Moving Mondays: What it’s Like to Make 2 Cross Country Moves in a Year

3 different addresses in 10 months. Phew! Let me tell you, it’s been a whirlwind. Cross country moves are no joke.

I’ve been thinking a lot about sharing my cross country moving stories with you guys. Honestly, it’s a huge part of my life. It is one of the major reasons I started this blog. The moves have shaped who I am as a person, opened me up to so many new opportunities, and have allowed me to see new parts of the world.

BUT (and let me tell you- this is a big but) the moves have also been extremely challenging, stressful, anxiety-inducing, scary, and down-right awful at times. And I have been a little scared to share that side of myself on this blog. I want to keep things light-hearted and fun. But if I am going to be honest about my story, I have to tell you the gritty and upsetting parts. The parts where I sobbed wondering “did I make a huge mistake?” The times when I started to question if I would ever have a social circle again. The things that made me want to pack my bags and run back to my safe and familiar hometown.

So yes, there have been some stressful parts of moving. And I am going to discuss ALL of those in these posts. But there have also been some MAJOR WINS. I have learned so much about myself in such a short amount of time. I have stepped out of my introverted shell and learned to be uncomfortable. I’ve tried new things and grown exponentially as a person. My relationship with my husband is stronger than ever. I also realized just how invaluable true friends are.

So that being said, I am starting a new series called Moving Mondays. Each Monday I will be sharing a post related to moving. You can expect posts with essential moving information, like packing tips, how to find the perfect apartment, and how to travel across the country with a pet (yes- I took my cat on a cross-country road trip and flight). I am also going to dive into more “emotional” posts as well. I want to share what it was REALLY like for me to adapt to new cities (let me tell you- culture shock is real even when you are just moving from city to city in the USA). Moving Mondays will be a place I can share all of the things I wish I had known before my moves. So I hope you guys will stick with me through these posts because I am excited to share them with you!

To kick off this series, I wanted to share my story. I won’t be discussing any tips or packing lists today. This post won’t get too deep into the highs and lows. Let’s just start with the basics: when, where, and why I moved. Alright! Let’s get to it.

The Backstory

In April 2017 my husband was offered a position at a startup in Seattle, Washington. I had been anxious to move for a long time so this seemed like an incredible opportunity. We struggled with the thought of leaving our friends and family behind. Moving to the West Coast would be a huge undertaking. We didn’t know anyone in Seattle, so we would be on our own to figure out any challenges. But that was also a major reason I wanted to move. I wanted the chance to struggle, learn, and grow as a couple and an individual.

So in June 2017, we packed up our two bedroom Tennessee townhome, held a garage sale, sold one of our cars, and prepared for a new adventure. We got the proper meds for our cat, said our tearful goodbyes, and began the 5-day road trip. I plan to do a longer post all about this road-trip, but let me tell you, we had a BLAST. We tried barbeque in Kansas City, drove through the breathtaking Badlands National Park, and got a picture with Mt. Rushmore.

First Stop: Seattle

Once we arrived in Seattle, we immediately began settling into our one-bedroom studio. We cleaned, unpacked the car, and started setting up the necessities (internet!) We had to wait a few days for our U-Pack pod to arrive with the rest of our stuff, so we spent the first few nights on an air mattress in the middle of an empty apartment. But I loved it! The excitement of the move and our new city really distracted me from some lingering questions. I wasn’t yet focusing on the struggle to find a job or meet people. Not to mention the basics like finding a new doctor, dentist, and grocery store.

Ok I promised this post was going to just be an overview. So stay tuned for more details about my struggles and wins during the moving process.

A Second Move?

Settling into life in Seattle was fun but also very challenging. Let me tell you, this did not happen overnight. It took a few months to really feel adjusted to my new city. But little-by-little Seattle really began to feel like home. I began making friends, I had my favorite restaurants, and I knew which grocery stores had the best deals.

But just 6 months after moving, my husband was offered another opportunity. His company decided to open a new office in New York City. So after a few weeks of discussion and deliberation, we decided to pack up again. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to move to New York City. (Yes I know this is sort of cliche, but it really was my dream to live there!)

Even though we had just made a cross country move, we didn’t know when this opportunity would come again. So we downsized again, packed up our Seattle apartment, sold our car, and got our cat ready for her first flight. Just 7 months after our initial move, we found ourselves in another new city.

Second Stop: NYC

I felt more prepared for the moving details this time. After all, I had just done this a few months ago. What I wasn’t prepared for was the challenge of learning a new city again. I guess I thought that the New York move was just a continuation of the Seattle move. However, I had to AGAIN start the daunting process of settling into a new life. Learning how to navigate a major city, finding my places in New York, and learning how to make friends here is overwhelming (moving really is emotionally exhausting). I’ve been here for 3 months and I can tell you I am not at the end of this process. But I am slowly learning that is ok. I am realizing that moving is an incredible learning experience and growth opportunity.

So I am hoping I will be in New York for a while. Moving is unbelievably exciting, but also exhausting and overwhelming. I am ready to stretch myself in the city and learn how to make roots here. But one thing this past year has taught me is to be more flexible. I used to create long-term plans but I am quickly learning that I can’t predict the future. I just need to do the best I can in each moment and trust that I am learning the skills necessary to deal with whatever comes my way. So who knows, maybe I will be in New York for years or maybe I will be moving again in 6 months.

Alright, so that was the basic backstory of my cross country moves. I really appreciate you reading this post. I know it is different from the rest of my content, but I really wanted to share this part of my story with you. Stay tuned for new moving-related posts each Monday!

If you have made a major move or are planning to, let me know in the comments below! I would love to hear your story and learn how you dealt with the challenges and excitements of a move. If you are planning a move and want to chat more about that, let me know. I would be happy to answer some of your questions or offer any advice I can to help make your process easier!

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