Did you know that the average person moving moves about a thousand miles? Long distance moving is fairly standard for the moving industry. It is no secret that moving can be a very stressful event in the life of an individual. It is ranked only behind divorce and death of a loved one in terms of how stressful it is. There are, however, several steps you can take in order to ensure that your move is easy, fast, and stress free.

One, start the process early. Getting everything in your household packed into boxes will always take longer than you think it will. Start packing the items you use most infrequently first, weeks before the move itself. Use boxes that are about the same size and shape. Many people do choose to make use of the free boxes grocery stores will give away for free. However, it is often harder to stack these boxes in as efficient and space saving a way as possible because they come in such varying sizes. Get rid of items you are not sure you want to bother transporting hundreds of miles. Have a garage sale and use the proceeds to pay for some of your moving expenses.

Two, research the different prices and specials offered by long distance movers. Oftentimes it is cheaper to move during, for example, the middle of the week, since movers are needed more often on the weekend. Being flexible about your move date can often save you money. Ask your friends, family, and coworkers for recommendations. Most people have had to use a moving company at some point in the past, and they are the people who will be able to tell you whether the cheapest company, for example, mishandled all their fragiles.

Three, look into alternative ways to help cut costs during your move. Did you know that many people use moving pods in order to transport their belongings? The advantage of a pod is that it can be dropped off at any time, and returned at your leisure. This way you do not need to worry about arriving a day before, or a day after, the movers do.