Not only is moving and relocating one of the top three most stressful events in life (third behind death and divorce), but it can be really expensive, too. In fact, according to industry data, a full service move from Chicago to Boston can cost more than $10,000. Whether you are moving across town (37 percent of Americans still live in their hometown), work related (44 percent of people say they have moved for work), or across the world (common with a military move), there are a few details that can alleviate some of the expenses and stresses.

The size of your move, of course, contributes to how expensive it is to relocate (four bedroom home versus studio apartment), but there are plenty of online calculators available to help you narrow down your costs and find your cheapest options, too. For example, a mid week or mid month move may be significantly cheaper than a weekend relocation.

Before embarking on the big move, it also helps to get a little organized. Many organizational experts claim we do not even use 90 percent of the things we own, and therefore recommend you purge items that fall into this category. Not only will purging relieve you of hauling stuff to your new abode that you no longer need, but it most likely also help you feel less overwhelmed when you begin to load those moving boxes.

A very popular (and affordable) option for those relocating (particularly among people downsizing to smaller living spaces such as retirees or those moving to crowded urban areas), is the rental of pods storage units. The size of pods storage containers depends on how much you are transporting or storing (a 10 foot by 20 foot pods storage container can typically house a one to two bedroom home).

Once you have selected the size and loaded your belongings, pods moving companies will transport your stuff for you. And, if you are moving into a new space in which you do not need all of your belongings, the moving pods can often be stored at either your residence (e.g., in a driveway) or in a pods storage facility.

If you plan on storing your stuff off of your premises, the majority of pods storage facilities offer rental contracts for both short and long term storage solutions. Additionally, many pods storage solutions companies offer you access to your stuff at any time. A simple phone call ahead of time and your pods storage unit will be moved from a warehouse to a customer access area. Read more: www.1800packrat.com