Have you heaved a huge sigh of relief yet? If not, go ahead — you’ve earned it.

Now that you’ve successfully cruised through moving day, you can start turning your new digs into a home sweet home. Of course, your idea of “home” may not include ceiling-high stacks of cardboard boxes. Or maybe you’re not exactly smitten with whatever misguided decor (gilded wallpaper? shag carpeting?) the previous owners left behind.

TIP: Establish a sanctuary within your home. Choose one room to paint immediately, and decorate it with items that make you feel warm ‘n’ fuzzy — a favorite armchair, a few picture frames, or your projection-screen television. It may be a while before all your belongings are put away and renovations complete, but whenever you need a break from your work-in-progress, you can retreat to this room and feel right at home.

Just don’t get too comfortable, because you still have some unpacking to do.

Feeling besieged by boxes? Take it one room at a time. The kitchen is a good place to start — it’s the hub of most homes, and besides, too much takeout can be hard on the wallet. Get bathrooms in order next, and then move on to bedrooms, living rooms, and guest rooms. If you can’t find a place for something, sell it or toss it. Don’t let it languish in unpacking limbo.

Once your house is in order, take some time to explore your new community. Start with the nuts and bolts:

* Find the nearest post office, bank, grocery store, police department, fire department, and hospital.
* Update your driver’s license and car registration with the DMV; if you’re not a fan of standing in line, log on to your state’s DMV website.
* Register to vote in your new district, and find out where the nearest polling location is.
* Call your town’s sanitation department and see if curbside pickup is offered for trash and recycling.
* Get acquainted with the rules and regulations of your apartment complex or homeowners’ association.
* Send e-mails or moving announcements to your friends and family with your new address and phone number. For inspiration, read Creative Ways to Announce Your Move.

Once you’ve made it official, you can focus on the fun stuff. Introduce yourself to the neighbors, and take a few meandering walks until you learn your way around. Subscribe to the local newspaper, get a library card, go shopping downtown, or join the health club. Make it your goal to find the best pizza delivery, deli, or takeout in your neighborhood. It may take some time to adjust, but before you know it, you’ll feel like a local.

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If you’re looking for an inexpensive moving company on the Internet, you’d better do your homework first, or your furniture won’t be the only thing that gets taken for a ride.

“The nation’s moving and storage industry is made up of courteous, hard working, dedicated professionals,” said Linda Darr, president of the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA). “Unfortunately, there are some unscrupulous characters who are sullying our industry’s good name by using the Internet to prey on people during a very stressful time in their lives. Make no mistake, these people are not movers, they are criminals. And we’re trying to put them out of business.”

To address the problem, AMSA developed 10 tips that will help families avoid Internet moving scams.

Don’t be fooled by slick websites. Anyone with a few bucks and a good IT person can build a professional-looking website. Don’t be fooled by the flash.

Locate their operating license. Every professional interstate moving company will proudly display their U.S. Department of Transportation license and their Motor Carrier number on their website. If you don’t see the license number, move on to another website.

Verify the license. You can verify the MC number at www.protectyourmove.gov.

Look for the ‘brick and mortar.’ Make sure the website lists a street address and then do a quick Google search to see if it really exists.

Get at least three written in-home estimates. The Internet is full of ‘moving cost estimators,’ but the only estimate that counts is one offered by a professional mover who visits your home.

Check references. If a company displays the Better Business Bureau or AMSA logo, verify that they are using these seals legitimately by contacting AMSA or the BBB.

Avoid companies that require large deposits or down payments. Professional movers generally do not require a deposit, so avoid those that do.

Avoid Internet brokers. People who enter their contact information on websites that promise to find movers often find themselves inundated with aggressive scam artists.

Be skeptical. Remember: if you receive an estimate that seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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If you’re hiring a professional mover to do the heavy lifting and packing, prices can vary widely between companies. To make sure you’re getting the best deal possible, get at least three estimates.

Be wary of companies that will give you estimates over the phone or Internet. To truly assess your stuff, a mover will need to come to your home. Show them everything that will be moved — even items in the basement, attic, garage and other storage areas.

Make sure you know exactly what the estimates include. Local movers typically charge by the hour, while long-distance moves charge by weight. When you’ve had all three estimates, compare their prices. Usually two of the estimates will be very close together in price, and one will be very high or very low. You should select one of the median estimates. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. That company may tack on unexpected charges on moving day or even hold your stuff hostage till you pay a hefty fee.

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Even with the most careful movers, accidents can happen. Though you’re paying hundreds or thousands of dollars to get your stuff to your new home, typical moving insurance pays about 60 cents per pound for damaged goods. That means if your plasma TV breaks in transit, you’ll be reimbursed about $60 — even if you paid $800 for it last year.

You’ll need to buy moving insurance to get the peace of mind that your goods will be replaced if broken. First, check your homeowner’s insurance to see if it covers damages that occur in transit. If it doesn’t, consider one of the following options:

Full value insurance. This type of insurance covers your whole shipment, so it’s the most expensive. If anything is lost, damaged or destroyed, the movers can either offer to repair the item, reimburse you with cash or replace it with a similar item. This plan puts the most pressure on movers to get your stuff to its destination safely.

Some moving companies limit their liability for expensive items, so make sure to ask about your mover’s policy before signing up. Also, make sure you notify the movers of any expensive items in your shipment to insure that they’ll replace them if damaged.

Released value insurance. This is typical moving insurance that covers goods for 60 cents per pound. It’s usually offered at little to no cost to you, but it also offers you little to no protection or peace of mind. If you choose to save money with the “I hope nothing gets broken” insurance policy, make sure to tell your mover. Otherwise, they may automatically charge you for a full value policy. Check your contract — you may not be eligible for released value insurance if you pack your own moving boxes.

Third-party insurance. If you choose the mover’s released value option, you may be able to get additional coverage from an outside company. With third-party coverage your mover is liable for 60 cents per pound of damaged goods. The insurance company would pay any remaining costs.

Need to claim your insurance benefits because your boxes are damaged or missing? Read up on how to handle loss or damage during a move.

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Full-service movers are the most inclusive relocation option available to you. They handle every aspect of the move, from packing to loading to driving to unloading. They are professional and licensed and will offer you the opportunity to insure your belongings against the unforeseen event that something is damaged in route. What you pay for this service is more than made up for in the time, effort and stress, you and your family will be spared.

Self-service moving is a hybrid relocation option requiring you to handle the packing and loading/unloading while the company you hire handles the driving. This is the perfect service for small to medium interstate moves. Self-service moving is a convenient and cost-saving alternative to full-service and do-it-yourself movers which allows you and your family greater control over loading and packing your belongings while also allowing you to take advantage of experienced drivers to assist you.

Do-It-Yourself is a relocation option that requires you to handle every single aspect of your move, from planning, packing, loading, driving, renting the truck, planning your route, securing storage (if necessary), to unloading and unpacking. What you save in expenses is compensated for in the time and effort that will be required of you. However, if you have family and friends willing and able to help, this is a chance to save some money!

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So you’ve made the decision to pack up and put down your roots in a new place. Maybe you’ve found a better apartment across town or a dream job across the country. Maybe you’re buying your first home or retiring to a cozy cottage in the woods. Now it’s time to decide how you’re going to get there. Before you start filling boxes with your belongings, consider which moving options work best for you.

* Move consultant. If the mere sight of a cardboard box leaves you feeling overwhelmed, consider hiring someone to handle the nitty-gritty of your move. These consultants are the relocation industry’s answer to wedding planners and travel agents — they can arrange for movers, pack your stuff, switch over your utilities, and transfer school and medical records. If you can swing the price tag, or if your company is ponying up for relocation costs, a consultant can make your move relatively stress-free.

* Moving company. A professional mover does the heavy lifting while you supervise. (For an extra fee, most companies will handle the packing, too.) Prices and reliability can vary widely between companies, so compare quotes from three local companies before hiring, and check their history with the Better Business Bureau or American Moving & Storage Association. If you’re on a tight budget, you can usually get a lower rate by moving during the school year, especially mid-month.

* Portable storage. Companies like PODS and 1-800-PACKRAT will deliver a storage unit to your door. (Make sure you have enough parking on your property to accommodate the unit.) Pack at your own pace; when you’re ready to move, they’ll pick it up and deliver it to your new digs. You do all the grunt work, but there are two key benefits: You can leave any excess belongings in the unit for long-term storage, and they’ll hold onto the unit if there’s a gap between your move-out and move-in days.

* Rental trucks. Renting a box truck can be a cost-effective alternative to hiring a moving company — as long as you plan ahead. A 10-foot moving truck will generally hold an apartment’s worth of stuff; a 24-foot truck can accommodate a three-bedroom house. Always err on the larger side, unless the idea of playing Tetris with your dining room set appeals to you. Read the fine print about mileage allowances and fuel surcharges, and make sure your rental company has an outpost near your new home or you may be returning to your old neighborhood sooner than you think.

* Friends and family. Free labor is fabulous, but don’t plan on hauling all your furniture in your uncle’s pickup. After the sixteenth trip back and forth, you may find yourself scratched off the holiday guest list. Enlist them for help with packing and loading instead, and expect to return the favor when it’s their turn to move.

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Most people going through the moving process would welcome a little star treatment. Instead of dealing with the stress of moving day — from organizing to packing to looking after your kids and pets — wouldn’t you rather sit back and relax while all of your moving needs are taken care of?

One full-service moving company strives to make this possible.

“We noticed that there was a huge void in the moving industry,” says Laura McHolm, co-founder of NorthStar Moving Corporation in Los Angeles. “Service is important in any business, but the moving industry seemed to have forgotten that.”

Since its founding in 1994, the company has garnered eight “Honor Roll” awards from the Better Business Bureau and a long list of recommendations from high-profile clients such as Angelina Jolie, Diana Ross and Chuck Norris.

The company is no stranger to unique and high-maintenance moves. For A-list celebrities, the movers often have to deal with hounding paparazzi and some rather unusual demands.

“One celebrity called in the middle of the night to have a chair moved from the living room to the dining room, so we sent someone out to do it,” McHolm says.

Clients also entrust the company with the relocation of one-of-a-kind objects, such rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia from Dick Clark Productions and puppet control systems from the Jim Henson Creature Shop.

“No amount of insurance will replace that,” McHolm says.

But this kind of luxurious service isn’t just for celebrities. Within the last year, NorthStar has teamed up with several Los Angeles vendors to create six star-studded moving packages that address the additional components of a move:

* The Martha — This package is for movers who need help staging their old homes, settling into their new homes, or both. NorthStar joined forces with Moving Mountains Design to offer interior design services to their clients. It’s a good thing.
* The Steve-tini — For the not-so-tech-savvy movers out there, NorthStar sends experts from Home Tech to make sure all of your electronics are connected and working properly in your new home.
* The Britney — Pop stars aren’t the only ones who need order in their lives. Operation Organization, an organizational company based out of Los Angeles, can come in at any stage of your move to sort out and pare down your possessions.
* The Angelina — For families with kids, NorthStar collaborated with Nurture & Nanny to provide child care on moving day and beyond. “We babysit for the day and help them find a nanny and settle in,” McHolm says.
* The Paris — The Loved Dog, a cage-free dog daycare and boarding facility in California, offers its services for this package. Your canine companions can spend moving day playing fetch in a 6,000 square foot open area.
* The A.L. Webber — Complementing the Paris package, NorthStar’s newest package cares for your cats at the California Cat Center, a stress-free, dog-free environment. “They literally have suites for your cats with flat-screen TVs and live bird watching,” McHolm says.

Despite the famous names, you don’t have to be a celebrity to enjoy this luxurious treatment. For instance, two recent clients — an elderly couple and a janitorial supply company — used the Britney package to get organized before their moves.

“The packages are accessible to anyone, but in today’s economic climate, people are picking and choosing which ones they use,” McHolm says.

The company treats every move as a totally unique operation, so rates can range anywhere from a modest $200 for a straight-forward, local move to a hefty $70,000 for a complex, high-security move. Information on price estimates can be found at NorthStar Moving Company.

Luxury moving services are cropping up at other moving companies as well, such as Xpress Movers and Flat Rate Elite. Both companies specialize in moving valuable items, such as art, antiques, wine collections and pianos.

When considering luxury moving packages, it all comes down to your budget. If you’re strapped for cash, you may have to handle your own decorating and dog care. But if you’ve got extra money to spend, a luxury package could be worth it for a stress-free move.

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The whole process of selling your home, buying a new one, packing and moving is bound to stretch your financial muscles. You may have considered the obvious costs of moving — a moving van or crew, boxes and tape — but there are lots of little expenses along the way that can wreak havoc on your wallet if you aren’t expecting them.

Follow these steps to create an accurate moving budget.

Step 1: Determine how much you can spend.

The first step to creating your moving budget is figuring out how much you can spend. Add together your available financial resources from:

* Checking accounts;
* Savings accounts;
* Relocation allowances from your new or current employer;
* Credit cards;
* Additional financial resources.

You may be able to add a little padding to your wallet before you move. You could rake in some cash from:

* The sale of a spare car, extra furniture or other belongings;
* The damage deposit on your current home (if it’s a rental);
* Profits from the sale of your home;
* Payout from your employer for unused vacation time.

Add any profit you expect to make to the sum of your other accounts and resources. This is how much you have to spend for your move.

Step 2: Figure out the fixed costs of leaving your old residence and moving into a new one.

Before you start planning your move, you’ll need to determine the cost of leaving your current home. Determine how much you’ll need to pay for:

* Lease termination;
* Cleaning and repairs;
* Final utility bills.

You’ll also need to pay to set up your new home. Factor these expenses into your budget, if necessary:

* Utility deposits;
* Apartment rental, damage or pet deposits;
* Property taxes;
* Parking fees.

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If you’re moving into a new home, your pockets probably feel pretty empty right now. You’ve just paid a down payment, closing costs and broker fees, so the last thing you want is an expensive move. Lucky for you, we’ve got tips to help you pack up and ship out on a budget.

1. If you don’t need it, don’t pay to move it.
Movers base their prices on what you’re shipping, so cutting down on clutter will simplify your life and lighten up the load in the moving truck. We’re talking to you, the owner of the treadmill-turned-drying-rack. You can sell what you don’t need or donate it to charity.

2. If possible, schedule your relocation after peak moving season.
Most people choose to move in the summer months, when the kids are out of school. The least expensive time of the year to move is between October and April, so if it’s possible to postpone your move, you could save some money.

3. Get at least three in-home estimates.
If you’re hiring a professional mover to do the heavy lifting and packing, prices can vary widely between companies. To make sure you’re getting the best deal possible, get at least three estimates.

4. Don’t get scammed by a rogue mover.
You’ll be loading up all your worldly possessions and putting them on a truck with a few workers you barely know. Protect yourself! Look for red flags and get recommendations from friends and neighbors to avoid getting scammed.

5. Use what you have for packing, and then buy your own supplies.
Moving companies often charge hefty fees for packing supplies. Save money by filling up containers you already have, like suitcases or plastic bins. Use sheets and linens to wrap items. Buy the packing materials you still need from a recycled box company, or get them free from a local business.

6. Ask questions to unearth hidden moving costs.
Even legitimate movers might not spill all the costs unless you ask. To get an accurate picture of your total, ask if they’ll charge for heavy items, repacking, stairs or waiting.

7. Get portable storage and delivery.
Companies like PODS and 1-800-PACKRAT will deliver a storage unit to your door. You’ll save money packing it yourself, and they’ll pick it up and deliver it to your new digs.

8. Rent a truck for a totally DIY move.
Renting a truck and doing it yourself is the most cost-effective way to move. Enlist your friends and family for packing, and read the fine print for mileage allowances and fuel surcharges.

9. Get moving insurance.
Even the best movers have one potential pitfall: They’re human. If you do wind up with a lost or damaged item, you’ll likely need more than the measly 60-cent-per-pound coverage that comes free to replace it.

10. Deduct your moving expenses from your taxes.
Don’t forget to save those receipts — you can also save money after the big move! If you relocated for a new full-time job at least 50 miles away from your previous home, you can deduct the cost of packing, transporting or storing your household goods from next year’s tax return.

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Moving, in short, isn’t fun. Whether you pack and move your own stuff or pay someone else to do it, it takes time, energy and lots of money. Lucky for you, some of those expenses could be tax-deductible.

TO QUALIFY FOR RELOCATION DEDUCTIONS:

You must start a job within a year of your move. It is not necessary that you arrange to work before heading to a new locale.

Your employer cannot reimburse you for the expenses. If your employer does reimburse your expenses, you must claim the money as income on that year’s tax return.

You must pass the “distance test.” Your new job or business must be 50 miles further than your old job was from your previous home. If you don’t have a previous workplace, your new job must be 50 miles from your former residence. If you move less than 50 miles, you must prove that your move was necessary for work or that a closer home is saving you time or money to get the deduction.

You must also pass the “time test.” Once you relocate, you must work full-time for at least 39 weeks during the 12 months after you move. Self-employed workers have to meet the first criteria, plus they must work full-time for a total of 78 weeks in the first 24 months. If you moved in 2007 but did not meet the “time test” until after the tax deadline, you can still deduct the moving expenses. You can also file an amended return in 2008 after you’ve met the time limit.

THE BENEFITS

If you’re eligible, you can start deducting expenses as soon as your belongings are on their way to a new town. You’ll figure your moving expenses on Form 3903.

WHAT YOU CAN DEDUCT:

Travel by car. If you (or a member of your household) drive to your new digs, you can deduct the cost of gas and oil — provided that you keep and document your receipts. You can also deduct the standard mileage rate of 20 cents per mile.

Packing and moving belongings. You can deduct the cost of packing, crating and moving your stuff from your former home to your new home. You can also deduct the cost of shipping pets or cars.

Storage costs. Once you move from your former home, any storage costs for the next 30 days are deductible.

Lodging expenses. You can start deducting expenses for lodging the day your furniture is removed from your old house. If your family does not travel together, you can deduct expenses for one trip per person.

WHAT YOU CANNOT DEDUCT:

Food expenses. All the snacks, drinks and meals bought on your trip come from you own pocket.

Moving costs for new furniture. If you buy furniture on the way to your new home, you cannot deduct the price of moving it. You also can’t deduct the cost of the furniture — no matter how good of a deal you get.

Detours or sightseeing on the way to your new home. You’re on your own if you deviate from the most direct route to your new place.

Costs associated with buying or selling homes. This includes closing costs, mortgage fees and improvements to help sell your old home.

Trips other than the actual move. Costs from pre-move house-hunting trips or returns to your old haunt are not deductible.

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