Moving is a hassle most people try to avoid. Moving is stressful, costly, and often lands one in a place with unfamiliar surroundings and no connections.

If moving across town is difficult, moving across a long distance can be worse because of the advanced planning and logistics involved in getting you and your belongings safely from one place to another.

To ensure the process is as pain-free as possible, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help the process go as smoothly as possible.

Begin Making Plans When You Find Out You’re Moving

When you find out that you’re moving hundreds or thousands of miles away, it’s best to begin planning as early as possible, so you’re not scrambling around at the last minute.

Make a list of every task you must accomplish to move and start checking them off little by little, so you have most of the stuff done come moving day.

Keep to Your Schedule

Once you’ve come up with a checklist and plan, you must stay on schedule, or you won’t get done what must get done. The last thing you want is to have to rush around on moving day, which is stressful enough.

Using a reminder app on your phone is a great way to help you stay on schedule and accomplish tasks and slowly make progress toward your final goal. Early in the process, eliminating essential tasks ensures that you won’t be rushing during the last few days and making mistakes.

Insure Your Belongings

It’s not uncommon for some of your belongings to suffer damage during a lengthy move, especially when you have multiple crews loading and unloading the truck. The best advice to protect your stuff is to get coverage. If you’re unsure whether basic coverage or full coverage is right for you, ask your moving company to explain the differences. Insuring your belongings is crucial to ensure your moving experience doesn’t become a financial nightmare.

Get Rid of Items

According to professional long distance movers in Dallas, it’s best to consider getting rid of things you don’t use or need anymore. Start by going through each room in the house and make piles of stuff that you want to keep, and stuff that you can sell or donate.

Consider selling things like CDs, video games, DVDs, and books. Charities always need items like clothes, towels, washcloths, blankets, bedding, and coats. Also, consider donating or selling your old furniture, so you don’t have to move it. The key is to be as lean as possible when you move, so it’s less to pack and less expensive to move.

Organize Items for Easier Packing and Unpacking

When you move a long distance, it’s wise to organize items into a “Day One Box.” This box is filled with things you’ll need in your new home on the first day before you’ve had time to unpack everything else. Consider packing in this box basic needs such as a change of clothes, plates, pots, pans, and basic toiletries.

It’s also helpful to label boxes according to what room the items belong to. For example, for bedding and clothes, you’ll want to mark that box for the bedroom. Then do likewise for the bathroom, kitchen, living room, etc.

Plan Your New Home Before Arriving

Before you move all of your furniture and possessions into your new home, figure out where everything will go beforehand. Thanks to the many apps available for smartphones, it’s easy to make a photographic layout of the house, figure out the square footage, and decide where to put your furniture. Knowing this before you move in makes the process go much quicker.

Hire a Reputable Moving Company

The adage “You get what you pay for” applies as much to hiring a moving company as anything else. While hiring an affordable company is understandable, avoid making price the primary factor when deciding which company to hire.

Look for a company that is highly regarded by previous customers, and don’t be afraid to ask for references. Do research online and ask friends, family, and co-workers about which company they recommend.

Create an Inventory List

As you pack up your belongings, make a detailed inventory list of everything you’re taking, and be sure to check that everything on the list arrived safely at your new location. Having a comprehensive list makes it easier to figure out what happened if any items come up missing.

Move During the Offseason

Although this may not be an option for you, try moving during the offseason because moving companies usually charge higher prices during summer when most people move, and less in the winter. If you’re flexible about moving, aim for moving in the late fall or early winter months.

If you follow these tips when planning your long-distance move, you’ll have a more pleasant and stress-free experience.