De-cluttering before packing is an important aspect of preparing to move – because it allows you to decide what you’ll need for the new house, what you’ll have room for, and what you won’t.
The most important thing to remember when de-cluttering is that you’ll be making room and getting rid of emotional baggage, whilst lowering your moving bills. An average four person house requires at least a seven ton van to move, whilst a house that doesn’t de-clutter might need twice that!
De-cluttering can be considered essential or heartless
Either way, moving house is one of the best times to do a proper de-clutter.
In fact sometimes, its the only ‘spring clean’ that some people do.
And while its always good to hang onto things of sentimental value, do you really need a newspaper from 1985 with an article about something that you needed to follow up on within a week of the printing?
Get rid of any papers that you don’t need (though keep all important documentation) – consider donating any magazines, books, old toys or clothes in good condition to a local charity – or sell them on Ebay or similar, to make some cash.
These donations and sales make mental and space sense – you’re not wasting perfectly good items you will probably never use again, and you could sell the really good condition items in a variety of places.
You could hold a yard sale, or garage or even a car boot sale – or if you have enough time, auction them online, either via a recognized site, or through your own website, if you have the know how – getting rid of the things you don’t need is both very freeing and releasing, and can actually generate you some extra money for the move.
You could even sell off surplus office, or craft supplies, if you have them spare, making your home office move leaner and easier.
There are several options for getting rid of items in your “Get Rid Of” box:Donate or Free-cycle:
Have peace of mind knowing that something you no longer require will find a new home with someone who does. Clothing, shoes, and other household items in good condition can be donated to a variety of local charities.
Check the charity’s guidelines for accepted items before dropping off donations. You could also try posting the items on free-cycle.org or a Facebook resale group, and people in your area could come pick them up.
Recycle: If your neighborhood offers curbside pickup, recyclable glass, plastics, and paper can go straight into your recycling bin.
Hold a Garage Sale: If you’re up for it, you might be able to make some money off your clutter by holding a garage sale. Check with your neighbors or homeowners’ association to see if your neighborhood has a designated garage sale date.
Renting a dumpster is a good idea because not everything will be in good enough condition to donate or sell. If you have a lot of trash to get rid of or larger household items to dispose of, renting a dumpster is a cost-effective and stress-free option.
And we can assist you with this one as well: we’ll deliver the dumpster to your driveway, you can fill it up at your leisure, and we’ll haul it away. Request a free dumpster rental quote for your de-cluttering project.
If you know that you need to de-clutter, but don’t want to do it yourself, Your Moving Men offers a packing and de-cluttering service that will save you time.
Your Moving Men is a professional moving company. We are licensed, bonded, and always go the extra mile for our customers. Contact us today to chat with us and get a fair quote for your move.
We are standing by, ready to make your move a smooth one. Contact us today to see how Your Moving Men goes above and beyond other moving companies.