Getting rid of clutter is one of the most effective ways for achieving a smooth relocation. Before beginning a new chapter in your life, clearing up the clutter in your former house is a wonderful way to pay tribute to the memories you made there.
Realising that your house has become a dumping ground for damaged, superfluous, and expired items is a universal experience. Until it’s time to pack up your entire house and move, you might not realise just how much things you actually have.
When packing to move, it’s wise to get rid of whatever you don’t need. If you get rid of things you don’t use or want, you’ll free up time, money, and energy. If you declutter your home in advance of a move, you won’t have to waste time packing unnecessary items. This will reduce the number of boxes you need, the amount of space your belongings will take up in the moving truck, and the number of people you’ll need to help you move.
Top Tips to Declutter Before Moving:
1. Do Not Procrastinate
Getting rid of clutter isn’t something you should put off until the last minute. Get started as far in advance of the move as you can, ideally a few months in advance. Using this method, you won’t have to rush through the process of going through your things. One of the most common blunders is not allocating specific times to clean up clutter.
We recommend setting aside one to three hours every week to declutter, ideally on the same day each week to establish a habit. Put on some headphones, block out your calendar, and commit to that time.
2. Create a Strategy
It can be easier to clear up clutter if you have a plan in place. Before moving on to more heavily trafficked places, you may want to start with the attic or basement. You can also declutter by category, such as clothing, books, or kitchenware, or by room.
3. Prepare
You should stock up on sturdy garbage bags for the items you don’t want to keep. That is in addition to the labeled boxes you will need. If you don’t need to bring documents older than seven years with you, a shredder is a useful tool to have. If you need to wrap anything, you should also stock up on packaging tape and packing paper.
4. Prioritise the Spaces and Items You Rarely Use
How much junk should be purged before a move? Everything! But don’t let that put you off; ease into decluttering by beginning with seldom-used spaces and items.
The basement, attic, or garage are excellent places to start because they force you to confront the worth and use of your possessions head-on. By the time you get to the meat of the matter, you’ll have honed your strategy, spent less time overthinking, and nearly mastered your own method. In addition, as you go along, you can pack the objects you’re keeping into boxes or plastic bins, killing two birds with one stone and causing as little disruption as possible to your regular routines as possible elsewhere in the house.
5. Forget the Past and Move On
It’s inevitable that you’ll have to sort through sentimental belongings at some point. If you feel yourself going back in time, just try to bring your thoughts back to the present. You may look at an old photo, and the past floods back to you in a way that makes an hour fly by. Refuse to give in. If the sentimental attachment is really strong, it may be worthwhile to save the object and revisit it at a later time.
6. Make Use Of Containers With Clear Labels
Sort items as you travel through each space or category, placing them in one of the designated bins.
- Keep: Items you should keep are ones you rely on frequently or that hold sentimental value. You should only include things in your new house that you truly desire.
- Sell: Things you no longer use or want but which may be of use to others are worth selling if they are in decent condition.
- Donate: Things that can’t be sold but could be valuable to others should be donated.
- Trash: Things that are damaged, worn out, or broken should be thrown away. These materials could be recycled or disposed of in an ethical manner.
7. Get Your Children Involved in the Declutter
If you have the time and patience, it’s crucial to get your kids involved in sorting through their own stuff as part of the decluttering process. We understand that this may be more difficult if you are sorting through items your kids haven’t seen in a long time. Even though they have been “out of sight, out of mind” for months, all of a sudden they are their absolute favourites, we get it.
Reassure them that other kids would love to have their hands on some of their less-loved belongings, and that it won’t hurt anyone’s feelings to give them away. The unexpected generosity of your children may surprise you. And, they will be better equipped emotionally and intellectually to simplify their own lives as adults.
You might be interested in our packing and wrapping services. We offer both home moves and furniture removals Cape Town and surrounding areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
First and foremost, don’t try to tackle too much at once. Start with one space at a time, and make piles of things you no longer need or use that you can then donate, recycle, sell, or throw away. Maintaining a clutter-free environment requires consistent culling of unused items. This will make it less likely that clutter will build up again.
The 90/90 minimalism rule states that you should only keep things you will use within the next 90 days. Timing is of the essence in this minimal rule. You only need to ask yourself — when was the last time you used this product and when will I use it again?
It might be challenging to decide what to get rid of during a move. It’s vital that you carefully evaluate each thing to decide whether or not to bring it along. First, make a list of everything that will be absolutely necessary in your new home, like furniture, clothing, and appliances. Before selecting whether or not to keep an item, think about if it will fit in your new place and whether its value justifies the hassle of moving it. Finally, you should consider how much of an emotional investment you have in each item to avoid any regrets down the road.