People decide to do long distance move for countless reasons. It may be a personal or a career decision. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that in most cases, long distance move are unplanned. The whole moving process can be daunting but if you have an organized way of packing and shifting, you can make the operation smooth.
The first thing that you need to do before packing for a long distance move is to minimize the number of things  that you will be taking along. If you will hire moving companies, you will be paying for every extra pound. You should only bring items that are necessary. If there are things that need to be discarded, you can send them off to charities or put them in a garage sale. This way, you can reduce your long distance moving cost.
Even though movers offer their services to pack your items, you can still do some of the packing activities yourself. You can start with the small, delicate items weeks prior your moving day.  You can then leave the task of packing large items such as electronics and furniture in the expert hands of the moving company you will hire.
This is also the best time for you to make an inventory of the items you own. When you do the packing of less important items yourself, you can make note of the things that may be useful in your new place. Don't forget to note down where you will store them so you can easily reach for the box when you need an item.