I spent 9 hours on a plane when I moved from LA to NYC. Here are 4 items I regret not packing and 4 items I'm glad I brought cross country.

Pauline VillegasNov 27, 2022, 18:42 IST

My flight from Los Angeles to New York took a little more than five hours, and I brought three suitcases full of my belongings with me.Pauline Villegas/Insider

I moved from Los Angeles to New York City at 22 years old after graduating college.
Since this was my first time relocating out of state, I learned a lot about how to pack for cross-country moves.

At 22 years old, I moved from Los Angeles to New York by plane. The journey took nine hours, and I squeezed as many of my belongings as I could into three suitcases.

After college, I moved from my hometown of Los Angeles to New York City.Pauline Villegas/Insider

But there were some possessions I regret not bringing with me. I wish I had packed more decorative pieces, like posters and photos, to brighten up the stark white walls in my new apartment.

The little artwork I did bring with me can't be hung up yet.Pauline Villegas/Insider

But there were some possessions I regret not bringing with me. I wish I had packed more decorative pieces, like posters and photos, to brighten up the stark white walls in my new apartment.

I was also annoyed that I didn't bring my umbrella after being forced to buy one during one of New York's summer rains.

My umbrella didn't make the cut by the time I packed the rest of my necessities.Pauline Villegas/Insider

In Los Angeles, I used foldable closet organizers from Ikea to make the most of my apartment's limited drawer space, but I regrettably forgot to bring them to New York.

When I started unpacking, I realized I left my drawer and closet organizers back in Los Angeles.Pauline Villegas/Insider

When I got to New York, I had to repurchase all the expensive hair products I could have brought from home, which cost me over $200.

Repurchasing all my hair products ended up being a huge expense on top of normal moving costs.Pauline Villegas/Insider

Though I left some essential items behind, I also appreciated some things I brought with me more than I expected. For instance, given New York's grime, I'm grateful I brought the house shoes I almost tossed.

My old Birkenstocks ended up being the perfect house shoes for my NYC apartment.Pauline Villegas/Insider

Though I left some essential items behind, I also appreciated some things I brought with me more than I expected. For instance, given New York's grime, I'm grateful I brought the house shoes I almost tossed.

I'm so glad I stuck my water bottle in my carry-on, especially since it was the only thing I had to drink out of when I moved into my apartment.

Bringing my reusable water bottle on the plane gave me more time to find glassware I actually liked for my new place.Pauline Villegas/Insider

Fitting my tote bags in my suitcases was the right move since they became a convenient style necessity that I underestimated while packing.

My tote bags and other purses are much easier to store than I expected.Pauline Villegas/Insider

Though it may have gone against conventional wisdom and weighed down my carry-on, fitting my journals and books in my suitcase was worth the hassle.

My journals and books eased the transition from my hometown to the Big Apple.Pauline Villegas/Insider

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I spent 9 hours on a plane when I moved from LA to NYC. Here are 4 items I regret not packing and 4 items I'm glad I brought cross country.

At 22 years old, I moved from Los Angeles to New York by plane. The journey took nine hours, and I squeezed as many of my belongings as I could into three suitcases.

But there were some possessions I regret not bringing with me. I wish I had packed more decorative pieces, like posters and photos, to brighten up the stark white walls in my new apartment.

I was also annoyed that I didn't bring my umbrella after being forced to buy one during one of New York's summer rains.

In Los Angeles, I used foldable closet organizers from Ikea to make the most of my apartment's limited drawer space, but I regrettably forgot to bring them to New York.

When I got to New York, I had to repurchase all the expensive hair products I could have brought from home, which cost me over $200.

Though I left some essential items behind, I also appreciated some things I brought with me more than I expected. For instance, given New York's grime, I'm grateful I brought the house shoes I almost tossed.

I'm so glad I stuck my water bottle in my carry-on, especially since it was the only thing I had to drink out of when I moved into my apartment.

Fitting my tote bags in my suitcases was the right move since they became a convenient style necessity that I underestimated while packing.

Though it may have gone against conventional wisdom and weighed down my carry-on, fitting my journals and books in my suitcase was worth the hassle.