The days of the man in the van are disappearing. Packing, loading, unloading, picking up pieces of broken furniture, getting too hot and too cold at the same time, hurting yourself while lifting something that is too heavy, and getting into arguments with practically everyone around you are the traditional elements of moving home. But it doesn't have to be this way, and a simple phone call to a moving company can make the difference between hassle and happiness.

Of course, while there are obvious similarities, not all moving companies are the same, and all will offer different levels of services.

Some are specifically for the local market, while others can undertake larger and international projects.

So it is important to match the service to your needs and budget.

An example of added services can be seen through the offering by Echo Moving and Storage, which started life in 1969 as a small company servicing the local market, but which has grown and expanded to offer a full residential and commercial national and international service from its storage centre in East Wall.

From moving items which are pre-packed by its clients to taking care of the whole kit and caboodle, Echo Moving and Storage will tailor its package to suit its clients.

For example, it can pack and place all items in the new home. It can provide a handy-man service for dismantling and assembling tricky furniture items. It can offer picture and curtain hanging. It can change plugs and fittings for clients coming from overseas. And perhaps most importantly for people coming to a second-hand property, it can provide a full cleaning service, so the new occupants will arrive to find their belongings unpacked in a pristine property. And you wanted to do all of this yourself?

Other services for international clients include shipping and customs clearance, international relocation services (house and schools searches, etc), and utility accounts set up, as well as vehicle and pet relocation. It also offers a secure storage facility for people who find themselves and their goods in limbo while waiting for the new property to be ready.

Of course, moving belongings is only one part of moving house. The transfer of utilities and the notifying of companies regarding the chance of abode is something that can catch people out, and all-too often there are stories where a person is hit with, say, an electricity bill for a property in which they no longer need.

However, a website such as www. newaddress. ie is the ideal starting point for people moving house . . . it has partnerships with over 70 companies and organisations which allows it to seamlessly transfer a person's life from one address to another.

Finally, do you want to receive your post? Or would you prefer to burden the new occupants of your old home with masses of your unwanted mail? An Post has a redirection service which allows for your post to be redirected for up to a year, depending on how much you pay it. Visit www. anpost. ie and go into the section market postal rates to find out more.