So let’s talk. Not as an expert, but as someone who’s been covered in cardboard dust and regret, wishing someone had given me this advice.
Mistake #1: You’ll Pack at the Last Minute
First up, you’re probably going to start packing way too late.
You’ll tell yourself “it’s just one room, how long can it take?” The answer is: forever. And you’ll discover you own twenty-seven coffee mugs for some reason. Start now. No, really. Right after you finish reading this, go pack one box. Just one. Do the stuff you never use—the fancy dishes, your winter coats, the books you’re never going to read again. Getting that first box taped up is a mental win.
And for god’s sake, label your boxes better than I did. “Kitchen stuff” is useless. Be specific. “Everyday plates, coffee mugs, silverware” is gold. Write it on the side with a fat black marker so you can read it when boxes are stacked.
Mistake #2: You’ll Move Your Junk
You’re going to try and move things that should have been thrown out years ago.
That broken lamp you’ve been meaning to fix since 2019? The expired cans of soup in the back of the pantry? Let it go. Moving is your chance to hit the reset button on your junk collection. Be ruthless. If you haven’t used it, worn it, or looked at it in the last year, it’s probably not coming with you to your new life. Have a “keep,” “toss,” and “maybe” pile. Then go back and cut the “maybe” pile in half.
You’ll forget to pack a “first night” survival kit
This is the most important thing I can tell you. Pack one box (or a duffle bag) with everything you’ll need for the first 24 hours in your new place. This box does not get loaded onto the truck. It stays with you.
What goes in it?
- Toothbrush and toothpaste.
- A roll of toilet paper (I’m not kidding, you’ll be a hero).
- Your phone charger.
- A change of clothes.
- Your medications.
- Your pillow.
- Coffee and a mug.
- Snacks and water.
- Scissors or a box cutter.
- Basic tools – a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench.
When you’re exhausted at the end of moving day and everything is in chaos, this box will be your island of sanity.
You’ll think you can do it all yourself to save money
Pride is expensive. Trying to move a queen-sized mattress by yourself is how you end up stuck in a stairwell for forty-five minutes. Swallow your pride and either rent a proper truck or bribe your friends with the promise of pizza and beer. The correct way to ask for help is: “I’m moving Saturday from 10-2 and will provide all the pizza and beer you can handle.” This works remarkably well.
Here’s something I learned the hard way: sometimes the dates don’t line up. You have to be out of your old place on the 31st but can’t get into the new one until the 5th. Instead of trying to cram everything into a friend’s garage or paying for a hotel room for all your stuff, just get a storage unit for a month. Seriously. I did this last time I moved and it took the pressure right off. I could move my non-essential stuff—books, out-of-season clothes, my kayak—over gradually instead of in one crazy day. It made the actual moving day so much more manageable. If you’re in a pinch with timing, this is the way to go.
The little things that will ruin your whole day:
- Measure your big furniture and your new doorways. Will your couch actually fit through the door? Find out now, not when you’re trying to angle it through with two frustrated friends.
- Take pictures of how your electronics are wired before you unplug everything.
- Clean your old place as you go. Don’t leave it all for the last minute.
- Pack a suitcase like you’re going on a trip for a few days. That way, you’re not living out of cardboard boxes immediately.
The Bottom Line
Moving is hard. It’s stressful. You’ll probably cry at least once in a fit of frustration over a stuck drawer or a missing screw. But you’ll get through it. And when you’re finally done, sitting on the floor of your new place surrounded by boxes, eating cold pizza because you can’t find the plates… you’ll feel this incredible sense of accomplishment. You did it.
And remember—if you need a little breathing room during the process, we’re here to help. Sometime,s having that extra space to store your things temporarily can turn a nightmare move into just a long, tiring day.
Now go pack a box. You’ve got this.
0 Comments