5 Things You’ll Regret Dragging Along with You When You Move to a New Home

It’s pretty common advice to declutter and get rid of things you no longer use or need before moving. And for good reason. A new home is a blank slate, and there’s no better time to part ways with stuff like those jeans that haven’t fit since 2014 or the pile of unmatched Tupperware lids buried in your cabinet.

But those are the low-hanging fruit of decluttering. You could toss them anytime. And even if you don’t, they’re the kind of thing you can easily stash away and forget—yet again.

Moving, on the other hand, is the moment to confront the harder stuff. The things you know deep down you won’t use, but feel guilty getting rid of. The ones you hang onto because you might need them or they were too expensive to waste. This is where the real inner hoarder battle begins.

These aren’t your typical clutter culprits. They’re the deceptively justifiable, space-hogging, guilt-inducing things that get packed…and then proceed to haunt your garage, closets, or conscience for months (or years) afterward.

So before you haul everything into a moving truck, here are five prime examples of things people often bring with them—and almost always end up regretting.

1) The Cord Box (You Know the One)

It doesn’t take up much space. It’s usually just one bin or drawer. But somehow, its mere presence looms larger than the space it takes. It’s just there. Ever present. Tangles of outdated chargers, mystery cables, and wires to devices long gone—none of it clearly labeled, but all of it too “useful” to toss. You don’t really use it, you just keep it. It’s the physical manifestation of indecision, tech FOMO, and “maybe one day” all rolled into one quietly humming container.

2) The “Someday” Hobby Gear

The guitar you haven’t picked up since that one online lesson. The half-finished scrapbook kits. The watercolor set you splurged on during your “creative reset” phase. The shelves of yarn, beads, film, or fabric you swore you’d dive into once life slowed down. These aren’t just supplies—they’re quiet reminders of hobbies you meant to love, projects you never started, or passions that fizzled out. Moving them (again) won’t reignite that spark—it’ll just pack the guilt right alongside them.

3) The Treadmill (Or Any Other Exercise Equipment You Don’t Use)

Yes, it technically still works. And perhaps you even once had a good run with it (pun intended). But if it’s been doubling as a clothes rack or blocking access to your storage closet, chances are you’re not going to magically develop a fitness habit mid-unpack. Let it run into someone else’s arms—and free up your space (and your mind).

4) The Window Treatments

They were custom-made. They cost a fortune. So of course, you wanted to keep them when you sold the house. But once you hang them in your new place, you realize that custom-made means made for somewhere else. Now you’ve either got way-too-long drapes, or a pile of way-too-fancy rags…that take up way too much space.

5) Half-Used Paint Cans From Three Addresses Ago

While it’s admirable that you didn’t foist them on the new owners with a cheery “for touch-ups!” hauling those half-used paint cans from house to house just adds layer after layer to your own personal ever-growing pyramid in some remote part of the basement or garage.

6) The Heirloom Furniture No One Actually Likes

It was Grandma’s. It’s sentimental. But it’s also massive, uncomfortable, and doesn’t match anything you own. You’ve spent years feeling guilty about getting rid of it—but is hauling it to a third garage really honoring her memory?

7) The Aspirational Kitchen Gadgets

That pasta maker you used once. The juicer that takes 45 minutes to clean. The bread machine you swore you’d get into during the stay-at-home phase of the pandemic… but still never made a loaf. They’re all tucked away in a cabinet like culinary hopes and dreams—heavy ones.