With the stresses of moving home comes the question of what items you actually need to take with you. The trouble is, once you’re settled in your new place, there are certain things you might regret not keeping. Here are 18 things you’ll regret not taking when moving home.
Sentimental Items
You may be tempted to leave behind those treasured childhood toys you no longer use or heavy photo albums from loved ones; they take up so much space! However, these items have sentiment for a reason, and it’s highly likely you’ll regret not having those cherished memories within arms’ reach anymore.
Furniture with Emotional Value
Saving room on the moving truck is always beneficial, so you might decide to leave a few bulky items behind. However, furniture with emotional value, such as heirlooms or items that have been parts of key stories in your life, should always be kept and moved along with you. Trust us–you’ll want them back!
Irreplaceable Books
Books are heavy and take up a lot of room in packing boxes. You’ll be forgiven for wanting to avoid this, but you’ll likely make a big mistake by leaving behind anything irreplaceable. Instead, The Spruce recommends lying books flat to save space; that way, there’s no reason not to bring them!
Kitchen Gadgets and Cookware
Thinking about replacing kitchen items? Think again. If you have cookware and appliances you trust for your favorite recipes, just keep hold of them; it may be frustrating to pack them, but you’ll thank yourself later when you can get cooking immediately in your new home!
Sentimental Clothing
Moving is the perfect time for a wardrobe declutter, but be careful about what you’re throwing out. Certain items and outfits might have sentimental value, even if you don’t wear them anymore. You might also have clothing items from past loved ones, so why would you want to rid yourself of those!?
Personalized Décor
You’ve likely kitted out your current home with personalized décor, such as custom artwork or homemade ornaments. You might want to start afresh when moving into a new home, but you’ll likely miss all the old décor you personally created. Take it with you and find a new place for it.
Specialized Hobby Equipment
You’ve crafted your hobby collection over the years to keep what’s most important to you, which could include sentimental musical instruments, medals, sports gear, or craft supplies. Many of these simply cannot be replaced, so take them with you to continue your beloved pastimes.
Sentimental Plants or Garden Items
Plants and garden items can easily be left behind; many people think anything in their current garden has to stay there. However, you can carefully take plants, flowers, and garden items with you and replant them in your new home, so you’ll likely regret it if you leave behind plants you’ve cared for.
Mementos from Travels
For ease of moving, you might consider leaving behind any travel mementos and sticking with digital photos. However, National Geographic pinpoints the importance of a physical journal: “You record a more authentic version of events without catering to an external audience.” So, pack up all your scrapbooks and souvenirs!
Handwritten Notes and Cards
A lot of people decide to keep birthday cards and letters because they’re meaningful, marking important occasions and relationships. If you have a pile of them that you’re now debating getting rid of to avoid packing, don’t do it, as they can never be replaced.
Sentimental Jewelry
If you have family heirlooms in the form of jewelry, make sure that these aren’t lost during the moving journey. You may have certain jewelry pieces that have a story, like a romantic gift or a treasured birthday memory. You’ll always find space for jewelry, so why risk leaving it behind?
Childhood Memorabilia
You may be embarrassed about that awful school project you made or that artwork your mom always had on the fridge. Yet childhood memorabilia should always be kept for treasured memories. You probably don’t have a need for them anymore, but why not pass them down to the next generation?
Nostalgic Home Fragrances
According to NBC News, “Smell, in particular, sparks a flurry of emotional memories,” so don’t leave behind your scented candles or aromatherapy oils just because you think they can easily be replaced. It’ll likely be difficult to reproduce your favorite nostalgic smells, which will mean you’ll lose so many memories!
Treasured Pet Memories
If you keep a collection of sentimental pet items, such as old collars or memorial items, you’ll always want to keep these with you. Moving on from lost pets doesn’t mean that you have to get rid of all the memories, and you’ll likely regret doing so.
Treasured Bedding or Linens
If you’re planning on redecorating your new home, you might have thought about buying new bedding to match. However, some bedding items, particularly throws, can hold sentimental value. They might have been passed down or been with you through some key life milestones!
Holiday Decorations
Holiday decorations often fall at the bottom of the ‘to move’ list because you only use them once a year. You can easily buy a bunch of new ones, right? Not true; your holiday decorations hold memories from every year, so keep hold of them or at least give them to other family members.
Personal Electronics
Many electronics still have media on them, so if you plan on ditching them, remember to back these up! They barely take up any space though, so we’d recommend keeping them, but if you insist, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reminds us of the importance of recycling them correctly to protect the environment!
Office and Workspace Items
Finally, a new home might also mean a new home office for many people, but if you’re debating whether your desk or office accessories are worth taking, just keep hold of them. Certain items might represent career milestones, be gifts from colleagues, or have personal significance. It would be a real shame to throw that progress away!
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