Careful planning will make moving day less stressful

Dear Readers: Here are a few hints that just might make moving day less stressful:
Get referrals by asking around town about good movers -- and check out your choices with your local Better Business Bureau.
Never book a move over the Internet.
Start collecting boxes now -- you will be shocked at how many you'll need. If you have to buy boxes, they can be expensive!
Get several estimates from movers who will come out and physically take a look at everything you plan to put on the truck.
If one bid is way below the others, be very careful unless you know whom you're dealing with.
Make sure all items you will be taking yourself are out of the way before the movers arrive.
When packing, color-code boxes so you can tell at a quick glance which room they go in. This will make unpacking easier, as you won't have to carry items room to room to place them where they belong. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I was just getting stuff ready for a camping expedition, and I thought I'd share a great idea.
I use those tall, square cat-box-filler buckets to store our camping stuff. They stack neatly in the garage and the back of the van when we're ready to go, are waterproof, and I've yet to have the raccoons be able to get those snap-on lids off.
I have everything except the big items in those buckets, which I labeled in permanent marker on the outside. The propane lantern and three small propane bottles fit perfectly in one bucket, and the lantern is protected from damage. They seem to work better than other types of plastic bins and are freebies with the litter -- such a deal! Marsha from San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Dear Heloise: When my dishwasher is not quite full, I add the grates and drip trays from my stove and the burner tray underneath. This gets almost all of the burned-on and greasy stuff off quite easily. It is so easy this way! Audrey Class, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: This morning, I started to clean my razor and could not find my little cleaning brush. The only thing I could find was an old toothbrush. It worked so much better than the little one that came with the razor. Van Estes, Hope, Ark.
Sound off
Dear Heloise: My Sound Off is people who print black ink on brown, bright-blue/green or hot-pink paper -- it is extremely difficult to read. The same is true of people who print white on light pink, blue, green or tan. I see magazines that do not consider this, and also people who are printing notices or invitations. Please consider this when printing, folks. The color might attract attention, but it might not be readable by many. N. Ford, Abingdon, Va.
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate