Who turned out the lights? A lesson of utility.

I hate the cold, I'm scared of the dark and I like to whine.  Combine all these factors with a move, and I was a miserable person to be around Dec. 15, 2011.  Like a good little mover I contacted all of the utilities early to let them know my move out date.  Little did I know they would cut off our lights and heat at 9 am on the day of the move.  This was a tad infuriating, but my fault as most my problems are.    

I have moved a lot and switching utilities is a key part to any successful move.  These guidelines on switching utilities will benefit anyone who is moving.  You don't want to mess this step of the moving process up, trust me!  As much as I hate calling people on the phone (yes, I like to whine), switching utilities is one of those cases you shouldn't procrastinate on.  Call the power, cable and water companies and let them know in advance you're relocating.  Two weeks in advance is an advisable amount of time to let them know. Being specific with the utility company is key as I learned the hard way, which seems to be my favorite way of learning things.  Let them know what time of day you're moving out, unless you want to be left in the dark.   

Where I live is cold in December, like freezing cold.  So when I woke up at 9:00 am, because the lights flickered off (yes I sleep with lights on, I told you I'm afraid of the dark) I was not pleased.  I had the rest of the day to pack hurl my belongings into the bed of my truck one way of another.  As someone who likes to procrastinate I saw no problem in making this happen by later that night.  Packing at night was no longer an option because of my lack of electricity.  I suppose I could have used candles and moved by candle light.  If I burned down the place, I already had my security deposit back.  Also, whatever stuff that was left inside, at least I wouldn't have to move it.  

Jesting aside, I raced to have all my stuff packed and loaded by dusk.  I hate doing stuff in the mornings (and did I mention I like to whine), but ended up packing and moving all my stuff with great haste.  Socks, dishes and cats all in the same box.  Books, blankets and clothes hanger together.  Disorganized chaos that made unpacking an atrocity, but somehow helped me manage to get all my stuff out by dark.  In winter this is no small task since it gets dark so early.  Luckily I am young and limber... so at least I didn't injure myself.  In fact, so much stress and moving helped keep me warm.  Moving in the cold can be dangerous though.  See reasons in the image below:  

So follow these guidelines as to when and how to switch your utilities.  If something bad happens it is usually a contrived crisis that could have been prevented.  Keep in mind the band-aids are probably packed in the most inconvenient place possible, so be safe.  Happy moving!