The countdown continues… only two more weeks until our move! Here is what is on tap for us this week:

Make Travel Plans
It will be a twelve hour drive from here to our new home. Because we will be traveling with two dogs and a baby, we are planning to break up the trip. Therefore, I will need to go ahead and make a hotel reservation this week for the night that we are on the road. 
Service Cars
It is definitely a good idea to make sure that our vehicles are in good working order. That means I will need to take both of our cars in for an oil change. While I am there, I will have them check the tires, brakes, windshield wipers, fluid levels, etc. The last thing that we need is to have car trouble while we are on the road!
Prepare Household Items
We will need to prepare all of our household goods for the move. Mayflower provides a guide to assist with this. The following suggestions are taken directly from the Mayflower website:
-Federal law requires that you dispose of flammables such as fireworks, cleaning fluids, matches, acids, chemistry sets, aerosol cans, ammunition, and poisons such as weed killer. Drain fuel from your power mower and other machinery. Discard partly used cans of oil, paint thinner, bleach, or any other substances that may be flammable or combustible, or those stored in containers that may leak.
-Discard propane tanks which are used for barbecue grills.
-Set an appointment with a service technician to prepare your major appliances for shipment- or have your agent send someone out who is authorized to perform this service.
-Set a date for having utilities disconnected. If possible, plan to keep utilities in service through moving day.

            -Have rugs and draperies cleaned. Leave both wrapped when they are returned from the             cleaners.

-Obtain a written appraisal of antique items to verify value. Avoid waxing or oiling wooden antiques (and fine wood furniture) before moving because some products might soften the wood, making it vulnerable to imprinting from furniture pads.
-Do not clean your upholstered furniture before moving. Moisture could cause mold if furniture must be placed in storage.

Saying Goodbye

With only two weekends left here, it is time to start saying our goodbyes. Because we are so far from home, our friends have truly become like family to us, so saying goodbye is no easy task.  A great way to say goodbye to friends is to host an open house, host an informal dinner, or have a barbecue. 
All of this should keep us busy this week! I look forward to touching base again next time! 
Until then, have a great week!
Elizabeth