Your Big Move Is the Perfect Time to Declutter
Moving is something that takes up your time, energy, and money, and you probably don’t want to do extra work if you don’t have to. But hear me out: You should still use a big move as an opportunity to declutter. Here’s your chance to evaluate every single thing you own and decide what you really need. Who knows when the next time you’ll be able to get through all your stuff, categorize everything, and really declutter?
Why You Should Get Rid of Clutter Right Before You Move
First of all, getting rid of clutter before you move can actually save you money .
“The biggest mistake we see is underestimating the amount of stuff and overestimating how easy it is to move,” says Charles Chica, co-owner of CT Best Movers . “The best place to start is by decluttering and getting rid of anything you don’t use or need. This works wonders in saving time, space, and especially money.”
Mindy Godding, president of the National Association of Productivity and Work Organization Professionals , and Shannon Beller, CEO and co-founder of Wall-Russ , agree, noting that if you don’t pare down your possessions before you move, you’ll end up paying for labor and shipping costs associated with hauling things you don’t need or use.
It also makes packing and unpacking easier. Adam Hamilton, CEO of REI Hub, says that the last time he moved, decluttering a few weeks before the big day “really helped” because it helped him get organized, which made packing much easier. Plus, with better organization and less stuff to unpack, the process of settling into a new place went more smoothly, too.
Start decluttering early
A few weeks before your move, start getting into the decluttering mindset. Godding suggests scheduling time to declutter your space before you even start packing. Evan Hock, co-founder of MakeMyMove , says packing always takes longer than expected, so the sooner you start pre-packing, the easier it will be. He recommends focusing on seasonal items and things you don’t use on a daily basis.
Obviously, this is a bit of a challenge, especially if you’re new to decluttering. Here’s a list of my favorite decluttering methods — any of them will work as a template to follow. However, some methods work better when you’re packing things into boxes. For example, a “ packing party ” is a decluttering method that involves packing everything in a room into boxes, then taking out only what you need immediately, as needed, for 21 days. At the end of those three weeks, you should get rid of everything you haven’t touched. It might be worth packing everything three weeks before your move, following packing guidelines until then, and then donating anything you haven’t touched before repacking what you ’ve used and moving it to your new place.
Many decluttering methods also rely on containers in general. There are a few rules to keep in mind when decluttering and organizing: everything you own should have a place and be stored with similar items, ideally in containers. Starting this process a few weeks before your move can actually help you when it comes time to move, as your belongings will already be sorted and in boxes.
Declutter while you pack
Hawk says he finds it helpful to continue decluttering even after you’ve started packing. Your first decluttering session should be done a few weeks before you pack and move out, yes, but the job won’t be completely done then. Before packing, borrow a few ideas from organizing guru Peter Walsh : Visualize your new home and how you want each room to look and feel. Set intentions for each room. Do you want the dining room to be airy and spacious? Do you want the office to be sleek and minimalist so you can focus? As you pack boxes of things that need to go in each room, look at each one and ask yourself if that item contributes to the feel and function you envision for the space. If not, get rid of it.
If you’re having trouble deciding what to keep and what to go, I’ve put together a list of questions to ask yourself when evaluating a tough item. They focus on how often you use something, what condition it’s in, and whether you can mentally and economically replace it if you find yourself in a situation where you really need it.
“If you haven’t used or worn it in the last year, you probably don’t need it,” says Chika.
What to do with unnecessary things
Another benefit of starting the process early is that you give yourself a little wiggle room if you want to try to sell things, which can actually give you a little extra cash for your moving expenses . Online marketplaces like Poshmark and Mercari are great for selling off household items, clothing, decor, and even some furniture, but they can make you wait a while. I’m an active online reseller and I can tell you that it’s rare to make a sale right after listing something, so if you’re looking to make some money on your items, list them a few weeks before you move. For larger furniture items, or in my experience, quicker sales, list them on Facebook Marketplace to keep your sales local.
Anything that doesn’t sell should be donated, says Hamilton. Use the day before you move as a hard deadline. Many local consignment shops will take heavy items like furniture if you coordinate with them, and you can bring boxes of smaller items yourself. You can also post these items in the “free” section of Craigslist or in “Buy Nothing” Facebook groups, then place them on the curb with clear instructions in the post on how to find them.
If you decide to just throw things away, make sure you’re prepared to deal with the volume and the costs involved. Shanayqua D’sa, head of content marketing at Attic Self Storage , warns that you may need to rent a small dumpster or dumpster if you have a lot of stuff to throw away and can’t forget to budget for trash bags and recycling containers.
In the long run, this will make your move better, even if it takes a long time at first. You don’t want to spend money moving junk, and you don’t want to fill your new home with useless stuff. Moving is an opportunity for a fresh start in many ways, so taking the time to declutter will give you a boost to your new life.