Nix the Knick-Knacks: 10 Tips for How to Declutter Before Moving Home
When you’re moving your home it’s the perfect time to purge all the junk that you’ve collected over the years. Follow these 10 great tips for how to declutter before moving to a new house to ensure you’re not relocating your relics.
Have you just decided to move? While the thought of starting a new adventure in a new place is exciting, you have a lot of work to do before you make it there.
Packing can be the most tedious part of moving. Whether you decide to pack your entire home a couple of days before you move, or you pack a little bit every day, you’ll find yourself wondering “do I really need this?”
Deciding to declutter before moving is one of the best decisions you can make. It will limit the time needed to pack and unpack and save you money. If done correctly, you’ll get rid of tons of things you don’t need while keeping all your necessities.
Do you want to know more? Keep reading to discover 10 tips for how to declutter before moving.
1. Go One Room at a Time
1. Go One Room at a TimeThinking about how to declutter your house can be overwhelming. You probably have things stored in every corner of your home, and with limited time to prepare for your move, you’ll want to get started right away.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, consider tackling your clutter one room at a time. Start with an easy room to avoid feeling frustrated right off the bat. Then, move on to a harder room and keep going until you’ve hit every room in your house.
2. Make a Plan for Your New Home
While you’re downsizing and decluttering, you may be unsure whether you want to keep certain pieces of furniture and decor. Sure, it looks great in this house, but how will it look in the new house?
Before you begin to declutter, plan how you will set up your new home. If you are downsizing your home, chances are not all your furniture and decorations will fit. You’ll need to decide what is a priority, and what doesn’t have to make it to the new home.
3. Splurge on New Furniture
A great way to declutter before moving is to rid yourself of all your old furniture. If your mattress isn’t comfortable anymore, your couch as a big rip in the cushion, or your kitchen table is wobbly, consider replacing them instead of bringing them with you.
Yes, furniture is expensive, but so is moving it. It takes up a lot of room in a moving truck and many people hire movers for the sole purpose of lifting heavy furniture. If possible, get rid of all this old furniture and find new furniture once you move into your new home.
4. Clear Your Closet
When deciding how to downsize your belongings, there is one important area you may be overlooking – your closet. Because you’re in your closet picking out clothes to wear every day, some people forget the amount of clutter that can accumulate in there.
Go through your closet and throw away anything stained or ripped. Then, take a second scan and clear out anything that you never wear anymore and anything that doesn’t fit. If you’re moving across the country, think about the weather in your new city. You probably won’t need all those sweaters in sunny Flordia.
5. Get Rid of One-Use Kitchen Gadgets
Have you been persuaded into buying things you see on infomercials? Those kitchen gadgets that seem so useful have probably ended up in the back corner of a cabinet long forgotten.
One-use kitchen gadgets are often not worth keeping. Of course, if you use it regularly, feel free to pack it away. However, if you rarely use it, you’re probably better off without it. Chances are there’s another kitchen utensil that you’re keeping that can do the job.
6. Throw Away Anything That Doesn’t Work Correctly
Do you have a DVD player that randomly skips sometimes? What about a microwave that takes forever to heat food? You may have found yourself saying, “eventually I’ll get around to replacing this microwave.” Well, make that day today.
One of the easiest ways to declutter before moving is to throw out anything that doesn’t work properly. You’ll need to replace it soon anyway, so there’s no sense in taking the effort to pack and unpack it just to feel frustrated when it doesn’t work at your new house. Skip the stress and replace it when you move.
7. Get Rid of Obsolete Technology
Have you found floppy disks or VHS players in storage somewhere? Let’s be real – you’re never going to use them again.
Your computer probably doesn’t even have a place to insert floppy disks (unless it’s obsolete too), and you can probably find all those old movies on a movie streaming service or a DVD. Toss that old technology out and focus on the newer technology you have.
8. Opt for E-Books
When downsizing and decluttering, you may not think twice about bringing your trusty collection of books with you to your new home. However, books are heavy and take up a lot of room.
By investing in an e-reader, you can downsize your collection of 50 books onto one convenient device. Plus, you’ll be able to find new books with the touch of your finger.
9. Don’t Go Grocery Shopping
Has your pantry been stocked for as long as you can remember? While this may sound good, it can mean that it’s full of food you’ve bought but never eaten.
Start by throwing away anything that’s expired. Then, try to plan meals using the food in your pantry. If possible, try not to go grocery shopping in the 2 weeks before you move. This will help convince you to eat that food before you waste it.
10. Don’t Go Overboard
When deciding how to declutter before moving, you might get excited to live a simpler life. And while there are plenty of benefits to a minimalistic lifestyle, you should be sure not to go overboard with your downsizing and decluttering.
If you get rid of too much, you’ll find yourself spending more money than necessary replacing them. Anything you use regularly that’s in good condition and any sentimental items should find their way to your new home.
How to Declutter Before Moving
If you’ve decided to move, you may be stressing over all the packing that has to get done. But you can avoid a lot of hassle by decluttering your home. By following our tips on how to declutter before moving, you can have a smoother transition into your new home.
Do you need help moving? Get a quote today.
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