Beat the stress of moving by staying ahead of the game. Be prepared for the big day with this handy checklist for new home buyers:

• Book your movers: Compare estimates, check references, and decide if you’ll be hiring the movers for extras like packing and furniture disassembly/reassembly.
• Decide how you will move your pets.
• Visit your local post office to pick up change-of-address cards, and arrange to have your mail forwarded to your new address.
• Inform regular services such as landscapers, newspaper delivery persons, housekeepers, etc. of your move and cancel or transfer services.
• Arrange to have your medical, dental, and pharmacy records transferred as necessary, and cancel or transfer any local memberships to clubs, boards, and associations.
• Change the address on your driver’s license and other identification, and inform your bank or credit card company of a billing address change. These changes should be effective as of the closing date. 
• Arrange for the gas, electricity, cable, internet, and phone lines to be connected on the closing date.

If you currently own:

• Inform your gas, electric, and water providers of your closing date so that you can have your metres read on that date and the final bill forwarded to your new home. 
• Oil tanks should be read and closed before the closing date.
• If any items in the home are rented such as water heaters, furnaces, or water softeners, arrange to have rental agreements transferred to the new owner on the closing date.
• Arrange disconnection of your telephone and cable, and manually disconnect your water softener. 

If you currently rent:

• Give written notice to your landlord as per your lease agreement, and arrange to have any deposits returned to you or negotiated for damage, cleaning, or penalties.