It is expensive to move, but it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might think. Whether you’re moving across town or out of the state or country, there are plenty of ways to save money.

The key to a successful move is organization. If you plan everything out in detail and stay on top of things throughout the move, you will not only save money but you’ll reduce stress and fatigue.

Here are 5 ways to lower your moving costs:

1. Get help from seasoned professionals.

Hiring a professional moving company rather than doing everything yourself is the most cost-efficient way of moving out of state or out of the country. The only time doing everything yourself might work is if you can pack all your possessions in a small truck for a local move.

You will not only save money using a packaged moving plan, but you will also be far less stressed about the move.

You can even save more by reducing how much you move. If you can reduce the cargo weight , as well as limit the size and number of vehicles, your price will be lower. By reducing your possessions, you will save more on your move.

Another thing you can do to save money when hiring a moving company is to plan your move during the time of the year when demand for their services is lower. This is usually between September and May. The worst time to move is during summer. This is the time when families with children move to a new home to make it easier for their kids transition to a new school.

Besides choosing the right months, you can also choose the days when demand is lowest. It’s cheaper to move on a weekday rather than a weekend.

2. Make money by decluttering.

When you declutter, there are at least four ways that you can make money:

1. Have a garage sale to sell your junk. Remember, your junk maybe someone else’s treasure.
2. If you have valuable items like collectibles, you can get a good price for them at online auction sites like eBay.
3. What you can’t sell from a garage sale or from eBay, you might be able to sell on Craig’s list. For instance, bulky items like treadmills or love seats.
4. Donate items to charity for a tax deduction that you can then itemize on your income tax returns.

3. Decide whether it is cheaper to pack yourself or hire someone to do it for you.

Sometimes packing things yourself is a good way of saving money. At other times, it’s much better to hire someone to do it for you.

It’s a good way to save money if you have the time and patience to pick out the right packing material and to pack everything carefully. However, if you’re short on time because you’re still working and can only pack in the evenings or on the weekends, it can be so exhausting that it’s better to accept a mover’s packing services.

It also depends on the value of your labor. For instance, if you earn $20 an hour and hire a moving company to pack for you at $12 an hour, you’re actually losing money by doing the work yourself.

4. Ask your employer to reimburse you.

If you are moving on behalf of a corporation because they require your services at another location, the employer will often pay for your move. They may either give you a lump sum or ask you for receipts to reimburse you. However, this all depends on your position in your company, and fewer employers are willing to pay for moving expenses than before the financial crisis in 2007. Still, even if an employer is not willing to pay for your expenses or you happen to run your own business, you may still be eligible for a tax break, deducting relocation expenses on your income tax return.

In the final analysis, the best way to save money when moving is to work with a budget. In an article on how to save money during a move in The Spruce, Diane Schmidt points out that budgeting is a critical step in planning any move. “People who don’t prepare a moving budget ,” she says, “usually find themselves shocked at the amount that they end up paying, leading to more debt and frustration.”