Moving is one of those adventures that almost always costs significantly more than what we thought. More and more people are choosing to move without the aid of professionals, but even then, the cost of packing materials, gas and the sheer amount of time it takes to move from one place to another can be downright depressing. If you see a move in your future, consult this checklist to ensure you have the available funds.

First, you need to decide if you are using professionals or not. If you are, call and get a complete estimate. If you aren’t, you need to decide how you are going to get from point A to B. It is human nature to underestimate how many boxes full of things we own, especially if you’ve moved within the last few years. It is natural to assume that you have just about the same rent for stuff, when the truth is that you likely have a lot more.

Next, you need to get an idea of how much you are going to spend on packing materials. If you live near a grocery store, you can probably get all of the boxes you need for free. Otherwise, you may need to buy them, and that can cost a small fortune. You also need to decide what you are going to use for packing materials or if you can rely on newspaper. You’ll also need tape and some kind of organizational system so you can keep track of what is in every box.

Finally, if you are going to be relying on friends to help you move, you are going to have to reimburse them in some way. If you want them to continue to be your friends after your move, you won’t cheap out. It is only when you really sit down and calculate how much a move costs that you can make an educated decision on whether you can afford it or not.