they can be taken there immediately.
• Boxes that contain breakables should be marked "Fragile".
• Draw up a plan of where you would like your furniture placed, so that you don’t have to move it yourself later.
• On the day of the move, pack essentials - like a kettle, tea, coffee, cold drink, some snack food, cups, plates, matches, paper-towel, knife, tin-opener, light bulbs, toilet paper, screwdriver and candles. Keep these items on you - together with any valuables, cash and the keys to the new house.
• The day before you move, back up your computer. Keep the back-up discs on you, or give them to a friend for safe-keeping. Preferably, leave your hard-drive with a reliable friend or neighbour.
• If you have irreplaceable items that have sentimental value - like photo albums and heirloom china, leave them with a reliable friend.
• On the day of the move, turn off all electrical appliances and take note of any readings.
• Arrange with the post office to have your post redirected to your new address. 

Checklist: who to notify 

• the local electricity and telephone departments  -  companies handling your life insurance and assurance policies
• any rental companies with whom you have agreements - eg. TV, M-Net, security
• your doctor, dentist, optician and other healthcare providers
• your employer
• friends, family, domestic and gardening staff, your child's school
• your bank
• the post office - they need your change of address 

Emergency Telephone Numbers 

Be sure that when you move in, you have all the emergency telephone numbers relevant to your new area.   

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