So, you’re moving to a new home nearby. Congratulations! Maybe you finally upgraded from creaky floors and drafty windows to central air and outlets that actually work. Maybe your kitchen cabinets no longer squeak like a haunted violin. Or maybe you just couldn’t resist that shiny, freshly-built place a few doors down. Whatever the reason, you’d think this kind of move would be simple.
After all, you can literally see your new place from your old place. How hard could it be?
Spoiler: it’s still a full-blown production.
The Myth of the “Easy Move”
Everyone says, “Oh, that’s great, you don’t even need a moving truck!” Technically true. But here’s the catch: instead of one long exhausting day, you end up with fifty exhausting mini-trips.
You start out confident: “I’ll just carry things over as I go.” First trip: three plants and a laundry basket of shoes. Second trip: half the pantry. By the eighth trip, you’re balancing a lamp, two coffee mugs, and a box labeled “miscellaneous” (which is code for: things you didn’t feel like sorting).
By the twentieth trip, you’re dragging your mattress down the sidewalk, muttering to yourself and hoping no one you know drives by.
The Reality Check
Here’s what really happens when you move just down the street:
- Packing denial. You tell yourself you don’t need boxes. Wrong. By day two, you’re carrying forks loose in your hoodie pocket.
- Two homes, zero order. At some point, you realize you’ve basically created a timeshare situation: your TV is at the new place, your pajamas are at the old one, and your toothbrush? Who knows.
- The junk migration. Big moves force you to declutter. Short moves trick you into thinking you’ll “deal with it later.” Next thing you know, your collection of broken umbrellas and expired spices has a shiny new address.
The Perks of Moving Short Distance
But hey, it’s not all bad. Short-distance moves do have their upsides:
- Low logistical stress. You can take your time and spread out your moving-day to a week or just weekends.
- Familiar territory. Your favorite coffee shop and taco spot are still in play. No new Yelp searches required.
- Quick fixes. Forgot your shoes on moving day? Run back barefoot. Nobody cares.
Movers aren't out of the question. Some people use movers just for the heavy stuff (beds, couches, appliances) and handle the box-hauling themselves since it’s close by. You will still be shelling out for labor and a truck, but when you're staying within a few miles, you’ll usually avoid hefty mileage surcharges or overnight charges.
Pro Tips for Surviving the Two-Block Trek:
- Pack like you mean it. Pretend you’re moving across the country. Boxes. Labels. Tape. Trust us.
- Set a hard deadline. Otherwise, you’ll be living out of two fridges for weeks. (Yes, you’ll accidentally leave condiments behind.)
- Purge the junk. If it’s not worth carrying down the street, it’s not worth keeping.
- Recruit friends and make it a party. Moving “just down the block” sounds easy enough that they’ll actually show up—and you’ll get all the heavy lifting done in one go. Pizza bribes highly recommended.
The Bottom Line
Moving short distances may seem easy, but don’t be fooled—it’s sneaky-hard. You’ll still sweat, you’ll still curse, and you’ll still wonder how you managed to accumulate so many coffee mugs. But at least when it’s all over, you’ll be in your new place, surrounded by the same old stuff… just with a better view, a shorter commute, or a quieter neighbor.
And hey, if nothing else, you’ll definitely hit your step goal that week.
