Moving house comes with stress, stress and more stress. You have a million and one things to do, and often a small window of time to do it, right? Well, why not do one simple thing to make it easier on yourself?
Why not take the time to declutter your current home, so you can lighten your load, cut down on the number of things you need to pack and haul, and give yourself a fresh, spacious, start when you finally get to your new home.
Sound good? Here’s your quick guide to pre-move decluttering:
Start Early (Like, Sooner Than You Think)
Most people leave decluttering until the packing stage, which sounds logical but quickly becomes overwhelming. Instead, start a few weeks, or even months, ahead of your move. Begin with areas you use the least: the attic, basement, guest room, or that one closet everyone avoids. That way, when things get busy closer to moving day, the hard part is already done.
Sort It Out: Keep, Donate, Toss, or Sell
Pick a room and go item by item. Ask yourself: Do I use this? Do I love it? Would I buy it again today? If the answer is no, let it go.
Create four categories:
- Keep (goes with you)
- Donate (in good shape but not needed)
- Toss (broken, stained, unusable)
- Sell (for things worth a few bucks)
Be honest with yourself. That fondue set you never opened is not going to become essential in the new place.
Use the “One-Year Rule”
If you haven’t used it in the past year, chances are you won’t use it in the next. This applies especially to clothes, kitchen gadgets, and anything hiding in the back of your closet. It’s surprisingly freeing once you start letting go.
Get Rid of Duplicates
No one needs six spatulas or three nearly identical black sweaters. Look for duplicates and extras in your kitchen, bathroom, and wardrobe. Pick your favorites and donate the rest. You’ll be amazed at how much space this frees up.
Don’t Forget Digital Clutter
If you’re really on a roll, take a few minutes to back up and delete old files, apps, or documents from your devices. It won’t reduce the number of boxes you pack, but it’ll definitely give you a fresh start.
Clean as You Go (Or Let Someone Else Do It)
Decluttering tends to uncover all sorts of dust bunnies, long-lost socks, and general grime. While you’re focused on sorting and packing, deep cleaning can be the last thing you want to deal with. That’s where professionals can help. Sparkly Maid offer move out cleaning services, so you can declutter and pack while they handle the cleanup. One less thing on your list, and one more reason to breathe easy.
At the end of the day, decluttering is the smartest move you can make ahead of your actual move, not only becauwe it willmean you hasve fewer boxes to haul to your ne whom, but also because it will make space for your new life, and now you know how to do it effectively, you have no excuse not to ditch that clutter, right?!
Top Photo: Image Credit