moving is my life - lol! hermothersdaughterM has some of the best advice. i grew up in a military family where soldiers packed and moved our stuff and i was too little to notice much. however, all that moving must have crept into my bones...i actually find it exciting! i've moved from one end of california to the other and all places in between. moved from california to florida and back again and am now preparing for a move to arizona. definitely pack a box of things you will need access to right away in your new home. when i moved back to california from florida, i contracted with a freight company who did a great job of moving my stuff, but i had to pack and load the truck and paid by cubic foot. traveled with a dog and stayed in pet friendly hotels...there are lots of websites that can help locate pet friendly lodging. i arrived before my 'stuff',' so bought an inflatable bed and then had to buy a daybed when my own bed wouldn't fit. i should have purged more. purge, purge and purge again. i love my books but i only keep the ones that are irreplaceable. as for furniture - most of what you already own may look worn and shabby in your new digs. caution, tho - replacing can be expensive unless you surf craigslist, ebay, thrift stores and garage sales! i think for my move to arizona, i'm going to uhaul it and contact the local police department to see if i can hire their explorer scouts to help unload...will ask if i can make a donation to their post or pay the scouts individually - or maybe do both! they are trustworthy and young so several bodies will hopefully get things unloaded fairly quickly. make it an adventure and try not to stress! thanks, houzz, for asking, and to contributors for sharing their stories!

We moved from Tennessee to South Dakota in 2008, and we still have unopened boxes in the basement. It is time to get rid off that stuff!

I moved from New Hampshire to Hawaii some years back with two suitcases I took on board the airplane and four boxes of papers, family pictures, and some books that I shipped by FedEx once I had an address. Everything else (enough to fill a 3,000 sq. ft. house) was sold, given away, or donated to charity. I moved into a "lightly furnished" apartment upon arrival and filled in what I needed.

Five years later, I moved again, this time staying in the same state. All of my possessions fit in the trunk and back seat of my sedan car. The move took a few hours to complete.

Getting rid of all the "stuff" in New Hampshire was freeing as well as cathartic. If I were to move now, seven years later, I'd have to hire a small truck as I've added some furniture that I would move locally. However, if I moved back to the mainland, I'd pare everything down to two suitcases and several boxes and do it all over again. "Stuff" just isn't that important, and it can be replaced rather easily if needed.

Air Force wife here. Basically all of my moves have been at least half way across country if not all the way and we've had one overseas move. If you can, hire professionals. We haven't always been perfectly happy with all of them, but in the long run, it makes the rest of the moving process way easier. If you can't manage hiring professionals, just be really thoughtful about what you take with you. Clean out your things as you pack. Don't overpack boxes, you don't want to try to lift a giant box full of books, it will break your back and possibly your will. Keep an accordion folder with files of all the things you need to keep with you in your travels and if you do have movers helping, make sure you have the file in a place where it won't get packed. Our file always had things like the kids' school records, my husband's orders, the inventory the movers gave us after packing up, utility information, etc. We've had 10 assignments that required moves in 23 years. It can be done.

If you are traveling with cats, get them used to their harnesses and their carriers long before you leave. I made my girls wear the harnesses around the house for a month, and would've done it longer if I had more time. I also kept their carriers on the floor and put their favorite toy in each. I let them investigate. We were going to fly, but in the end, my husband ended up driving them from Chicago to Ft. Lauderdale himself. He put an old Tshirt of mine in the bottom of each carrier. He put their litter box in the back of the SUV and brought food and water. He stopped one night in a pet friendly hotel. Keep the cats harnesses and leashes on even in the hotel because they might crawl under a bed or in a spot you can't see. You can track them down with the leash. The girls loved the trip. They got a little scared in the beginning, but they found their carriers calming. My husband eventually just unzipped them and they would explore, but they'd end up back in them to sleep. They even liked them when we got them to the new house. . Also...make sure you get new flea collars before you go. Bugs are different.

We recently moved from PA to Washington state. We used a moving company which was easy but extremely expensive and had two segments of furniture moved because we didn't know if we were staying and our PA house took 2 years to sell. If I were going to do it again I would sell, donate, etc. everything except family heirlooms. For the cost of the move I could have bought all new furniture in a style that fits the Pacific Northwest.

We also had 2 dogs go with us on a plane. We went ahead of the dogs and moved them once our furniture arrived at the new house. We hired a pet mover who was wonderful and worth every penny. She handled all the paperwork, helped make sure the kennels were airplane approved, found a person to build a kennel for our Great Dane at less cost than the Internet, found a United plane that had cargo space for a large crate, booked the tickets, picked up the dogs at our old house, drove from Allentown to Newark at 0300 and put them on a plane. We picked them up at the freight terminal in Seattle without any problems. However, I will tell you they were shell shocked with the trip, move, new house, etc. It was a long day in a crate and they have no where else to do their business if they can't hold it anymore. I think it was hard on them. Our original plan was to drive them but due to an emergency health issue we were unable to do that. If you can drive I think it is easier on the pets and they stay with you the whole time. If not and you can afford it pet movers are extremely helpful and know the details that the airlines require.

Good luck, it is hard no matter how you make it work.

I also agree with everyone who has said get rid of all of everything except heirlooms. None of our Midwest furniture looks right in South Florida. It is also hard to find places to even donate old furniture here. Save the cost and get new things and negotiate with the previous owners for some of their things that really fit. They probably don't want to move it either. Now we are renovating, and I feel like I'm moving all over again. Time to toss more things!

Moving from Ga to Illinois next month. Planning, planning planning! clean out evetything, donate, give away items not used or needed, label every box, be creative in packing. I put clothes in extra luggage instead of moving them empty.

Moved from USA to New Zealand, and then back. Had a FULL container of stuff shipped there, came back with just suitcases and started from scratch. The money spent on the container would have easily bought everything we needed. Recommend keeping only what is precious.

I have experimented with different moving styles.Moving a family cross country is perhaps the most difficult...as everyone's prize possessions as well as mindset must be considered. The one involving a major work change was paid for,so in some ways was much easier. However,how everyone landed was most important...dog and cat too. Since then there have been other cross country moves..LA/Phil/Phil. Phoenix/Phoenix Delaware/Delaware/Phoenix/Phoenix/NJ/NJ/Phoenix.

I felt during the above moves more and more, I needed to be bi-coastal but did not have the finances to make it so. When in NJ, the last time, I finally figured it out. I am in the process of creating that type of life now.

I tried different styles of moving however i have a sick dog that would die if he flew. So I was limited to driving , with or without my possessions. What I found each trip, I took less and less, only my prize possessions...paintings, animals, computer (I work from home) etc. Each trip got easier, and more relaxed. It turned out I love driving cross country. I love visiting every state I went through. The pets loved the stops. from Burger King to a hotel where my two dogs eyes became saucers at room service. The dogs dance in glee, when I say: do you want to go trucking-meaning go for a long distance drive? (yes I rented a truck with the exception of the last trip. My new car had plenty of room). Everyone became better behaved on these trips too. Kids too.when they were involved.

The last move was the easiest. I had bought a home in Phoenix. I hate to clean,but need a clean home-so being a minimalist works for me. I have loved decorating each home responding to its "vibes", I usually give away or sell nearly everything on one end..except the musts..and keep my cash for the new items I will be buying .. I have become very relaxed with these moves, but now, that attitude reflects in my patience(which i did not know I had) in taking the time to find the right this or that, item for a spot. One time without any awareness, I recreated a room I has seen in Houzz which I loved-loved-loved. Finally at the end, i realized what I had done!

Though there will be no more cross country moves, there will be cross country drives,, from one home to another. I am not surprise to see all the dissent in this country after driving through so many states and meeting the people of each state. I know I have as well as my kids have become much more tolerant and open from this experience of driving from one end of the US to other.

Have an Estate Sale! We hired a company that allowed us to help in pricing. Sold just about everything in 1 weekend

My family, husband and 3 kids, moved three times in three years...cross continent(GREECE-SEATTLE) cross country(Seattle-Long Island,NY) then cross town, from a rental to a purchased home, a foreclosure at that!
We treat every move as an adventure! While hard, we have crazy stories! And the more you move the easier it gets!

ddelora, We have never regretted our move for an instant! The people out here are so great and patriotic. We live in a tiny town which is so safe and fun for us. It's like going back in time about 50 years. Everyone is so friendly and made us feel welcome right away. We miss our children, grandchildren and new great granddaughter but this was the right move for us.

My best advice is to hire loaders and unloaders! Even if you pack your own boxes and drive your own truck.

Also, always pack a "1st" box (or 2) with essentials: Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Clean Sheets for each bed, Pain Reliever of choice, and cleaning supplies. (and a few extra diapers if you have a little one)

for Jorgagirl: if you still need advice with moving with your pets send a msg and I can give you a detailed list you may edit to your comfort level. My cat and dog both travelled with me on my full time over the road job; MewMew full-time weeks on end and Pooh for overnights. it was fun, a couple stressful moments and A Lot of treasured memories.

Being an army brat am used to moves. To moving companies packing cereal boxes and packing an outdoor charcoal grill with a Ming vase...needless to say...I guess finally finding a place where you can root and stay is a luxury. One I have been able to accomplish. Last cross country move from the shore of New England to the high desert. Done in an old Volvo station wagon and a small U Haul. I guess there is an advantage to decorating in Early Salvation Army. We were lean and mean. And still are. Would leave much of what we have and take the main pieces. Easypeasy. Would still use a moving company, partial load, for some special pieces. Or maybe not...thinking back to that vase. Wish we had known about the art of Kintsugi. Ah, the memories.

BEWARE professional moving companies. They break things, 'lose' things, pad their bills, delay delivery, disassemble items unnecessarily and then cannot reassemble them upon arrival, do stupid things like pack dirty house cleaning sponges with bathing sponges, ... I could go on and on. Get rid of your stuff, or leave it in storage for later, sell/give away used items, pack up your own items, and enjoy starting over elsewhere.

I made two big moves. The first was from New Orleans to the Maine mountains, and the second was from interior Maine to Ohio. One of the best things I did was to rent a dumpster each time. As I sorted through my belongings for what I would take, donate, give away, etc., it was very helpful to take the unwanted items out the door and toss in that big bin. I didn't have to try to overfill trashcans or find a place to dump junk. When I finished, the company came and hauled it away. It's amazing what you can accumulate in just a few years!

We've made two major moves. Arkansas to Montana, Montana to Tennessee, both moves in Uhaul trucks to save thousands in moving costs. Whether or not the savings is worth it is a matter of opinion of course. I agree that if possible you should definitely make a trip to purchase a new home as soon as you have a closing date on your current home. Having to pack, move, unpack in a rental or storage unit or both and then move the stuff again when you buy is very tiring to say the least! I also agree that you should purge and then purge some more!! Remember, based on what it is, it can be just as cheap to buy new when you arrive. Donate and take the tax write off whenever possible. Also, be prepared to donate more as you settle into your new home. I found out each time that things I thought I definitely wanted, just didn't fit or look like I had imagined in the new space. Plus, it's always a treat to shop for little items that make your new home unique to your new locale! Last but not least, patience! Try to stay calm, prepare your mind for things not to go exactly as planned, try to find the humor in the mishaps and don't keep pushing forward when you're overly tired. Stop, rest, eat, share a glass of wine, sleep and start again in the morning. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are our dreams!

I used moving storage pods. PODS dropped them off to pack up and then delivered within a week. Super easy and you can hire movers to pack it up and unpack! Good luck!

First, research your moving companies. I moved from NJ to NC. I went on a national search of movers and read consumer comments from their moves on the movers who were available in my NJ tri-state area. In my case, 1 mover based out of Delaware was consistently cited A plus plus by consumers for their reliability, their financial deals, their guarantee of service, and how pleasant their movers were both at pack-out and arrival. Their office contact was thorough and kept in regular touch with me.

Mao, that's my primary top!

Also, use heavy-duty packing tape....don't buy the cheap stuff at moving places.....it peels off quickly and you just have to re-tape!!!

So much good advice! Purge, purge, purge. I found it difficult to keep track of "business" during my many moves- bills and mail from the old and new location- medical records, perscriptions for daily medication and corrective lenses, important papers etc.

Several times we had to put our stuff in storage while we bought and sold houses which made these needed items unavailable. And then uncovering ANYTHING once the stuff is delivered is a job in itself.

I reccommend purchasing a portable file box with a latch and a handle. I kept mine in my car from the earliest point in the packing process so as not to lose track of it. I had a file for the old and new locations, important papers like passports and birth cirtificates, medical information, mail, important corrospondence etc. In the bottom of the box i put a weekes worth of perscription medication (just in case) extra keys to our cars and the checkbook.

This box then doubles as a "bug out" box once in the new location. It was one of the first things we grabbed when we evacuated during hurricane Rita.

My family relocated from New York to Los Angeles nine years ago. A friend of ours, who had recently made a similar move, gave us a great piece of advice. We were shipping not only our domestic belongings, but also both of our cars. Our friend recommended that we ship one of our cars early enough so that it would arrive on the day after our scheduled
flight to L.A. That ended up being about two weeks before our flight. We still had the other car available to do our errands. Then, we shipped the second car on the day before our flight.

Our first car was delivered to us the day after we arrived. So we did not have to rent a car. Our second car arrived two weeks later.

Do your homework to avoid moving company scams which are growing in our country. Don't just check the BBB, ask your friends and neighbors who they used. When you sign the moving company's paperwork it will say in there that they OWN your cargo until it's delivered to you. Our mover took ours to Mexico, we had no recourse. Make sure each item is photographed and insured. Call your insurance company and make sure your items are covered!

Had a similar experience as one of the previous comments. Sold our home in NJ and had a home built in Palm Springs, CA upon retirement (vacationed there for 20 years). Hired a well-known name in movers to haul all of our belongings--price goes by weight, not trip. We ended up paying somewhere in the vicinity of 9-10,000 dollars (cost was about $1.00 per pound). Then we had both of our cars shipped at about $1100.00per car (2 cars). Being we had tons of books, we packed them and mailed them @ bulk rate. All but one box arrived, and of course, that one box had a lot of sentimental books in it. Long story short (or longer), after 2 years we did not acclimate too well to desert living, and we moved back to NJ at approximately the same price. First piece of advice, if you're moving across the country, rent for 6 months to see if it's the place for you before making the commitment (living 24/7 is different than vacationing). Secondly, PLAN--see what you will use, and what you won't use. Some of what you bring you will get rid of and you just paid for it to be moved.

Investigate the specific moving company completely, checking BBB and Attorney General's office. Get recommendations from trusted friends and family. Once these guys get your property on their truck, they have an advantage over you and if they are not reputable they can add $1,000's over contracted price before they release your property.

Think about moving cross country - like what would you take if your home were on fire! Take only what you need!

We have made 2 cross country moves over the years. The first, we hired pro-packers (they even packed the garbage) and moving company. When we arrived at our new home, nothing fit - was out of style for the new home, etc. We ended up replacing the living, dining and one bedroom furniture.

The next move, 10 years later - we sold everything but our personal belongings. Sold one car and accomplished the move with a small rental trailer. We enjoyed shopping the local area to furnish our new home, made new friends, it was the most positive experience.

Now retired, we have downsized and find it wonderful to live a simpler life!

I have moved from NY to CA twice. I agree with all those who recommend taking only your sentimental stuff. Leave everything else behind. I would also recommend taking pictures of anything you are shipping. Keep a list of what is packed in each box and number the boxes. I packed six boxes of books and I just took a picture of the box number and then took a picture of each layer as I packed the box so I knew what books were in each box. Much easier than writing everything down. If you drive, know that anything you attach to the roof will have to be taken off every night so it won't be stolen. If you are shipping anything via UPS or Fedex, know that your boxes will be thrown around and basically treated like footballs, so pack the breakables really, really well. They will pay no attention to the fragile signs on the box.

Colorado to Arizona.

My advice is to sell or give away nearly everything you can and re-furnish once you've settled into your new place. Secondly, use a container/pods type of shipping method and have it packed by professionals you hire or do it yourself. If you do it yourself learn how to do it to minimize damage. Once packed - seal the container and do not open it until it arrives at the destination. In other words do not store your furniture anywhere other than in that container - hired movers will put it on a truck, unpack it into storage, then reload a truck and you'll be no where near it to supervise. Damage will happen and some things will simply "disappear". Moving companies do not care about your stuff. Moving is tough - be flexible and take deep breaths because things will go wrong

Don’t.

Control freaks that we are, we have learned to pack and drive a moving van ourselves. Cross country or a few states away or in town. No one will handle your stuff like you do. If you live in the Midwest and are moving anywhere else in the world your stuff will look insane. Get rid of it. My motto is nothing comes along unless it is "bubble wrap worthy". We did a 3 month rental in our home town, after we vacated our house, before the big move out West. That bought us time and sanity. We were able to finish up our jobs, tie up loose ends, get rid of anything else, say goodbyes, and take a breath before the big adventure.

I have two moves to compare. Neither was across country, both were significantly different with very different outcomes. At the age of 16 my parents chose to move 'back to the country' a life long dream finally recognized. Both worked full time. Our house did not seem crowded and the house we were moving into had very close to the same amount of floor space. Both of my parents wanted the move to happen as quickly as possible. As a result (even though it really hit the family budget) they decided to hire a moving company. Everything moved in one day (except the cat that had secured himself very effectively under the passenger seat in the car - it was two days with all the car doors left open before he adapted to the new milieux - wish I had been smart enough to join him). Regrettably, neither of my parents were at the new house on delivery. I remember, quite vividly walking into our new home to find stacks upon stacks of boxes and furniture with a winding pathway through it all. It would appear that none of the movers felt that climbing that staircase to place anything upstairs in the rooms marked on the boxes. An absolute nightmare. Although obviously neglectful of my parents, what also became quickly obvious was all the unnecessary things that came with us. Literally tons of it. So many things we did not need or want. But it was all there to be sorted through and disposed of. Need I say more.

Move number 2 involved a cousin of mine. She and her husband had decided that, with the kids all out of the home they had far too much unused space although each room was well appointed, very eclectic and holding many antiques that I would seriously consider giving my life for (good thing they lived on other side of country). After careful thought, they decided that if they were making such a significant life change they should really go for it. A couple of carefully selected and important items set aside. They placed ads in every online site they could find, many Craigs list items placed every few days so they were not placed in complete chaos all at once. (Regrettably Craigslist is not the selling on line method used in my area). Within two and a half months the place was cleared. She then proceeded bit by bit to furnish their new place eclectic but quite modern. I know they spent time literally sleeping on the floor and they were fortunate that the new place came with washer and dryer but they achieved a complete change for them and a new section in their lives. In the long run, not a bad idea when you think about life steps. Although radical it became a home for them (no longer the family house) to a home for her husband and herself.

I doubt I could pursue my cousin's single minded decision and example but actually feel it was a good idea. However, having experienced both moves first hand and knowing that, although major mistakes were made in my family's situation (we now find ourselves still over run with sentimental items that should have been cleared out long ago) I think I would willingly sleep in an eclectic but quite modern home several months on a carpeted floor as long as I had the washer and dryer. Piece by piece, my cousin has a lovely home and no regrets. I think I would give this choice as the one I would take even with financial restraints that are really tough ones.

One super simple tip. Buy color coded stickers to put on your boxes, a different color for each room: red for the Master Bedroom, pink for the girls, blue for the boys room, etc. Then when you get to the new house, put a sticker on the wall outside each room so you or the movers know which boxes go in which rooms. Much easier than having the movers try to read labels and guess which room is "Ned's" or "Nell's+ room.

I have moved a lot since marrying a man on the move, and I just moved 4 times in the last year, from Thailand to Canada to 2 apartments, then to our house in the USA. We decided to only ship a few boxes from overseas and a few from Canada. We got rid of everything else. Actually, the company was paying for our move, so they gave us cash instead of a move, and we used that to refurnish the home. The only downside is we had to pay taxes on that cash, so factor that into the equation. At any rate, this was so freeing because now I have a home furnished with things I really like, which is quite different from our style, or better yet, lack of style, 25 or 30 years ago! Also, our family situation had changed so much, from a houseful of kids to empty-nesters, that it didn't make sense to bring everything along. Every house is so different too, and what you think will fit into a new place just might not work out after all. It was a trial to sell off and give away everything, and a slow process to get new (and some used) things for this house, but from the money we saved on long-distance moving costs, we were able to buy some really sweet things. In fact, out of the boxes of "essentials" that we did ship, I still got rid of some of it because it just didn't fit in now with our house. And I love the simple, uncluttered look (my sister calls it the Stark Look!) of my new place. Now I am super careful not to bring stuff home unless I really need it and love it. So I would definitely encourage people who are moving, especially a long ways, to start over.

Don't stop over to spend the night in a hotel room with 2 cats that have been sleeping in the car all day. Get them their own room--whatever it costs.

Moving pets. From CA to FL 3 years ago, I used a pet service to arrange for flying 2 cats on an airline. $625 each. They were stuck in misery for 18 hours due to delays and to/from the airport to cargo. Never again. I am moving back, and it is now double that cost. Not including health certs. So I will likely drive them. Last time I sent the car by auto transport. $1200. Makes moving me, the car and cats by myself a better option.

Moving can be incredibly expensive. Some great suggestions here. Label those boxes and list the contents. Donate what you don't need and be sure you really love the rest because it is going to cost a fortune to have it moved. If nothing else, boxes and packing materials add up fast. Habitat for Humanity is a good place for your old furniture. Many charities will pick up. Most of your stuff (including a lot of clothes) won't fit the new location. I learned the hard way. I purged but not nearly enough. This time I am loving the 'less is more' idea. I look forward to the trip back. I like driving. Yes, paying for movers again as I am a senior, and single, but it will be 1/3 of last time.

Last tip is have your car serviced and checked, including tires, if you drive. And cell phone services may have dead zones. Be prepared.

Moving pets. From CA to FL 3 years ago, I used a pet service to arrange for flying 2 cats on an airline. $625 each. They were stuck in misery for 18 hours due to delays and to/from the airport to cargo. Never again. I am moving back, and it is now double that cost. Not including health certs. So I will likely drive them. Last time I sent the car by auto transport. $1200. Makes moving me, the car and cats by myself a better option.

Moving can be incredibly expensive. Some great suggestions here. Label those boxes and list the contents. Donate what you don't need and be sure you really love the rest because it is going to cost a fortune to have it moved. If nothing else, boxes and packing materials add up fast. Habitat for Humanity is a good place for your old furniture. Many charities will pick up. Most of your stuff (including a lot of clothes) won't fit the new location. I learned the hard way. I purged but not nearly enough. This time I am loving the 'less is more' idea. I look forward to the trip back. I like driving. Yes, paying for movers again as I am a senior, and single, but it will be 1/3 of last time.

Last tip is have your car serviced and checked, including tires, if you drive. And cell phone services may have dead zones. Be prepared.

We moved cross country w/ a relocation package. Even though we could have taken everything with us @ the company's expense, we decided to open up the whole 3,000 square foot house w/ garage and sell as much as we could. I think it's difficult for most people to just let go of stuff, but trust me, when you do its extremely freeing! We moved from the South to the West. Styles & lifestyles are much different. Look at it as a starting over unbelievable opportunity to begin fresh. Besides your older & wiser , your taste has changed . You have more experience in what you do want & what you don't want! It really is exciting to leave it all behind w/ some cash in your pocket to boot!
Good luck

I think it's all been said by others. We moved from Winnipeg, MB. to Nanaimo. BC. Sold our house, bought motor home, sold & gave away everything except basic kitchen stuff, bedding, some clothes, & our smallest sentimental things, a small oil painting I hung in RV, shoebox full of small Xmas ornaments & a few small nic-nacs. Lived in motor home while $$$ transfered & all legal work done. Put all $$ in chequing account & used interac to pay everything. Took it easy, enjoyed the trip & stayed in campground until we bought & furnished house. Found some great deals on furniture, etc. in thrift shops & bought the rest at The Brick. No problem with fur babies. They loved it all, big adventure. That was 10 yrs. ago. We love it here & have never been sorry. Now it's time for a little road trip to visit family & friends. :)

So many great tips in these comments. The best advice I received was to make decisions about what to keep based on how much each item was going to cost me to transport it across country, and that's what I did.

BvethfkgmkieJ

I have a couple of thoughts that I have not seen here. We've been in New Mexico two years after two years in Greenville, SC. Before that we were in the Milwaukee area. My husband was retiring and we sold our house. Packed most of it ourselves except for China and glassware, as well as some custom packed pieces, marble topped table, and a glass dining table. The things were then stored at the movers. My husband took a temporary job that was supposed to last 3 months and he stayed 6 months. During that time we went once to the movers and picked up a computer printer and some other small things we could not live without. We then had it all shipped to Greenville. When we got ready to leave we had some furniture that was over 90 inches and required special space which we did not anticipate having again. My husband found an auction house in Atlanta and moved the glass dining table and 6 Italian chairs, a 90" tuxedo sofa and a 90 + china cabinet, like a credenza shape with their help. We scaled back on books, keeping mostly art books, history, and a few unread hardback. Most of the rest went. The record collection was gone in Milwaukee. Great to be rid of that weight. We used a large pod, with loading and unloading crews AND a large U haul truck and towed one car. The 2 large dogs went in the other car. We were in the midst of the final financing crunch for a house in NM that I had found 5 weeks earlier. Sent the last critical documents the bank decided they wanted from my financing / moving folder from McDonalds or over lunch. Numbered inventory lists with key items noted made were back in use again. We had a housing gap once when we moved for AR to upstate NY and I could find any item we needed in our tiny apartment after opening only 2 boxes. Also moved to Missouri from NH and then rented an apartment and bought a 2nd house in Houston. That's what you get when both spouses work! From MO it was Milwaukee. Everyone's right, pare down, pare down again, and then give it away! We spent 3 nights in hotels and 2 consecutive nights with friends going from SC to NM. Miss Ikea and the Container Store, but then maybe I don't need to buy anything more! The packing tape from the moving companies is better than from Uhaul/etc. If you buy it at the big box stores, be sure you pay a little extra and get the best. Also get the large sheets of wrapping paper. I unpacked china and crystal in NM that had been packed for 2 1/2 years and not a single broken piece! I had no idea how much paper they used to pack crystal! The dogs did well, but they were used to dog shows and traveling. I packed dog food in individual bags for each meal. Also be sure and carry your rabies certificates and health certificates in case you need them on the trip.

We moved North to South. First I made a planner. The hateful "To Do". Mover, Necessary repairs, cleansing and staging of house for sale. Realtor. Drink Wine. Packing, Packing and packing. Drink Wine. Donating all the items of accumulation not to relocate. Drink wine. Now that is a job in itself. Keeping ones sanity is most important. Do not take items that can be replaced. Those towels that are faded and frayed.. Important items go with you. i.e. certificated, wills trusts, animals including kids (,if they are good), especially Wine. Now you are ready for the move. My movers packed the furniture, mirrors and art work including all large items. Also, a couple clothes presses. I packed the smaller items in medium plastic easy to handle containers. All item went with the movers except the living and a few personal things as listed and the Wine. All went well. The old house sold our new home is still in the settling mode and happiness and Wine is terrific.

Take MAC's advice, Drink Wine! It certainly helped me, especially with the move from MI to NC! It was SO relaxing to take a bath in my oversized tub the night I moved in and have a glass of wine while soaking!

We moved from Texas to Indiana when we retired, to be with family in March of 2015. While I was working I began purging. Bringing items to the trunk of my car and donating. Friends and family took some furniture items and Refrigerator and washer and dryer, at the last minute to help us out. We worked for a manufacturer of box's so I started packing things I couldn't live without, but didn't use first. I numbered each box like C-1; C-2 etc. for myself and K-1 for Kitchen, L.R.-1 (Living Room) and MB-1 (Master Bedroom); Pantry-P-1; Linen- L-1 and on and on. I began stacking box's in the dining room. I also kept a book (that I used and never lost), of each box and what was in it. I started packing about 1 year before we retired and it worked out perfectly. Saved from doing so much at the last minute. We booked 2 Pods to come on different days. The first one was strictly for the garage, (and some furniture and box's), as my husband has a lot of tools and woodworking equipment. Pods stored that one and brought the second one as soon as we sold the house. We also had my car full of clothes and lamps and pictures and my husband pulled a trailer with his truck and it was full. We had our computer and television in our car also! Nothing was damaged with PODS and they were on time for us. We wouldn't do anything differently, except get rid of more things. lol. You also need to make list of utilities and credit cards etc. to contact for stopping service and giving new address to. Thanks for letting me share! We may miss Texas in the winter, but, we love the change of seasons in Indiana and being with most of our family!

I seem to move alot ...

Dallas to Washington DC -- 20 something just starting out in the world with few belongings, most was shipped.

Washington DC to Kalamazoo MI -- uhaul after carefully editing furniture and belongings.

Kalamazoo to Dallas -- moving van, but still had not acquired a lot of "stuff".

Dallas to Tucson -- moving van, but did not plan ahead and was rushing at the last minute

Tucson to Philadelphia -- moving van and packers that didn't complete the packing!

Philadelphia to Dallas -- again, moving van and packers. This time the property was being abandoned because of black mold and the packers got sick, did finish, and it was a huge mess.

My biggest suggestions are to edit, edit, edit, and then edit again ... start packing and editing the moment you suspect you might be moving. Ship (books, CDs, etc.) as much as possible! Evaluate the cost to move versus the cost to buy new -- when moving to Philadelphia, it was a better decision to leave the appliances with the property (which eventually sold as a vacation rental) than to have taken them -- the refrigerator would never had worked in the Philadelphia Condo! If you have furniture that is special size REALLY understand how the furniture will actually get into your new home! I had a sofa sit in storage the entire time I lived in Philadelphia because there were a lot of "assumptions" made -- ASSUME NOTHING. Just because the movers appears to know what he is going when taking furniture and electronics apart, doesn't mean they will be able to put them back together. The last move, the mover took apart a lot of the furniture and then we had to find someone to put it back together since all the screws were missing! An antique table my parents received for the 10th anniversary from my grandparents (it was a very special piece of furniture) -- the driver for North American Movers didn't bother unscrewing the base from the table top, but merely ripped the two pieces apart making it impossible to use as a table. I now have the table top in a very prominent place in my home, entertain frequently and am always asked about the "wall hanging" which then develops into an evening of "bad moves" stories from all my guests! **Talk about never-ending BAD word of mouth for North American Van Lines!!!!!! and their driver from McKinney TX!** Another lesson is LEAVE NOTHING PERSONAL out! On the same North American Van Lines move from Philadelphia to Dallas my 35mm camera (and the last gift from my father before he died) was "packed" -- six years later it still hasn't surface nor has a corner antique wall cabinet my grandparents gave my parents on their 1st wedding anniversary! This last move resulted in missing furniture, $1000s of dollars of repairs, replacements, or just too damaged to repair. On my next move, I will be shipping as much as possible and have already started exploring PODS for the items that are a part of my "history".

My favorite thing about moving across country was the 3 week drive I took going from NYC to LA along the southern route. I loved visiting friends and family and exploring new places such as Nashville, Little Rock & Austin. I just packed 2 suitcases into the back of my Prius (so that my stuff couldn't be seen when I was parked). I left all my boxes & furniture in a friend's crawl space (thank goodness for friends!)

I gave away most of my furniture but with I had given it all away. Turns out that the dark colored furniture just didn't look as good in my new condo. Seems what looks good in one space doesn't always translate to another.

In between selling my NY coop & moving, I lived in London for 6 months & traveled (with 2 suitcases). I didn't move to LA until a year after I sold my place in NY.

I bought a condo in Santa Monica about 4 months after I got here & had my stuff shipped from my friend's a month later. I realized that I didn't actually miss most of my stuff & now wish I had gotten rid of most of it instead of paying to have it shipped. I don't regret it - but would have been just as well off without it.

Hope that helps :-)

Moved across country a year ago, from central Texas to upstate NY. I was fortunate to have my employer move me but I still had too much furniture to make it work so I gave a lot away including a living room to family. In the process I discovered U-Ship and it was the most economical moving service I could have found. I have recommended the service to several friends needing moving assistance.

Too much stuff or less stuff is always visible if you don't visit your new house before moving. Or at minimum to have some photos and square meters to be known so that some kind of vision will be present. I always double-check those details, and thanks to https://wemoving.net they always do their job perfect. I never had issues with them, and I’m very thankful that they keep care for their customers' boxes and don’t throw like others do, from entrance straight to second floors dormitory.

First time I moved it was from Louisiana to California. I had just married a Navy man who lived in San Diego, and he bought a step van and we put just my personal belonging in the van and we towed my car behind. The second time was from San Diego to Orlando, Florida. The Navy paid for that move and they provided movers. They were very careful with packing, to the point they wrapped up clothes hangers individually. The third time across country was from Orlando back to Louisiana after the divorce. I had friends help me move, but basically I only moved the things I could not easily replace. But in the end, I still took too much stuff with me. Ended up selling a bunch of stuff when I got to Louisiana. So, my advise is to take only your personal items and things you can't stand to part with like family heirlooms and pets. Otherwise, you can get furniture and such wherever you go.