How to Declutter Your Home Before Moving

One of the top moving tips you’ll find is to remove unnecessary clutter before moving day. It sounds easy enough, but once you begin opening cabinets, it could turn out to be a larger project than the move itself.

To avoid unwanted stress, you’ll need to learn how to sort through your goods in an organized and efficient manner.  Today, we’re sharing the best ways to remove clutter in your home before you move.  Let’s get started!

Straighten Up

Before you begin the decluttering process, make sure everything is in its rightful place.  Doing so will help you focus on the task at hand instead of getting sidetracked by cleaning.  It will also ensure your items are packed in the appropriate room.  Who wants their wine glasses mixed in with bathroom soaps, after all?

Work Room-By-Room

Instead of compiling everything into one massive project, take your time and work room-by-room.  Start with smaller rooms, such as bathrooms and closets.  This will help you create the momentum you need for larger spaces.

Sort

Every single item inside your house should be one of these two categories:

             Category #1: going with you to the new home
             Or
             Category #2: NOT going with you

As you begin to sort each room, designate each item into category #1 or #2.  Category #1 is self-explanatory and won’t need to be touched until you begin your moving preparations. 

Once you know which items are in category #2, you’ll need to create subcategories and plan on what to do with them.  Your subcategories should be SELL, DONATE, GIFT AND DISPOSE.

Sell

You could get a little extra money in your pocket by selling items of value.  These items include your electronics, old décor, furniture and collector items.

Give yourself plenty of time to prepare your belongings for their sale.  Nowadays, you can use social media like Facebook and online listings.  Be wary of scammers and no-showers.  For collectables and rarities, use popular auction sites such as Ebay.  Take quality photos and detailed descriptions with a transparent return policy included.  Any items of extraordinary value should be appraised prior to selling. 

Since shipping costs are expensive, leave your bulky items for garage sales, local listings and auction houses.  Learn more on the do’s and don’ts of garage sale pricing.

Donate

Charites are always accepting items to help a family in need.  Check around to see which ones offer free pickup, such as Pickup Please.  Remember to save those donation receipts for tax season!

Your common donation sites are Good Will, Libraries, Habitat for Humanity and The Salvation Army.  Most charities only receive gently used products.  You’ll need to contact the organization(s) to see what they'll take.  In most instances, charity groups won’t accept upholstered furniture, damaged or stained clothing, hazardous materials, broken glass, old light fixtures, and obsolete electronics.

Gift

One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.  You might have a family member, friend, coworker or old neighbor who’s willing to take some items off your hands.  Maybe you have an old Holiday gift that’s collecting dust in your closet and the season is approaching.  Whatever the reason, gift giving is a great alternative to selling if you’re running out of time.

If you’re planning to throw a farewell party, you can collect & create a pile of items that your party goers can sort through and take.

Dispose

If you can’t sell, donate or gift, another option is disposal.  Your moving company can offer this service for an extra fee.  If you don’t have much to get rid of, they can complete the disposal the same day as your move.  How easy is that?

Another disposal method is to contact your trash collector and schedule a dumpster rental.  The trash company will arrange to leave a large bag or dumpster outside your property, then pick it up once it’s full.  While normally used for contractors, this is a great way to get rid of many items in a short period of time.  Keep in mind of weight and hazardous waste restrictions.

For your hazmat items, your community may organize hazardous material drop-off programs and retailer take-back events.  Check their calendar for more information.

Once you have your house organized and cleaned out, you can start packing with ease! 

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