The secret to a successful cross-country move lies in the planning. You need to plan the packing of your household goods, their transportation across the country, and their delivery to your new home. Then, you can turn your attention to planning for the welfare of your family and your pets during the long move across the country. You’ll need to schedule rest stops, overnight lodging, and your overall travel path. If you’re driving a moving van across the country, who transports your family vehicles? Unless you’re young, single, and gung-ho, moving across the country on your own can be a difficult and costly chore. If you hire a moving company to transport your goods, all you have to worry about is packing your house and getting to your new location. You can drive your own vehicles or even fly to your destination. Moving across the country on your own also might not save you as much money as you think, even if something doesn’t break down during the trip. For instance, a cross-country move from San Francisco, CA, to Washington, DC, can be accomplished for less than $5,600. That’s for a one-bedroom apartment with 4,000 pounds of goods. A four-bedroom home weighing 14,00 pounds can be moved for less than $16,000. The two cities are more than 2,800 miles apart. Think about how long it would take you to drive your moving van that entire distance. A professional moving company could have your goods in Washington within a week.