If you have a big move coming up, you might have already starting thinking about all the things you need to get done before moving. Whether you are moving cross-country, or just to a different area in your city, moving can be stressful and costs a lot of money! Decluttering before a move is definitely a must in my book. It gives you the opportunity for a new, fresh start at your new place! If you don’t declutter before moving, it will potentially cost you more time and money for moving stuff you don’t want or need in the first place. Here are some helpful tips on how to declutter before moving.
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1. Give Yourself Time
First thing first, you want to make sure you give yourself enough time to declutter your home before moving day. I suggest decluttering a few weeks before you actually need to start packing up all your stuff. This way, packing will be much easier because you have already decluttered everything you are not taking with you.
I suggest creating a schedule to declutter, that way you have it planned out and it doesn’t become overwhelming! Of course, the bigger your home is/more stuff you have, the more time you will need. Just make sure you plan accordingly so that things go smoothly!
2. Decide What You Must Take
Once you have planned out when you will start decluttering, it’s time to make a list! Make a list of all the things you know you must take with you when you move. This is especially important for the bigger items (furniture, electronics, etc.) but you can also include smaller items that add up (clothing, kitchen items, etc.). If you are moving cross-country, I would suggest leaving most of these things behind, sometimes moving certain things can cost more than simply getting a new one at your new place! Once you make your list of the things you must/want to take with you, you can start decluttering everything else.
3. Declutter One Room at a Time
In order to avoid letting things get really chaotic and overwhelming, focus on decluttering one room at a time. For example, don’t start decluttering your kitchen if you are only halfway done with your bedroom!
Focus one one room at a time and make sure you declutter it thoroughly. Decluttering one room at a time can be more efficient because it doesn’t feel as mentally overwhelming. If you don’t finish decluttering that room in one day, you can still have the rest of your home be put together while you work on that certain room.
4. Sell Your Stuff
I am a huge fan of selling my stuff from around the house that I no longer need. It’s a great way to make extra cash from things you were going to donate anyway. This is especially true for larger items, like furniture. Moving large pieces or furniture can be such a hassle. Why not sell all of them and start fresh at your new home? Make a list of the things you want to sell, take photos of them, and throw them up on Facebook Marketplace. You can have the buyers pick them up instead of delivering and make extra cash! If you have a lot of clothes you are decluttering, you can sell them on apps like Poshmark or Mercari!
5. Donate
For the things you think you really just can’t sell, donate them instead of taking them with you. This can be clothes, kitchen items, or random home décor. Most of this stuff just isn’t worth taking with you. If you must, pick your favorite items and only take those.
6. Label, Label, Label!
This last one is both a decluttering tip and moving tip all in one! It’s so important to stay organized when your home feels like chaos during the moving process. Stay organized by making sure you have plenty of boxes and label them! When you label your boxes, be specific! For example, instead of writing “kitchen” write “utensils”, “appliances” etc. If you think about, there are so many different things that belong in the kitchen so it will make it easier on you to be specific. Also, make sure you label boxes for items you are selling/donating or keeping! You don’t want to get those mixed up! You can use a label maker or simply write them on paper or index cards and tape them on.
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