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Whether it's short- or long-distance, getting a household organized for a move is always stressful. It doesn't have to be paralyzing, though. As soon as you know you'll be moving, that's the time to start planning. And by following some key steps, you can minimize costs, damage, and stress. Call this your 12-step moving program (adapted from About.com):

1. Make/Use lists. There is much to organize, and there are many details to handle, during any household move, but there's no need to remember it all. Make and use lists to keep you focused and assure that you handle all the details, from finding a mover to contacting utility companies to arranging for child care. See the links below for some starter ideas.

2. Get rid of clutter before you pack. There's no better time than a move to get rid of items you've been keeping but not using. As you sort through each space in your home preparing to pack, be ruthless about creating boxes of items to discard or donate. You'll be making a fresh start at your new address, and you'll save a lot of effort - and money - by lightening the load that you actually move.

3. Stock up on supplies. You'll need plenty of boxes in different sizes, strong packing tape, plain newsprint paper (not a stack of Sunday editions), bubble wrap, packing peanuts, magic markers, sheets of labels, and a notebook (or spreadsheet) to keep track of your packed boxes.

4. Use wardrobe boxes for multiple purposes. Wardrobe boxes are great for your hanging clothes so they don't arrive smashed and hopelessly wrinkled. They're also great for packing large, light items like comforters, lampshades, and baskets.

5. Use color to organize your packing. Consider assigning a different color to each room in your new home, and use colored labels and stickers to identify the boxes and furniture to make sorting easier as you arrive. Attach a sign with the corresponding color to the door of each room so that everyone can help get the right items into the right rooms.

6. Keep things together. One of the most frustrating parts of unpacking is missing parts: a TV without a remote, a cell phone without a charger, a table without bolts for its legs, a coffeemaker without a carafe. For smaller items, bag all parts together before packing them in a box. For larger items with smaller pieces, attach a bag or envelope with small parts to the large piece before packing. Mark the bag or envelope containing the small parts so it isn't discarded by mistake.

7. Pack in advance. If you know months in advance that you'll be moving, start packing less essential spaces in your old home first (a guest room, for example) so that you aren't packing everything during the last weeks and days before your move. By labeling your boxes and keeping a list of each box you pack, and its contents, you won't forget what you've packed.

8. Consolidate cleaning supplies. These items are among the last items you'll pack, as you'll need them just before leaving your old home and as soon as you arrive in your new one. Set aside a box or space in a small closet or cabinet for all the dusting, scrubbing, spraying, wiping and other cleaning items you'll need for your move.

9. Pack your travel luggage. Your suitcases and other luggage are perfect packing containers, whether to hold clothing for the first few days in your new home or to pack sheets, towels, sweaters, and other items for easy transport.

10. Safeguard valued items. For items of high value, first check your homeowner's insurance policy to determine the consequences of damage or loss during your move. If items are so valuable or precious that you don't want to trust them with a mover, arrange to take them with you personally.

11. Keep important papers with you. Some paperwork is too important to ship or include in moving boxes: birth certificates, passports, school records, medical information, mover estimates, new job contacts, utility company numbers, recent bank records, current bills, phone lists, closing papers, realtor info, maps, and that master list of moving boxes. Carry a small file box or other organizer so you have these items at your fingertips when you need them.

12. Create "open me first" boxes. Each member of your family should have an "open me first" box filled with items you'll need for the first few nights in your new home: a set of sheets, a towel, a couple of extension cords, a phone, nightlights, address book, pens and paper, keys, tissues, and travel cosmetic case, prescriptions, and any other special items you'll want for convenience and comfort.