This week we will look at moving day from both perspectives, and try to identify tasks and strategies which can defuse potential problems and make the move easier for everyone.

The seller must vacate the house before the buyer can occupy. Here are some ideas beyond the obvious that can help in the weeks before a move:

* Create a videotaped inventory of all your possessions. Make comments about items as you record them, pausing to open all drawers and closets. Be sure to include all valuables and expensive items like artwork and computer systems. Then store the tape at a neighbors house or in your safe deposit box. This becomes an important inventory in case of loss or theft during moving.

* If you do not yet have a permanent forwarding address, consider renting a post office box, so you can be sure to receive your mail after moving day. That way, you can begin changing your address well before moving day.

* Give away everything possible to charitable agencies who will come pick it up and give you a receipt. Get a picture of the items to back up your deductions. If you can't give it away, either sell it on eBay or throw it out. The one time I was moved professionally in my life, the movers packed trash cans with paper trash in them, then set up the cans at my new house, fully loaded.

* It's also a good idea to check in with your insurance agent about transferring coverage from the old house to the new one, and also check on what happens if there is damage or an accident while your belongings are on the truck or moving van.

* If you are moving out of town, open a bank account in your new community well in advance of your move. It's difficult to pay for anything with "starter" checks, and you'll be glad your account is already open and verifiable when you arrive.

* At least two weeks out, arrange for all utilities to be disconnected the day after you move, not the day of the move. What would you do if your utilities were turned off at 8:00 a.m. on the day you were trying to move out? Also, make arrangements to have utilities (and the phone) turned on at your destination before you arrive. Then coordinate these plans with your respective seller and buyer.

With natural gas, electricity, and water service, you can save yourself time by arranging for the utility to simply read the meter and establish your service as they finalize the seller's account. This way, you don't have to wait around all day for the serviceman to arrive "sometime between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m." This type of coordinated reading can only occur if set up in advance.

One more thing, be sure your cell phone has coverage in the new location. It will help immensely if you can be reached on demand.

* On the day of move-out, it is an extremely nice gesture for you to hire professional cleaners to present the house in it's best possible condition.

For the buyer, the routine is pretty much the same, but I recommend adding the following chores:

* Know the difference between the day of closing and the day of possession. Starting with the day of closing, you are now paying interest on your new loan, plus taxes and insurance on the property. If you have allowed the seller to remain in the house for more than one day, it is my opinion that you deserve to be compensated on a per-diem basis for interest, taxes and insurance at the very least. Remember that the seller got all his cash at closing, and he's earning interest on all of it.

* If there is more than one day between closing and possession, require that all parties sign an "occupancy agreement" spelling out that the seller is responsible for any damage caused to his former residence. The Georgia Association of Realtors has an excellent form specifically for this purpose, and it serves to remind all parties of their responsibilities.

In addition, you should conduct a final "walk-through" before closing to make sure the home is in the same condition it was on the day the purchase agreement was accepted. Once you have closed, you have bought the house.

* When you obtain possession of the property, make sure nothing has been removed from the house that you expected would remain. I once sold a house for an elderly woman, who specified no personal possessions in the sales agreement. After closing, she had a friend dig up, transport, then re-plant six azalea bushes from in front of the house she just sold.

When I inquired why the plants were missing, she replied that her Aunt Zelda had given her those azaleas as a birthday gift, and that she never intended to leave them. In this case, we were able to satisfy the buyers by replacing the missing bushes with similar plants from the nursery.

* And finally, I always recommend that you have the locks to the house either replaced or re-keyed before you move in. You just never know how many copies of keys your seller may have given to the neighbors, relatives, maids, plumbers, and so on.

* One more thing, as your possessions arrive, check each box for damage and photograph the damages. Anything not challenged on the day of the move may not be covered by the mover. Instead, be prepared to present a full list of damaged and missing items to the mover before they get paid, and insist the mover acknowledge your list with a signature.

Followed faithfully, these ideas plus a dose of patience can make your transition to your new home a tolerable and less burdensome task.