How do I plan for a cross-country move?

Moving requires a lot of planning and doubly so for cross-country moves. Before you hire a moving company, make sure they are licensed by the US Department of Transportation and look up any positive and negative reviews on the company. Once you’ve found the right company makes sure to do the following:

• Create an inventory of everything you plan on moving and organize it into a spreadsheet. Send this over to the movers.
• Set aside essential items you will need immediately when you move so you aren’t waiting days for them to arrive. This includes things like toiletries, bedding, a week’s worth of clothes, important documents, etc.
• Label all your boxes not just with the room but with the items that are in each box
• Double-check the sturdiness of the boxes and make sure fragile items have appropriate packaging to prevent breakage.