My hometown is Boston, but in the past 20 years I've lived in three countries (US, Britain and Australia) and two states, California and Massachusetts. In fact, I've moved to California twice!

Not only have I done a lot of long distance moving, but I've also done quite a few local moves as well so I think I'm something of a moving expert. Hopefully all the pain I've experienced doing one of the universe's most hated tasks -- moving -- will help you out.

This moving checklist is divided into three stages: before you move, during the move, and after the move. I hope you will find it helpful. If you have young children and they've never experienced the process of moving to a new home before, you also might want to take a look at a few of the book suggestions I have which can help kids with moving day and the transition to a new house.

• The US govt. has a great website on Preparing to Move, so be sure to visit and read their guides.
• Get estimates from several moving companies, and be sure to double-check their policies on damaged and lost goods. If you are considering the insurance options, make sure to go over specific liabilities and exclusions. I once "lost" a $2,000 piece of artwork during a move and the insurance didn't cover it because I didn't check every single little thing before the movers left my house.
• It's a good idea to also check with your local consumer affairs department Better Business Bureau to find out about the company's reputation. Just remember that not all consumers complain to the BBB so a quick Google search usually helps as well.
• Go over all the paperwork and details of your move with the moving company. Make sure you understand every aspect of the move and are available to oversee it from beginning to end. Make sure they have your new contact information and that you have their phone number on speed dial.

• Be there when the movers arrive at your house or apartment you are moving from in order to answer any questions or concerns that come up during the move. Also, make sure you arrive at the destination before they do so you can also supervise the "move in" part of the move. If you can't be there yourself, arrange for someone else to get to your new home before the movers arrive.
• Go over with the movers your estimate and other billing questions before and after the move. On virtually every single move I have undertaken, the price for the move has changed on moving day -- always in an upward direction. Sometimes this is unavoidable. You may find that you've underestimated just how many boxes you really needed and often there's furniture you were intending to sell, but ultimately decided to keep. Negotiate any increase. If the new quote is a result of the moving company's error, then stand firm and make sure they move you for the price they promised. Escalate the issue to the office, if necessary.
• Give the mover your contact numbers and make sure addresses and directions are correct. It's usually a good idea to have a cellphone with you. If you don't have one yourself, see if you can borrow one. Make sure you give that number to the driver of the van before he gets on the road.
• Take one last, thorough visit through the house to ensure you've moved everything! This is really crucial. I'm almost certain that the artwork I 'lost" was put onto the truck, but I think I'll always having a nagging doubt about it. So do one more walk-through once the truck has left.

Here are some other tips I share from personal experience:

If at all possible, try to arrange your move for a weekday. There will be less traffic in your neighborhood as long as its not rush hour. Also, try to avoid moving on the last possible day you can schedule a move. Sometimes the movers don't show up or show up hours later than expected. This is not fun and will lead to enormous amounts of stress and frustration if you need to get out TODAY.

You might consider transporting crucial items that you'll need right away in your own car. Once the move is done you are not going to feel like unpacking boxes or frantically searching for the box with towels, soap, toothbrushes, etc. So pack them like you are going on vacation and treat moving night as a night off. Order take-out and settle into your nice new home. You can always unpack tomorrow (or next year, if you're anything like me!)

• Settle with the movers according to your previous agreement. Usually, nothing will be moved off the truck until the bill is settled and this is why it is important to discuss everything when the movers arrive and not after they've put everything on the truck.
• Supervise and assist the movers in making sure everything is unloaded where it is supposed to be. LOOK INSIDE THE TRUCK and make sure nothing has been left behind.
• Make a brief inspection of your goods to assess any damage before the movers depart, but do not let them hurry you. If you've opted for insurance, then you will need to make sure you've counted and checked every single box because if problems are noticed after the movers have already left, you likely won't see a dime of compensation.