When you make the decision to move to a different part of the country, you'll certainly have a lot on your plate before the big day. In addition to hiring a moving company, packing up your belongings and saying goodbye to your loved ones, you'll need to ensure that your house will have everything your family needs to transition into your new home. If you need a list of pre-moving tasks to finish off, the following tips could help you avoid any potential problems when you move in.

Set Up Your Electricity

To ensure that you're not paying the previous owners' bills and that everything works correctly when it's time to move in, consider contacting your new electric company beforehand. Provide them a date when you'll be in the house to make sure that all of your lighting and other appliances will be in working order.

Get Your Home Heating System Checked

Inquire with your real estate agent or the previous tenant to see whether you'll need a home heating oil or natural gas purchase in the coming months. This is one less job that you'll have to work on.

Hire A Landscaper

With all of the tasks you'll have to worry about after your move, yard work is probably not at the top of your list. Hiring a landscaper in the late fall will ensure that your lawn and the rest of your yard is in tip-top shape when spring rolls around.

Before your trusted moving company loads up all of your belongings, you'll have to prepare everything to be moved by storing it in boxes. It's a good idea to label each container so you can stay organized during the packing and unpacking process - here are a few tips.

Mark it Stark

You want your labels to be noticeable and have a stark contrast to the brown box. Use a dark permanent marker with a wide tip. You can also get bright spray paint and apply it to the boxes before filling them.

Keep it Cautious

While boxes full of clothes don't have to be handled gingerly, some of your belongings need to be moved with extreme care. Alert the movers by applying a "fragile" label in thick black letters.

Prioritize

You may want to unpack certain belongings first, such as your electronics and valuables. You can prioritize the boxes by applying labels or tags. You can either buy them or make your own using construction paper or colored tape. Make a key that indicates what color is most important and have a ranking.

One of the things you leave behind when moving to a new city is a close and trusting relationship with your dentist. Check out these three websites to help you find a new dentist you can trust after moving to a new city with the help of a long distance moving company.

1. The American Dental Association is the country's leading advocate for oral health. While the organization primarily serves dentists and other dental professionals, it nevertheless contains a wealth of information for consumers seeking dentistry advice. Its sister website, MouthHealthy.org, has an easy search function for finding an ADA-accredited dentist in your area. Both websites feature tons of other resources including age-specific dentistry concerns, the latest industry news, and diagnostic information.

2. Befitting its simple and straightforward name, 1800Dentist.com is a comprehensive and user-friendly directory featuring thousands of quality dentists from around the country. You can filter your search down to specifics, such as checkup and cleaning or full surgery, as well as insurance and payment options. A small news and features section consists of articles that provide lifestyle information on how users can improve their oral health on their own.

3. AmericaSmiles.com prides itself on its specialist listings. While the website contains an impressive listing of general practitioner dentists, it also allows users to screen for specialists in their area who focus on more complicated procedures, such as periodontics, cosmetic surgery and prosthodontics. An "Ask the Dentist" section collects frequently asked questions from people regarding dental care, perhaps even eliminating your immediate need for a dentist if you can take care of the problem on your own.

One of the most exciting things about moving to a new city is having a new home to show off. Make sure that a top long distance moving company has completely unpacked all your belongings and you've put them all away before checking out these tips to throw an awesome housewarming party.

1. The highlight of any housewarming party is the tour of the new house, so be sure to have a plan in mind for just how to handle this. According to PurpleTrail.com, if you're conducting the tour yourself, you'll need to have other family members to answer the door, welcome guests and entertain the other partygoers. As an added bonus, keep a few neat details that you want to show off in mind, like a unique decoration or an interesting backstory.

2. Polite guests are likely to bring housewarming gifts to your party, so be prepared for this. CasaSugar.com recommends setting one table aside and keeping it clear to display gifts. This not only keeps the place clutter-free but also gives other curious guests a chance to check out what presents other people bought. As an added tip, unless you know the value of a bottle of wine, set those gifts aside, lest the giver becomes offended that you're pouring an expensive vintage so liberally.

3. Apartment Therapy suggests party proofing your house, especially if most of the festivities will be taking place in a small area or if kids are involved. Rearrange furniture so that guests are less likely to bump into them and be sure to remove all breakable items and valuables from plain view or from vulnerable positions. After all, you wouldn't want to lose or break something just as you've unpacked it.

According to Allied Van Lines’ 43rd Annual Magnet States Report, more individuals and families chose to settle deep in the heart of Texas than anywhere else in the United States in 2010. This hasn’t come as a shock, as Texas has been the No. 1 destination state for six years in a row, according to Allied’s report, which tracks U.S. migration patterns.

Texas had the highest net relocation gain of 1,640, which is defined as inbound moves minus outbound moves performed by Allied Van Lines. Colorado came in second place, with net relocation gains of just over 400 and Florida, South Carolina and Arizona rounded out the top five states with the largest net relocation gains.

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