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I am one of those people who has moved more times than I care to admit, and not in a glamorous “I’ve lived everywhere” kind of way, but in a “why do I own this many mugs and how did they end up in a cardboard box again?” kind of way.
After so many moves, you really do start to think that you have it all figured out. You want to know a secret? You really don’t. Sure, every move teaches you something, but every move teaches you something new, and usually the hard way.
That being the case, here are a few lessons I wish I had learned sooner that will hopefully help you to have a smoother move.
You Own Way More Than You Think
Every single time I move, I am convinced I have a reasonable amount of stuff. Then I start packing. Suddenly, items appear out of nowhere. Drawers multiply. Cupboards go deeper than expected. Things I forgot existed somehow demand to be boxed, labelled, and transported.
The real lesson here is not just about quantity. It is about accumulation. Small, harmless purchases add up over time until you are faced with packing them all at once.
If you are planning a move, start decluttering earlier than you think you need to. Future you will be grateful.
Boxes Are Never the Right Size
You will run out of boxes. Or you will have too many of the wrong kind. Or you will pack one box so heavy that it becomes yet another in a long line of regrettable life choices the second you try to lift it up.
There really is a delicate art to boxing things up properly for a move, and it usually involves many more smaller boxes than you ever thought it would.
Books go in smaller boxes. Always. This is a rule I learned after attempting to lift what can only be described as a literary brick, which I literally regretted the second I did it.
Labelling is Not Optional
At some point during my moving career, I decided I would “remember what’s in each box”.
I did not.
There is nothing quite like standing in your new home, surrounded by identical boxes, trying to locate something essential like a kettle or your phone charger.
Clear, specific labels save time, energy, and a surprising amount of frustration. “Kitchen stuff” is not helpful. “Kettle, mugs, tea, sugar” is.
Furniture Has Feelings (Apparently)
I, like most people, used to think that furniture was pretty simple. You pick it up, you move it, you put it back down again.
Then, I met reality.
Wardrobes refused to fit through doors they had somehow fit into in the first place. Sofas developed an uncanny ability to wedge themselves into the staircase, and bed frames suddenly seemed much more complicated to take apart than they ever did to assemble. It was a lot.
And then there are those items that you really should never attempt to move on your own if you want to come out of the attempt in one piece.
I learned this the hard way with a piano. What I thought would be a manageable challenge quickly turned into a logistical nightmare. That was the moment I understood why professional piano movers exist.
Some things are worth handing over to people who actually know what they are doing.
Moving Takes Longer Than You Think
Most of us are optimistic movers. We always think that it will take much less time to get our stuff packed up and moved to a new place than it actually does.
There are always delays. There is always something that gets overlooked. Traffic always seems to work against you. You realise halfway through the show that you underestimate just how long it would take to pack your life up.
The best thing you can do is to build extra time into your move right from the start. If you give yourself a buffer, then it will not eliminate the stress of moving completely, but it will make it much more manageable for you to do.
The First Night is Always Chaos
You might imagine your first night in your new place will feel calm and exciting.
In reality, it is usually a mix of exhaustion, confusion, and trying to remember which box contains your bedsheets.
There will be moments when you question your life choices. This is normal.
Having a “first night” box with essentials can make a huge difference. Think toiletries, chargers, basic kitchen items, and something comfortable to sleep in.
It is a small bit of preparation that pays off immediately.
Every Move Teaches You Something
As I mentioned in the intro, every move teaches you something, so despite the chaos and the stress of it all, there really is something that is quite satisfying about moving.
It is one of those things that, when you go through it, it forces you to reassess things like what you own, how you live, and what actually matters to you and what does not. Each move, therefore, becomes a chance for you to grow change, and reset, even if it does not quite feel like that at the time.
You learn how to let go of the things you do not need in life. You learn what is worth the effort of packing and transporting and what is not. You learn how to adapt quickly, and these are all valuable lessons for the rest of your life. You learn that you can handle way more than you think!
You’ll Still Make the Same Mistakes
Here is the honest truth. Even after all these lessons, I still make mistakes.
I still underestimate how much I have. I still leave packing until later than I should. I still end up with at least one mystery box that no one can identify.
But each time, it gets a little easier. A little more efficient. A little less overwhelming.
Moving, there’s much more to it than you think, and you’ll learn more than you thought you would along the way. Embrace it!
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