I thought hiring movers would make relocating easier. It only gave me more stuff to regret.

The author thought paying for professionals would make her move from Denver to NYC more seamless.

There were unexpected complications once she arrived at her new home, she said.

AndreyPopov/Getty Images I paid over $5,000 for movers to pack and ship my belongings from Denver to NYC.

Once in my new apartment, I realized I should have saved my money.

Now, I know to take only the essentials and buy items that fit my new space.

When I got a job with a nice signing bonus, I didn't think twice before hiring movers .

After all, I finally had adult furniture.

In retrospect, that was a huge mistake.

My move from Denver to NYC was a $5,000 cross-country crash course on how a full-service move can be far too expensive financially, practically, and mentally.

Now I approach moving as an exercise in decluttering and a chance to customize my new space to fit my needs.

The cost of a full-service move isn't just about money When I got stranded in my first New York snowstorm while apartment hunting, the cost of unexpected hotel nights, combined with extra free time, led to second thoughts.

As my anxiety rose with every surprise expense and item on my to-do list, I had to acknowledge that while I had graduated from Ikea furnishings , I certainly could have replaced the items I had transported for less than the $5,000 I spent on movers.

The author said her home in Denver (left) had much more room than her new place in NYC (right), and she couldn't keep many of the items she brought in the move.

Courtesy of Sydney McClure.