Americans suffer from a

terminal case of wanderlust - studies show

that the average American life includes 11 moves.

Unfortunately, moving also can inject a strong

dose of chaos and mayhem into your life.

"The idea of

moving is enough to get anyone's heart

pounding," says Richard Roll, president of

American Homeowners Association (AHA). "But

remember, you know your home and your possessions

and you have a moving date. Those elements are

the beginning of a plan what will help get you,

your family, and your belongings into a new home,

intact."

First, try to avoid

moving during the summer months. This is the most

crowded time of year when most moving takes

place.

If you must move

during the summer, try to schedule your move for

mid-month, when moving companies and rental

agencies are not as busy.

If you are doing

the packing yourself, work out a general schedule

for when certain rooms should be packed.

Begin hoarding

boxes! The photocopy center in your office

building, as well as grocery and department

stores are good places to find them, especially

after the stores have completed inventory and

before the boxes are thrown out.

The Internet is a

good source for information on packing tips. Most

moving companies provide packing tips on their

Web sites. Look for specific details about how to

pack different household items, from fragile

artwork to bulky lawn mowers.

The American Moving

and Storage Association (AMSA) is the industry

guild that certifies movers and provides

professional standards for members. These movers

have agreed to a Code of Conduct that requires

"complete disclosure of moving information

to consumers, written estimates of charges,

timely service and prompt response to claims and

complaints."

Ask your potential

moving company if it is a member of AMSA, or

check the AMSA website's membership list www.moving.org .

It is easy to get

stressed out when uprooting your life from one

house to another, but moving is simply a series

of tasks that need to be accomplished by a

certain date.

The easiest way to

eliminate moving stress is to make a schedule

that includes all the tasks, and stick to it.

For more

information on any aspect of buying, selling or

owning a home, go to www.ahahome.com or www.realhome.com , the web sites for

American Homeowners Association.