Moving Out: The Surprising Lessons of a Lost Box

Moving out of a home is always a whirlwind—boxes everywhere, packing tape stuck to your favorite shirt, and a sense of nostalgia for the memories you’re leaving behind. When I moved out of my last place, I thought I had everything under control. I labeled every box, made a checklist, and even had a color-coded system. But as anyone who’s ever moved knows, things rarely go exactly as planned.

Somehow, in the chaos, one box went missing. It wasn’t just any box—it was the one with all my favorite mugs, a few cherished photos, and a book I’d been meaning to finish. At first, I shrugged it off, thinking it would turn up in the new place. Weeks passed, and I unpacked every box, but the missing one was nowhere to be found. I started to wonder if I’d accidentally donated it, or if it had simply vanished into the moving truck abyss.

Life went on, and I adjusted to my new home, but every so often I’d think about that box. It became a running joke with friends—“Maybe it’s in Narnia!”—and a reminder that sometimes, letting go is part of moving forward. Then, almost a year later, as I was preparing for another move, there it was: the lost box, tucked behind a stack of storage bins in the garage. Opening it felt like finding a time capsule from a different chapter of my life.

My favorite moving tip? Always label boxes with both the room and a short list of what’s inside. And if you lose something, don’t stress—it might just show up when you least expect it, bringing a smile and a few memories along for the ride.