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It‘s a good idea to make a detailed list of all the things that need to be done closer to your actual movâ€" ing date â€" like arranging for a final reading of your water and hydro meters and having your phone disconnected. You should also arrange a date to have everything hooked up (cable, gas, phone, and utilities) and ready to go at your new home. company want to put proâ€" tective covers on pieces of wooden furniture. Again, ask your moving moving company if they have speâ€" cial covers. It‘s a good idea to cover up matâ€" tresses and couchâ€" es thoroughly with old sheets, large pieces of plastic or special furniture covers to keep them from getting dirty or damp durâ€" ing the move â€" particularly _ if you‘re moving during the winter months. To keep them secure, pin sheets to the edges of mattresses and sofas. You can also ask vour Also, be sure to ill out change of iddress _ cards efore your move g make sure all our _ mail is erouted to you. ind don‘t forget VALUABLE ITEMS AND PAPERS Plan to keep all your valuables (like jewelry) and any special heirâ€" looms _ (family portraits and keepâ€" sakes, etc.) with you during the move, along with any medications and _ important documents. You may want to pack all these things into a small suitâ€" case or bag for easy access. OTHER THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND (Con‘t RE 10) things in the drawâ€" ers â€" but nothing heavy. Stay ahead of high energy bills You may also new proâ€" grammable therâ€" mostats that can be preâ€"set to come on for times of peak household use â€" like early morning and evening hours. These are extremely useful gy consumption without having to resort to living like a bear. All that‘s required is some _ common sense and a little resourcefulness. WHAT YOU CAN DO One of the simâ€" plest things you can do is to turn down your furâ€" nace at night and when you‘re away from home. Many homeowners have If you‘re kickâ€" ing yourself for failing to beef up your insulation last fall, or for putting off the replacement of your outdated, energyâ€"guzzling heating system, take heart. There are many relativeâ€" ly simple things you can do to reduce your enerâ€" you‘re probably convinced there‘s little you can do â€" short of hibernatâ€" ing for the remainâ€" der of the season. ENERGY BILLS Now that "real" winter temperaâ€" tures have finally arrived, you‘re probably _ conâ€" cerned about highâ€" er energy bills as you struggle to keep your home and family snug and sound this winter. Like many home ow ners. By being wellâ€" prepared and folâ€" lowing these simâ€" ple steps, you and your family should arrive at your destination unscathed _ and ready to enjoy vour new home. new address. Make sure you remember to get your driver‘s license updated with your new address once the move is complete. to notify banks and _ insurance companies of your It‘s also a good idea to use a shorter washing cycle where possiâ€" ble, unless you‘ve got a particularly When washing clothes, try using cold water as much as you can, and adjust the water level to suit the amount of items you‘re washing â€" or wait until you have a full load to wash. ones may want to pop them in the dryer for just a few minâ€" utes to loosen them up and comâ€" plete the drying process. If outdoor clotheslines are prohibited in your neighborhood, keep in mind that it takes less enerâ€" gy to dry a full load of laundry than two smaller against the furâ€" nace or blocking heating vents.) This will save on dryer use. Keep in mind that clothes dried outdoors _ may become a little stiff in wintry weather, so you If the room is heated by an elecâ€" tric _ baseboard unit, keep the setâ€" ting lower than normal. You may even opt to shut doors leading to these unused rooms room or basement. (But keep them a safe distance from direct sources of heat â€" not up it‘s not a good idea to cut off heat to these rooms completely. When it comes to doing the launâ€" dry, consider line drying your clothes either outâ€" doors or indoors in your laundrv You can also cut down on the amount of heat fed to rooms which are seldom used. You can leave furâ€" nace vents partialâ€" ly open in these rooms, or turn down your radiaâ€" tors if you have a hot water heating system. However, gadgets LAUNDR Y not up Instead of turmâ€" ing up the thermoâ€" stat to heat up just one room â€" like a family room in the basement, considâ€" er the occasional apply heat from a hair dryer. Although the aesthetic effect may not initially be too appealing, it should help you cut down on your heat loss â€" and subsequently the amount of energy you use to heat vour home. If your winâ€" dows are in particâ€" ularly bad shape, you can also purâ€" chase inexpensive _temporary â€" storm windows that are simply pieces of plastic which shrink to fit your window when vou Also, check to see how snug your storm windows and storm doors are. A little weathâ€" erstripping on the inside can work wonders. dirty load. (This approach is appliâ€" cable all year long.) AVOID CRANKING UP THE THERMOâ€" STAT «ggERWOOP ugigh!t©" SELLING??? PLEASE CALL... I‘m "SOLD" Involved in the new and resale market for 21 years. GEORGE KLOET ty company or an expert at your home supply store for more informaâ€" You can also insulate your hot water heater with a special jacket of i ns u l a t i o n . Consult your utiliâ€" out nome. Leave curâ€" tains and shades open to take full advantage of this natural heat source. At night, when â€"temperaâ€" tures drop, draw these _ window coverings tight to help keep the heat in and the cold ieave one running in an unoccupied room and follow the manufacturer‘s directions carefulâ€" lv. During the dayâ€" time, let the sun help to heat your home. Leave curâ€" use of portable heaters. There are several models available which are designed to be more energy effiâ€" cient and safer than the space heaters of yesterâ€" day. Many have automatic shutâ€" offs if they are tipped over. However. make sure you never HOME OF THE WEEK "WORKING A PLAN PRODUCES RESULTS®*"!!! REMNK If you have a fireplace, consider having glass doors installed to cut tion. This could help cut down on your hot water bill down on _ the amount of heat that is drawn out of your house when your fireâ€" place is in use. These are just a few of the things 823â€"3200 REALTY ENTERPRISES INC. Stunning Baytield energy efficient home on a premium pie shaped lot. Spectacular back yard. Custom deck and Lazy "L" pool makes this back yard a natural for entertaining. Over $40,000 in upgrades. Main floor den, ceramics, skylights, french doors, 3 bay windows, 35 pot lights etc. REWARD FOR YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS you can do to help cut your energy bills this winter. For more ideas, consult some books on the subâ€" ject, or talk to an expert. No