Residential Moving Tips - Part 8 of 20

• You are not allowed to pack: perishable food items, combustible or corrosive liquids,batteries, explosives, flammables, gases, aerosol cans, chlorinated hydrocarbons in decorative lamps and they will no longer ship propane tanks.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

Nelson Mandela

Residential Moving Tips - Part 7 of 20

• You can have your valuable and expensive items appraised before hand. Do not ship small valuable items, it would be better to pack them in your suitcase.

• You will need to disconnect all your electrical equipment before the movers get there. You can tie the cords and color code them with ribbon- blue for computer, red for stereo etc...place all your remote controls in one area.

• Depends on your mover if they will pack candles. Make sure you wrap them in paper towels and bag them. Seal in a shoe box. They have been known to melt, so make sure you at least bag them.

Relocating Tips

By Ross Bainbridge
Relocating is a major decision, especially when an entire family moves from one city to another. It has an impact on the financial status, daily routine of an individual and his or her contacts with friends and family. The cost of living is higher in many cities, giving rise to the need for a bigger pay packet. A thorough study of the job market is essential. Though employment opportunities may be plentiful, due consideration must be given to finding a job appropriate to ones qualifications.

Whether relocating to a nearby city or far across continents, the service of a relocation specialist is desirable. They have in-depth knowledge of all aspects of relocation and can make moving a pleasant experience. Relocation specialists provide valuable information related to the destination and relieve the stress of moving to a new environment. They also provide assistance on mortgage and destination assessments. The Web is the best place to find and compare relocation specialists.

Moving can be a trying time for many children. Often, family and friends are left behind. Children should be made to feel included in the relocation process and be made fully aware of where they are going. By being part of the relocation process, a child feels more involved and informed, reducing their levels of tension and fear. It is essential to ease their transition into a new home. Giving priority to their rooms, letting them join community organizations and escorting them to school in the initial stages of relocation, gives them a feeling of security.

On arrival in a new city, it is best to make use of the telephone directory and the Yellow Pages to locate local retailers, grocery stores, government agencies, and service providers. The local motor vehicle office must be approached for vehicle registration and a driver's license. Prior to reporting for a new job, it is important to unpack, relax and get acquainted with neighbours. Often, when people relocate, they have a need for interim housing. Realtors assist people find suitable interim or permanent homes.

Strategic planning and research on the city of one’s choice can ward off problems and minimize potential headaches involved with relocation. If planned well, moving can be an exciting and memorable experience.

Relocating provides detailed information on Relocating, Relocating Tips, Relocating Overseas and more. Relocating is affiliated with NYC Moving and Storage.

Residential Moving Tip - Part 6 of 20

• Empty and clean your trash bins, they will pack them, as is, if you don't.

• Set aside uniforms and your children's special blankets, so they will not get packed by accident.

• Plan ahead as to how you want things unpacked at the other end. If you have baskets all over the house and you want them all together at the other end, put them in one area so they are packed together.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

Most people fail in life because they major in minor things.

Anthony Robbins

Residential Moving Tips - Part 5 of 20

• Knobs and drawer pulls can be removed, placed in a cloth pouch and taped inside a drawer.

• You can take pictures out of their frames, so that you can hand carry them if you prefer. You can hand carry or mail irreplaceable mementos to avoid damage or loss.

Happy New Year 2008

Happy New Year . . . now it's back to work!!

Happy New Year to All

Wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year in 2008 from management and staff at Magic Movers Interstate Furniture Removals.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

"You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world."

Tom Brokaw

Merry Christmas

A very Merry Christmas to all our clients and to our suppliers and all your families from all the staff at Magic Movers Interstate Furniture Removals!!

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

Theodore Roosevelt

Residential Moving Tips - Part 4 of 20

• Place all your clean linens and clothes in a scented trash bag and tie it closed.

• Plan ahead and set aside items that you want immediately at your new house. Items like bed linens, paper products, plastic cups, bowls, and spoons. A couple of videos and small TV/with video player and a few paperback books. Light bulbs, kitchen items and a corded telephone are usually good items for this box. The packers can leave you an empty box and mark it the next day.

• Tape the ends of all board games, puzzles, anything with lots of pieces. Place small toys in Zip-loc bags.

Residential Moving Tips - Part 3 of 20

• You can have the Post Office hold your mail until you get to your new address and then send the card forward to them.

• Use large Zip-loc bags to organize your drawers. Place all your eating utensils, junk drawer etc into these bags or you will have a big mess when you unpack.

• Clean all appliances that aren't used often and place them in a trash bag.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

Success is steady progress toward one's personal goals.

Jim Rohn

Residential Moving Tips - Part 2 0f 20

• Videotape all electrical equipment while turning them on and off, this will document them in good working condition. Videotape your entire household too.

• Write down all the serial numbers to your big ticket items. You can also write down how many videos, cd's and DVD's that you have. Make a copy so the movers will have this available.

• Clean out drawers, cabinets and closets before your move is scheduled. Defrost freezers and don't forget to drain your washer and disconnect dryer hose.

• Call your current cable, electric, gas and phone companies to give them a cut off date.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

What I know is, is that if you do work that you love, and the work fulfills you, the rest will come.

Oprah Winfrey

Residential Moving Tips - Part 1 0f 20

• Buy a notebook with folders and make a list of things to do a head of time.

• If you take medication on a daily basis, make sure you have plenty to get through your move.

• Buy a file box for: all important papers, shot records, power of attorney, insurance, wills, copies of your orders, taxes, school records, medical and dental records (if they let you) for all, including pets. Keep that with you and put it in your car on moving day.

• Do not close your checking account until you get your direct deposit switched. Most places will not accept a cheque.

• Take your current phone book with you and order a phone book and map for the area that you are moving to.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

"Losers live in the past. Winners learn from the past and enjoy working in the present toward the future."

Denis Waitley

Choosing a Lawyer: Avoiding the Pitfalls and Selecting the Right Lawyer for Your Needs – Part 7

There is no sure-fire method for selecting legal counsel. The decision often depends on many intangible factors that vary from person to person, and case to case. But that is probably as it should be, for the decision to hire a lawyer is intensely personal.

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You are trusting the attorney with your legal affairs, which may involve some of the most intimate aspects of your life. In the end, you should devote at least as much attention to picking the right lawyer as you would to picking out the right car.

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You can, after all, ride around quite nicely in a car that is not quite the color you wanted, or has less trim that you would have preferred. But entrusting your affairs to the wrong lawyer can prove disastrous to your legal well-being...and quite expensive, besides.

Jeffrey Caminsky, a veteran public prosecutor in Michigan, specializes in the appellate practice of criminal law and writes on a wide range of topics. Both his science fiction adventure novel The Star Dancers, the first volume in the Guardians of Peace (tm) science fiction adventure series, and The Referee’s Survival Guide, a book on soccer officiating, are published by New Alexandria Press, http://www.newalexandriapress.com/.

Choosing a Lawyer: Avoiding the Pitfalls and Selecting the Right Lawyer for Your Needs – Part 6

Questions to Ask:

Many questions arise from the nature of your legal problem, others from the nature of the profession. If you are trying to incorporate your business, for example, you will need answers to different questions that if you are accused of drunk driving.
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But there are some questions that all clients will need to know. And you should not hire someone to act as your lawyer without asking questions—and getting answers—on a number of important, if ordinary topics:

• Fees—that is, how much the attorney will charge for his services

• Costs—that is, how many “other fees” you are likely to be billed for, such as mileage, photocopying, legal filing fees, and the like.

• The precise limits of the lawyer’s duties—and what, if any, responsibilities you will have during the course of the representation.

• Whether the attorney will be handling your case personally...or giving it to an associate after you leave the office.

• And last, but not least—whether they have every been disciplined by the state bar association.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.

William Arthur Ward

Choosing a Lawyer: Avoiding the Pitfalls and Selecting the Right Lawyer for Your Needs – Part 5

Comfortable

Trust is critical to a good attorney-client relationship. Yet your level of “comfort” with an attorney will be highly subjective...and quite possibly very unfair to the lawyer. Still, most people have good instincts about others.

lIf you don’t trust him, you should not entrust him with your legal affairs. And if something about him or his practice strikes you as not quite right, you should probably trust your instincts and go elsewhere.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

Albert Einstein

Choosing a Lawyer: Avoiding the Pitfalls and Selecting the Right Lawyer for Your Needs – Part 4

Experienced

Besides being professional and articulate, be sure to pick a lawyer with experience in the field for which you need the help. Some states have specialty certification programs; others do not. But unless your problem is routine paper-processing, an attorney who lacks experience in the field will have a poor feel for the nuances and subtleties of a problem, and may cause avoidable complications while trying to resolve things to your satisfaction.

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A brilliant securities lawyer is likely to founder if called upon to defend a murder case; by contrast, the best courtroom defense lawyer is likely to be lost if called upon to handle a tax matter in front of the tax department.
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You should also find out about the lawyer’s professional credentials, especially if your prospective attorney does not bring it up himself during conversation. Lawyers are bound by attorney-client privilege not to reveal anything about the legal affairs of another client. That does not prevent them from telling you about other cases they have worked on, or about their professional background.

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Remember, though, that the law school they attended is usually less important than the kind of work they have done since. After all, very fine lawyers come from every law school in the country, and Yale and Harvard have produced their share of fools. Attending Harvard assures you that they got good grades in college, and are very bright.

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It says nothing about their professional ethics, and is no guarantee that they have an ounce of common sense.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

I live to laugh, and I laugh to live.

Milton Berle

Choosing a Lawyer: Avoiding the Pitfalls and Selecting the Right Lawyer for Your Needs - Part 3

Well-spoken

Part of every lawyer’s job is communicating—either explaining options and risks to the client, or persuading a judge or adversary of the merits of a case. They should be well-spoken, and willing to communicate effectively on your level.
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Lawyers who hide behind legal jargon may be quite competent, but they may also be hiding their incompetence behind a lot of words that non-lawyers and other normal people would never use in ordinary conversation. If a lawyer cannot explain legal concepts to you in language that you can readily understand, it is likely that he does not understand it very well, himself.

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Lawyers often need to use jargon in court, when dealing with other judges or other lawyers; there is rarely a need to do so with a client.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot.

Plato

Choosing a Lawyer: Avoiding the Pitfalls and Selecting the Right Lawyer for Your Needs – Part 2

Professionalism

Regardless of the trade or profession, you usually know when you meet true professionals. They are completely at ease in their environment; they act in a way that seems natural and appropriate; and they exude a quiet confidence.

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Lawyers are no different, and the professionalism they exhibit should instill a sense of trust in their abilities and judgment. They should be polished and personable, and proud of their accomplishments, but not arrogant or condescending. Their questions should be directed to making you feel at ease, yet thorough enough to convey the sense that they are deadly serious when it comes to your legal business, and will be leaving nothing to chance.

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Above all, they should be more interested in finding a sensible solution to your particular problem than in finding someone to blame for it.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.

Henry Ford

Choosing a Lawyer: Avoiding the Pitfalls and Selecting the Right Lawyer for Your Needs – Part 1

By Jeffrey Caminsky

Most people who need legal help are not trained legal professionals, and may have little real knowledge of the law. This makes finding the right lawyer much like rolling the dice. You can take your chances and hope for the best, but you may not know the result until it is too late to change your mind.

Other lawyers can usually tell if an attorney is sensible and competent, or one step away from disbarment. Unfortunately, investing in a law school education is not a practical way for most people to go about selecting the right lawyer.

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There are, however, a number of things you can look for to tell if the attorney sitting across the table will be able to help solve whatever problem you may have, or whether you should run away screaming, and never look back:

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Continued in our next post.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

You and I do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.

Henry Ward Beecher

Packing Made Easy - Part 7

PACKING DOESN'T STOP WITH THE BOXES

So, you've successfully packed all of your stuff into containers -- don't take a break yet! Whether you are hiring movers or getting a U-Haul, you still need to make sure that your belongings are put on the truck the right way.

Many people load their furniture on first, but this is actually counter-intuitive. Think about it -- when you are ready to unpack and get settled in, what should go into each room first? Boxes, or the furniture that will hold the contents of those boxes? Start by packing items you won't need right away -- holiday dishes, off-season clothes, memorabilia, boxes of books -- on the front of the truck (nearest the cab).

Make sure to leave room for those things you will want to set up immediately -- the beds, the coffee pot, towels, sheets -- near the back or on top of other items. Don't be afraid to load your truck to the ceiling or tie items down -- a tightly-packed load is less likely to shift during transit, meaning less chance of damage.

Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- offering "a world of organizing solutions!" Visit http://www.onlineorganizing.com for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.

Vince Lombardi

Packing Made Easy - Part 6

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

Some items are difficult or dangerous to transport, unless you prepare them carefully ahead of time. And you can do serious damage to your appliances if they aren't properly stabilized for travel. Start by draining all fluids -- oil, gas, etc. -- from your power and yard tools so they won't leak.

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Dispose of all corrosive and volatile chemicals -- such as oil, antifreeze, paint, and gasoline.

Once you have cleaned out your refrigerator and freezer, leave the doors open to decrease the humidity. And before packing these items on the truck, place a piece of coal or layer of baking soda in the bottom to prevent mildew and musty smells.

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You will also want to block your washer machine to prevent damage during the move.

If you plan to transport a piano, have a trained piano mover prepare your piano for travel.

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You might also want to seek special advice from your local nursery about transporting any plants, and from your vet about traveling with your pet.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

No one can defeat us unless we first defeat ourselves.

Dwight Eisenhower

Packing Made Easy - Part 5

PACKING FURNITURE

Moving furniture can pose a problem -- more because of an item's size and bulkiness than its fragility. With many pieces, you must also take steps to protect finished surfaces from mars and scratches -- which are easily avoided by covering each piece of furniture with a sheet, blanket, or paper.

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Be sure to pad corners with extra foam or blankets -- these always seem attracted to door frames and sharp corners! It's tempting -- and often an efficient use of space - to store clothing and linens inside of chests and dressers as you move them. But be careful about OVERLOADING, which can cause furniture joints to separate and collapse.

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To protect mirrors, pictures, and glass shelves, wrap each piece in a blanket, tape securely, and mark with a note not to sit anything on top of that package. And use only blank newsprint to avoid ink smudges on your belongings, especially lampshades and fabric-covered items.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

None of us is as smart as all of us.

Kenneth Blanchard

Packing Made Easy - Part 4

PACKING FRAGILE ITEMS

Many people are afraid to pack their own valuables -- preferring the expense and risk of hiring a mover to pack them -- simply because they are afraid they don't know what they are doing. But it's easy to pack fragile items so that they won't be damaged, with the right equipment.

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If you still have the item's original packaging, use that for storage during your move -- especially electronic equipment and knick-knacks that have their own specially molded styrofoam padding.

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If you don't have the original packaging, use clean crumpled paper, bubble wrap or styrofoam peanuts for padding. Don't be afraid to use too much padding, especially when packing items that might get chipped or bent easily. You can always use compartmentalized boxes -- like the ones used for transporting stemware -- to keep fragile objects from bumping together.

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Try to sit items flat on one side or another -- packing fragile objects at strange angles is inviting damage. And be sure to pack your containers tightly to avoid SHIFTING, the number one cause of damage during moves.

Packing Made Easy - Part 3

PACKING BASICS

I've seen it before -- people either get in such a rush to move or so sick of packing that they just throw things in boxes, without giving any thought to how that container will travel. Of course, the same people show a lot more concern about the packing job when they find their treasures damaged on the other end!

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First off, try not to exceed 20 KILOS in each packed container -- otherwise they will be impossible to carry and your belongings might be crushed. As you pack, place heavier items on the bottom of each box and lighter items on top. Your containers will be more stable and less likely to tip over in transit.

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Use strong TWINE or threaded packing tape to thoroughly seal your containers -- don't just fold the flaps in over themselves, unless you want everything spilling out as the truck is unloaded.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence.

Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.

Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

The slogan "Press On" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

Calvin Coolidge

Packing Made Easy - Part 2

HAVE A PLAN

I once helped a friend pack, and was shocked to watch her put food and dishes and medicine and gardening supplies all in the same box. I asked why on earth she did this, and her response was, "That's just how I picked things up." Unfortunately, once she got to her new home, she ended up spending two days hiking all over the house to put things where they belonged.

If you will pack your treasures by room -- storing all of the items that belong in the bedroom in one box, those that will go in the bathroom in another, stuff for the kitchen in a third -- packing will go by twice as fast. And be sure to LABEL each box -- with both the room it belongs to and its contents ("books," "cookware," "towels," etc.).

Taking a few minutes to create a master inventory list of all your boxes and their contents, according to room, will also help you make sure nothing gets left behind in the move.

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.

Sam Walton

Packing Made Easy - Part 1

By Ramona Creel

Packing is more than just shoving everything you own onto a truck and hitting the road. While I don't believe you necessarily have to hire a professional for a successful move, you do need to know what you are doing before you start loading all of your belongings into boxes. Without a little bit of advance preparation, you could find yourself sorting through unlabeled boxes looking for your frying pan -- or worse yet, filling out damage claims -- instead of enjoying your new home!

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

"When you've seen beyond yourself, then you may find, peace of mind is waiting there."

George Harrison

Preparing to Move Your Piano

Logan S

Moving or relocating from one home to another involves a lot of planning and preparation. If you own a piano, then your instrument will also need special care. In most instances you will need to hire a company that specializes in moving pianos. This will protect your precious instrument from damage caused by mishandling. After all, a piano is not just an ordinary piece of furniture.

But even if you rely on the expertise of specialized piano movers, there are some steps that you can take to ascertain a trouble free move.

Pianos by nature are large, bulky, and awkward. Needless to say, they will not fit in every location. The first thing you should do is analyze the path from the old home to the new home.

Record all the dimensions of doors, stairways, and halls. Will the piano fit through these constrictions? If not, you may need to choose a different room or placement at the destination. Also make sure that the path is free of obstacles that may block or hamper the mover's ability to get the piano into the desired location.

Some movers engage in the practice of taking the keyboard off of the piano if space constraints are an issue. This method of handling a piano move is bad news for your instrument. Confirm with your movers prior to the move that they are not permitted to do this to your piano.

Despite the reputation of the moving company that you have chosen, you should still observe the work that they do. They should protect the piano with an ample amount of padded, comforter-like moving throws. The outer case of the piano is just as important as the instrument inside. As repair costs can be pricey, you want to avoid any damage to the surface of the piano.

On that note, you should also confirm that the piano movers have enough insurance. While damages are always inconvenient, it is nice to know that if an accident were to occur - you won't be stuck paying the charges.

Taking a few precautionary steps before moving day will go a long way towards an easy and stress free move.

Want to learn more about Piano Movers? Visit Piano Movers Info to find good tips about transporting and relocating pianos.

Magic Movers "Moving Quotes"

"I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful."

Bob Hope

Magic Movers "Moving Quote"

"One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency."

Arnold Glasgow (1908-1970)

Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time. "

Arnold Glasgow (1908-1970)

Where to Retire at 35

This has absolutely nothing to do with moving . . but what the heck . . .

If you could live anywhere, where would you live?

It's a question worth considering seriously, because the truth is, you could.

No matter your current circumstances--be you 30 or 70...single or married 40 years...with children or not, young or grown...active business interests or passive investments to manage...a million dollars worth of assets or nothing like it--I promise you: I know others with similar life stories who have taken the leap and who are, as you and I consider the possibilities right now, already living their dreams in their chosen Shangri-las.

To get from where you sit now to where you'd like to be, you've got to do two things.

First, get up.

Second, figure out where you'd like to be.

This is where the trouble starts. The more you open your mind to the possibilities, the more confused you're likely to become. How did Alex and Judith choose Panama over the dozens of other countries they considered carefully? Why did Jay Snyder and his wife decide to spend their time and their money in Granada? What's Paul Keppler doing in Istria?

I'll let each of them tell you their stories themselves, over time, in these dispatches. In each case, the reasons have something to do with business and investment...and something, as well, to do with fun and adventure. But, without exception, the common denominator is that they all wanted a change...a chance to start over, to try something else, to be someone new...to enjoy a richer, fuller quality of life.

It's cliché, on the one hand, but, on the other, it's the only point worth making...the only agenda worth remembering: You've got one shot. Make the most of it.

I'm preaching to the choir, of course, and you know as well as I do the fundamentals of this conversation. You've got to consider cost of living (and of real estate), health care, telecommunications and other infrastructure, ease of coming and going and of getting around once you're in the country, taxes, the local language, the safety of the cities, the stability of the government, and the weather...these are the boxes to check...or not.

And that's one approach to take when trying to answer the question I posed earlier. Assuming you could live anywhere, one way to find out where you should go would be to create a spreadsheet. Into the rows and columns, you could place checkmarks. No, Nicaragua does not have reliable infrastructure...yes, Mexico is easily accessible from the States.

Or you could create a ranking system. Panama is accessible (give it an 8 out of 10) but not as accessible as Mexico (10), while New Zealand is on the other side of the planet (2).

Then, when you've finished the exercise, toss your spreadsheet aside. You've got to allow for the things that can't be plugged into it. Unless you lack any adventuresome spirit or romantic soul whatsoever, this isn't a question that number-crunching can answer for you. At least not completely.

Take Waterford, Ireland, for example. It spreadsheeted much better a decade ago.

Back then, before "Rip-off Ireland," it was still affordable. Real estate values had been climbing for a decade already at that point, but they were still reasonable on a world scale. Foreign residency was possible in several straightforward ways, and it could lead to citizenship. And as foreign residents, we paid tax in Ireland only on the money we remitted to Ireland. Americans abroad, we mitigated our U.S. tax bill with the help of the foreign earned-income exclusion, then we brought into Ireland (and therefore paid Irish taxes on) only the money we needed to live on each year. Talk about tax-efficient.

Today, the cost of living on the Emerald Isle is absurdly high (even Waterford can be more expensive than Paris), and the country's real estate bubble is the stuff of urban legend. They've made it tougher for foreigners to take up residency (in an effort to curb the migration from Africa and Eastern Europe). And they've changed their tax laws so that foreign residents are today taxed on worldwide income. Yikes.

Ten years ago, Ireland would have come out tops in most anyone's rankings. Today its score would be less impressive. Especially when you remember the bad weather and the broken-down infrastructure.

Yet, my position on Ireland hasn't changed. I enjoyed our life in the country when we began it more than 10 years ago...and I'd consider returning today.

Lief wouldn't--the new tax laws are too much for him to take--but I maintain that one can't organize his entire life according to tax code.

For me, Ireland's appeal, 10 years ago and still today, has to do with its history, its pastoral landscapes, and its country charms...the castles, the gardens, the Georgian style...
Things that are hard to rate and rank.

Paris boasts the world's best health care (according to the World Health Organization), world-class infrastructure, four seasons, and more entertaining and pleasing ways to spend your time than any other place on earth. I appreciate those things, of course, but my reasons for considering Paris one of the best places in the world to call home are less quantifiable. I like being in Paris because it's beautiful and ever-changing in ways you've got to pay close attention to recognize. Paris is a city you can know well and still delight in discovering anew every morning.

On paper, Panama City is hard to beat. Affordable cost of living; good medical facilities (I can vouch for these from personal experience); good infrastructure, especially for the region; a tolerable tax system for foreign residents and reasonable options for becoming one in the first place.

Yet, Panama City isn't for everyone. It's hot, humid, and dirty. Its expanding population struggles morning, noon, and night to travel back and forth on the city's one main thoroughfare. Don't try to drive in this town if you can't control your temper. Remember, this is a developing nation...not a developed one. And, again, maybe that doesn't work for you.

I'm aware of all these things, and still I'm looking forward to our move to Panama City this summer, in part because the cost of living will allow me to have help around the house and a driver (almost a necessity)...in part because our tax life will become again very efficient...

Mostly, though, I'm as excited about this move as I have been about the others over the past decade because I appreciate the energy in Panama right now. This country is at a turning point in its history, pushing full steam ahead toward developed world status. Hard to be at rest and rotting in a place working this hard and moving this fast to make something of itself. I feel fortunate that I'll be able to be a part of it for a while.

Kathleen Peddicord

After more than 22 years as Editor and Publisher of International Living, Kathleen Peddicord is now Publisher of http://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com and Editor of the group's FREE weekly e-letter, the Overseas Opportunity Letter, detailing the best opportunities worldwide right now for living, retiring, investing, owning real estate, and doing business. Nobody covers this beat better.

The Simple Dollar's Moving Tips

Invite family and friends over a couple of days after you move.

We actually found that an invasion of family and friends after the move helped us a ton. They moved furniture into appropriate places, cleared out tons of empty boxes, put stuff in appropriate rooms, assembled a desk, and so on. We went from feeling like there was a ton left to do to feeling moved in - in just a few hours.