When most people move, they move to the next town or perhaps across the state. But what if you're moving across the country, or at least 10 hours away? This is a whole different kind of endeavor than moving 30 minutes from your hometown, and it requires a different approach. Here are a couple of tips to make your long-distance move go smoothly.

1. Get estimates in both cities.

You will need to hire a moving company that offers service in both your new town and your old one. You can find a moving company based in either town. A smart approach is to get quotes from a few moving companies based in your current location and a few others in your new location. If the two areas have a different cost of living, you may find that you save drastically with one option over the other. If possible, arrange for an in-home estimate as these tend to be most accurate. If you do need to do an estimate over the phone or via the internet, be as thorough and accurate as possible when describing what you have to move.

2. Get rid of things... and then get rid of some more.

The less you have to move, the cheaper your move will be, and the faster the process will go. You don't just need to get rid of the extras. You need to cut things down to the bare minimum that is needed. If you have not used it in 6 months, this usually means you can get rid of it with no negative consequences. This is especially true if the item costs less than $20. If you really find that you need it in the future, you can replace it pretty inexpensively.

3. Measure the furniture before moving it.

You would not want to pay hundreds of dollars to haul your sofa across the country, only to find that it doesn't fit in the front door of your new home. Measure everything in the new house, or have someone do this for you, and then measure all of your furniture to make sure it will fit. Since moving furniture across the country is so difficult and expensive, you only want to do so if you're confident the furniture will fit.

To learn more about the logistics of moving a long distance, reach out to a moving company in your area, such as Summit Moving & Storage Company.