Declutter before moving – What to get rid of when moving

Declutter before moving: Moving is one burdensome activity that people have to contend with at some point in their lives. Whether you are moving temporarily or permanently, or leaving your home to live with friends and family, or on your own, you won’t be able to escape packing and decluttering before moving. Wherever you might be headed, you have to bring your belongings, including clothes.

The Cost of Clutter

Bringing furniture and other heavy items can affect your moving costs, so make sure you get a moving quote before packing and moving. Since nothing is free, you will have to consider your moving costs as part of your plan. But don’t worry because if you do not want to spend more than what is necessary, then you can always declutter before moving.

Why waste your hard-earned money transporting stuff that you haven’t used in years when you can get rid of unwanted items in your closet? For sure, you want a fresh start when you get to your new home, so take the extra effort to declutter before moving. This way, you do not only get to save but also declutter your life in the process.

Letting Go And Being Free

Packing and decluttering are probably the most used words in your vocabulary once you start planning your move. So follow these decluttering tips if you want to know how to get rid of stuff before moving:

While you have many belongings, these are some of the most common items that you need to toss out (or donate) in order to get more storage space. However, don’t throw them all out yet before you scan them over. Free yourself from the excess belongings and make room for a new beginning.

Here are some tips to help you make that declutter checklist before you pack:

Clothes

Everyone, at some point, is guilty of having too many clothes in their closets. Unless you declutter and organize your clothes before moving, it will require many more cardboard boxes and a bigger moving truck.

If you’re hesitant about parting with certain pieces of clothing, keep in mind that not only do they go out of season; they also go out of style. Start by taking all your clothes from the closet and then sorting them according to categories: Mark the boxes, or clean heavy-duty garbage bags for donating, and for moving. You might want to add another box for donating gently used socks and underwear that have already served their purpose.

Mattress

You may have plans to lug your old mattress to your new home, stains and all. But a cheaper, more efficient option is to either donate or sell your old mattress. Once you move to your new home, you can buy a new mattress with the money saved from transporting your old one across.

Shoes

Donation organizations are always in need of shoes. If you have too many shoes in your closet, then sort them before moving and only pack what you actually wear. This is the time to be relentless and brutal, not soft and sentimental. It might be difficult to part ways with your shoes if they are still in good condition. Do you still fit in your shoes? Have you stopped wearing them because they hurt your feet? Now may be a good idea to consider these as junk items that are best donated or sold.

Handbags

Women generally have a tendency to stock up on all kinds of bags. Purse, shoulder bags, backpacks, mini bags, and all other types of bags are probably sitting in your closet and storage room. You can cite all sorts of reasons just so you can hold on to your handbags but if you want to declutter then get rid of casual everyday handbags that you have not used in the last six months. You can even give yourself a quota. For instance, you get to keep only up to five bags. Now choose which of these handbags are worthy enough to land in your moving boxes.

Books

Books are, however, are one of the top items that could add not only clutter to your storage but add weight to your moving boxes. It is now time to decide which books to keep, donate, or sell. Getting rid of books that you don’t need is a difficult process, but you can start by gathering all your books in one place and then sorting them.

Create a “let go” pile and a “must keep” pile for the books that you cannot live without. You may need to go over your classification several times to give you enough strength to sort them out. For starters, you can get rid of books that you have read and remembered by heart.

Paper

You may have failed to recycle those old magazines that have been collecting dust, but you must let them go if you want to declutter before moving. Once again, categorizing the magazines will help you to sift through and decide which ones to keep and which ones to toss in the recycling bin. You can use old magazines to wrap your breakables before sending them to the moving company. The thicker ones are very good packing paper in place of bubble wrap. If you still have extra time, you may want to cut out articles or recipes and organize them in a folder or snap pictures with your smartphone. This way, you minimize your clutter and bring only those that are necessary.

Mugs

Mugs seem to have this habit of multiplying in your kitchen, in your basement and some other unthinkable places. Unless you are collecting mugs, or you have extra cash to pay for the extra weight when moving, you have to dispose of them or find creative ways to recycle them. You can use them as planters and then give them away to neighbors or your friends. If you are crafty then you can transform them into candle mugs.

Food

Expired food will definitely end up in the trash, but what about non-perishable food? You can opt to give cans away or bring them with you if you are only moving to the next town. Donation is also another option if you want to get rid of the clutter. However, check the expiration dates of your canned goods before you donate them.

The Last Thought

There are a hundred and one items that can be classified as clutter, especially when you are moving and you do not want the excess baggage. The items can vary from stuffed animals, furniture, clothes, even kitchen towels! If a garage sale is no longer possible because of time constraints, you may want to visit your local thrift store, or consignment shop and sell your stuff at a giveaway price. By decluttering and bringing only the necessary items when moving, you spare yourself the agony of unpacking too many items when you get to your next destination. Most importantly, moving is a fresh start, and you certainly don’t want to bring old clutter to your new space.

source: https://www.nectarsleep.com/