Just like anything else big in your life, planning for a long distance move takes a considerable amount of time. Boxes must be packed, rooms must be organized and de-cluttered, movers must be hired, utilities and other services must be cancelled, and friends and family must be notified … and that is just the short list of the things that must be done. Make yourself a thorough checklist so you know you have everything in order before a long distance move.

The first thing on your checklist? Hiring a mover. This can and should be done at least eight weeks before the date of the long distance move, so researching movers can begin as early as you know that you will be moving. Take a close look at companies that are more specifically designed for long distance moves. Many moving companies focus on smaller or more in-town moves, so research is absolutely essential here.

The next thing on your list? Getting the appropriate packing and moving materials in order. If you plan to box up everything yourself, visit supermarkets and other grocery-type stores to see if you can grab some boxes that the companies have no use for anymore. Try to avoid having to pay for boxes as much as you can. Also check with the company helping with your long distance move to see if boxes are part of the deal.

The third most important task on your moving checklist? Actually making a checklist. Write down every single thing that you can think of that you need to do before your long distance move. This includes but is not limited to setting a date to cancel all utilities or transfer them to your new residence, sending out letters to friends and family letting them know of your new address, hiring a professional cleaning service to come in once you are all moved out (or setting a game plan to tackle it yourself), and delegating who in your family will be responsible for which of the smaller tasks that you have on your checklist.

You can search the web and get useful tips and checklist information from different places too. It is within the realm of possibility that you may not even need to develop a checklist on your own. The company assisting you with your long distance move likely has one that you can use. But it is useful to create your own too.