Did you know that clutter can make people feel stressed out and affect their ability to focus? If you’re preparing for a move and want some tips on how to organize and declutter your home, we can help.
In this guide, we’ll go over what items you should throw away and what you should keep.
Want to learn more? Keep reading.
Begin to Declutter
You’ll want to walk through your home and see how much clutter fills different rooms. Part of your packing task will begin here.
You’ll want to begin to declutter rooms one at a time. Instead of getting overwhelmed by the enormous task, start small by tackling a shelf or drawer first. Use the necessary service if needed, like dumpster rental from ewmdumpsterrental.com for fast and hassle-free waste disposal of getting overwhelmed by the enormous task, start small by tackling a shelf or drawer first.
Put away items where they belong. Start putting duplicate items in a donation box.
Don’t Buy New Items
If you are preparing to move, make sure you stop buying new items for now. Don’t pick up unnecessary things like new clothes, shoes, or knick-knacks.
Instead, focus on buying the bare essentials. When you move to your new place, pick up some of those non-essential items you love.
Get Rid of Clothing
Most people have too many clothes in their bedroom closet. Consider decluttering and organizing your closet before your big move.
Otherwise, you’ll pack up more cardboard boxes filled with clothing items you might not use often.
Take the clothes from your closet or drawer and sort them into categories. Have a box for items that you’re going to keep.
Make sure you have a box or bag for items you will donate. When considering clothes to donate, make sure the pieces are gently used.
If you have worn down clothing, throw them away, or turn them into cleaning rags.
Consider Buying a New Mattress
What do you plan to do with the current mattress in your bedroom? If your current mattress is worn down and stained, consider selling it, donating it, or tossing it.
When you move to your new home, you can buy a brand new mattress.
What About Shoes?
Most organizations that accept donations are always looking for decent shoes.
Consider sorting out which ones you will keep and what ones you could pass on. Don’t get sentimental when going through your footwear.
How to Let Go of Certain Items
When you’re deciding between keeping or donating an item, you can ask yourself a few questions.
Determine the last time you used an item. If you didn’t use it for over a year, it might be time to donate it.
Do you love a specific item, or does it hold sentimental value? Things like wedding dresses or keepsakes from family members are difficult to give away. Keep the most treasured items.
Tackle Your Kitchen
Are your kitchen cabinets overflowing with plates, bowls, and cups that don’t match? Consider donating these mismatched items and pick up a new set when you move.
You’ll also want to go through the items and look for anything that’s broken. Don’t keep things that are broken.
Get rid of leftover or expired food. You don’t want to bring food items that will spoil during the move.
Most people have an overabundance of mugs in their kitchen cabinets. Consider getting rid of some of your mugs that you don’t use often.
Go through your kitchen junk drawers and clear them out. Toss out old takeout menus, plastic containers, or pens.
Get Rid of Linens and Towels
As you sort through your items, you might discover you have more linens or towels than you need.
If you have worn or faded sheets or towels, consider tossing them or turning them into cleaning rags. Pick up brand new sheets or towels for your new home.
Tackle Your Bookcase
If you are a book lover, try to go through your bookcases. Are there some books that you haven’t touched in years? Consider donating these books. Keep the books that you know you’ll end up rereading or that you love.
Time to Clean Out Your Garage
Take a walk through your garage. You might have old sporting equipment that the kids don’t use anymore.
Sometimes, people end up moving old bed frames or appliances into their garage. If some items are sitting around, consider donating them or selling them online.
If you need to throw away a lot of items, consider a dumpster rental.
Go Through Hobby Supplies
A lot of the time, personal hobby supplies can pile up. Make sure you’re using them often. If not, consider donating the supplies to a local organization.
Old Electronics
Do you have boxes of old media or electronics? Make sure you do something with the cassette tapes or VHS.
If you have a newer tablet, consider selling your older tablet instead of keeping it in a box.
Create a Deadline
The primary deadline you’ll face is your moving date. Yet, as you begin to pack and declutter your home, consider setting up a few smaller deadlines.
A deadline will motivate you to stay on task. Consider choosing a day in a couple of weeks as your donation day.
Use These Tips When Preparing for a Move
We hope this guide on how to organize and declutter your home before a move was helpful.
When preparing for a move, begin to declutter a few months beforehand. Sell items that are in good shape, and consider donating old clothes or kitchen supplies.
Want some more tips? Read about our other resources on real estate, business, and more.
