Declutter Before Moving

7 Decluttering Tips Before Moving Your Home – The Preparation

By: Maria Victoria MacAraig – Content Strategist, Miromind

 

Does moving to another house make you freeze with fear? Does it seem as if your entire world is about to turn upside down? There is a way out.

When you think about the number of things you have to do to arrange the move, the process may seem overwhelming. Thankfully, you can do a few things in advance to make it much easier.

Of course, a move is never a walk in the park. However, you can simplify it tremendously by doing some decluttering work. Proper decluttering is the key to a fun move. However, it may be psychologically tough.

In this article, you’ll learn how to do it quickly and painlessly.

 1. Take Pictures

When you look at your house, you may not have a clear idea of what can be decluttered. Take pictures of each room and look at them from a new perspective. More often than not, an image allows you to understand what should be removed.

Once you know what to get rid of, take a large trash bag and walk around the house. Don’t stop until it’s full. Trust us, you have enough stuff to fill at least a couple.

 2. One Item per Day Rule

OK, this one works only if your move is far away. You have to find one item in your home to give away or sell every day and get rid of it immediately. In a year, you’ll give away 365 things. Imagine how decluttered your home will be!

In case your move is looming upon you, increase the number of items proportionally. If it’s about to happen in one month, find 12 things to give away each day. You’ll be amazed at how well this works.

Smart tip: While you are using this rule, don’t allow yourself to bring anything new into the house. Otherwise, it simply won’t work.

3. Get Rid of Books

Here is a tough one. Do you need all the books you are storing on the bookshelves? Some of us have huge libraries, which have been collecting dust for ages. According to experts at TorexMoving, the majority of their clients spends extra money on packing and transporting books they never read.

Let’s be honest. We live in the 21st century. The era of e-books is here. Do you really need the good old paper books? Or perhaps you could donate them to a library or arrange a yard sale?

4. Donate Your Stuff

Throwing things away or selling them may be tough. Meanwhile, donating is something we do much easier. When you think about your stuff serving a special purpose for someone who can’t afford it, your life gets a special meaning.

So take a good long look at things you really don’t need but feel bad about throwing out. Perhaps their true home is elsewhere.

 5. Survey Your Kitchen

When was the last time you used that juice maker? Were you really happy when your aunt gave you that food processor last Christmas? Most people have too many useless appliances in their kitchens, which take up a huge amount of space.

Moving them to a new home is counterproductive. Wouldn’t it be much better to get rid of them? Ask your friends and coworkers if they need these appliances. We bet you’ll find a juice lover, who has been dreaming about a juicer and an aspiring chef, who can’t live without a food processor.

6. Take Advantage of the One Year Rule

Take a day or two to declutter your closets. Use the one-year rule with your clothing. If you haven’t worn it for a year, you can live without it. Most likely, you don’t even remember all the clothing you have stuffed in the back of the shelves.

Don’t hesitate to throw it out, give it to your friends, sell it on eBay or give it to charity. We bet there is someone out there who needs this clothing much more than you do.

Oh, and let’s not forget about the stuff, you aren’t throwing out because you are planning to lose weight. When that dream comes true, you can pamper yourself with buying new garments rather than digging out old ones.

7. Take Care of Paperwork

The era of paper files is done and over with. Say hello to Google Docs. Now, go through your paperwork and throw out anything, which is outdated. If you still have large piles of papers, which you truly need, scan them and upload them to your Google Docs.

Yes, this may take some time, but you’ll thank yourself later. Stop carrying paper around with you and allowing it to clutter your home. Go digital.

 

Decluttering your home before the move doesn’t just help you save time and money. It allows you to start a brand new life without any useless stuff pulling you back. You’ll breathe easier.