You’ve made the decision to start a new life in a different place? It’s a big news! The fresh start is also a great chance to get rid of all the things you no longer need or use. It’s sometimes easier said than done though as not everyone’s excited about decluttering. Those who hate it and struggle with it are known as keepers. If you’re one of them, this will be a tough thing for you to do, but it’s still very necessary. To help you with it, we’ve gathered some tips on how to declutter before you move.
Don’t hesitate to declutter before you move
Do you have any clothes in your closet that you haven’t worn in ages (or ever)? Do you have any books that you’ve read a long time ago and don’t plan on getting back to them ever again? Or let’s put it this way: are you sure you don’t have any unnecessary belongings at home? Can you answer no this questions with your straight face? If not, do yourself a favor, use the opportunity to declutter before you move and get rid of the things you no longer need or use.
Worried it would take too much time or cause too much stress? Maybe, but think of how much time it would save you when unpacking and how much it would lower your stress level later on. Not worth it? Just imagine your new home and your fresh start. Do you really want to take all that clutter with you to your new home – and new life?
For keepers, it’s difficult to part from almost anything they have. For some reason, they always feel they might need that particular thing one day even if they haven’t used it for a long time. If you feel like that, start with damaged things. Make some extra efforts and push yourself to get rid of them first as that will be the easiest thing to do. Then reconsider the items you feel sentimental about. Usually, only a few things hold a true emotional value and anything else is pointless to keep for that reason. Try to do what’s best for you in the long run, avoid common moving mistakes and declutter before you move.
Consider your options
There are four options to consider:
- Keep
- Donate
- Sell
- Toss out
When you start going through your belongings, you might get surprised by how many broken or unusable things you still have. You’d be much better off without any of them, so opt for decluttering before you move.
You might also have some clothes in a perfect condition that you haven’t worn for years and chances are you never will. Consider donating such things – you’re surely not going to miss them and someone else will be happy to have them. It goes the same with books, kitchen supplies and other small stuff. But if you don’t need some of the furniture items or electronic gadgets, consider selling them.
Here’s a short list of the items to consider:
- Books
- Magazines
- Furniture
- Decor
- Clothes
- Shoes
- Sport equipment
- Camping/outdoor gear
- Kitchen supplies
- Toy sets
- Hobby supplies
- Garden equipment
- Electronic gadgets
- Pet supplies
- Etc.
Think of the money
Decluttering will save you money in a few ways. First off, you can sell the things you no longer need or use. Secondly, you can save some money when it comes to packing supplies, the size of the rental truck and what you need to pay to the movers. Hoarding things is damaging in more than one way and the negative impact on your budget is only one of those.
If you’re selling your house, you’d want to declutter before you put it on sale. A decluttered living space will leave a much better impression on potential buyers and they’ll also get to see you don’t have too many things and could move out of the house in no time. Your decision to declutter before you move will be beneficial in a few ways.
Ask yourself the right questions
Never ask yourself: Should I get rid of this? Instead, ask yourself: Do I want to keep it? Or even better, get specific: Do I want to pack this thing, move it and then unpack it when I get to my new home? Do I even need it over there? If you cannot picture anything that makes sense when it comes to that particular thing, then there’s no point in keeping it.
Read about decluttering
Assuming you have time for that, try to read about this subject. Decluttering is a very popular trend nowadays and there are tons of books on the matter. Here are a few suggestions:
- The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (super popular read these days)
- Spark Joy – An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
- Cluttered Mess to Organized Success by Cassandra Aarssen
- 31 Days to a Clutter-Free Life by Ruth Soukup
- The Joy of Less by Francine Jay
- Clutter Free: Simplify Your Life by Leo Babauta and Courtney Carver.
Look for any of those books or a lot more on Amazon and try to google some decluttering blogs as well.
Ask for help
If nothing else helps, ask someone you know for help. Make sure you pick the right helper(s) though. No point in choosing another keeper to help you with decluttering before you move – if you do so, you’ll most likely end up right where you started, with zero decluttering done. Get a real decluttering enthusiast on board instead.
Start early
How many times did you hear someone complaining they started decluttering and organizing too late? And have you ever met someone who said they started too early? Exactly! It’s never too early to start decluttering before you move. This way you’ll avoid both last-minute surprises and additional stress. You’ll also have enough time to find a reputable moving company and to make sure you avoid fraudulent movers. Start early and take it easy, as much as you can.