How to Declutter and Organize Before You Move
Guest Blog written for Joyful Tidying by Nancy Zafrani, general manager of Oz Moving & Storage. Oz has been providing moving and storage solutions in NY, California, and Florida for nearly three decades.
Whether you are moving into your dream home or apartment, you couldn’t be happier. Unfortunately, there is decluttering to do before you move. This process always comes with headaches because it’s hard to figure out what to keep and give away. What if those gadgets and gizmos aplenty give you joy? How can you ensure a balance of both things you love and some to consider getting rid of?
Decluttering is beneficial because the fewer things you have to move, the less it costs to move it. When you organize and get rid of stuff that is longer pertinent, it releases an overwhelming heaviness of burden and stress. It will save you valuable time, money, and effort.
Have a hard time trying to declutter your home without losing your marbles? You’re in luck!
Keep reading for a guide on the best tips to declutter and organize your home before moving.
Make a Plan
Always be sure to implement a plan before going about decluttering your space. Choose the rooms that require minimum upkeep and purging as you will spend most of your time in the ones that need more work. Consider if your new space will have enough storage for specific items to determine what stays and what goes.
Hiring professional movers is also an excellent idea, so you don’t have to worry about lugging everything into your new home yourself.
Start as Early as Possible
Moving day can creep up on you, and before you know it, it will be the day of. It is crucial to start decluttering your space now, so it is easier to organize the items and furniture you are keeping with you. The sooner you start decluttering your space, the less hassle it will be to figure out how to move all of that in a shortened period. Starting early will help you determine what to sort, donate, and throw out.
The Three-Box Method
One of the more common techniques for decluttering your home is the three-box method. Pick the room with the most clutter and label three boxes as keep, throw away, and sell. When considering this with items, ask yourself if this is useful and if you donate it, is it garbage or not? Sometimes for the latter question, we might think it could be donated, but if it’s something invaluable, it might be best to discard it.
Use Up What You Have Now
You might be the one to have a mini grocery and convenience store but having extra household goods and toiletries might add to the moving load. In that case, start using up the excess now so you have less to bring with you. If you end up running out, only get a small supply to get you by for a short while. An example of this would be any consumables such as food, cleaning supplies, and hygiene products.
Clear Out Unused Items
It’s best to have a specific list of what you want to get rid of before moving on with decluttering. This can be as simple as books, old-school textbooks, and workbooks that you no longer use. Another would be old electronics and cables that either do not work or can be donated. Finally, get rid of any impulse buys that you regret.
Save Your Most-Beloved Items for Last
Sometimes when we are decluttering our space, we gravitate toward an item we might have found, then hyper-fixate on it for hours. This is a danger zone, so to avoid this, leave all mementos and beloved items to be sorted at the end of decluttering. This way, you have a clear head when considering getting rid of some.
Only Buy the Essentials
When organizing your things for the big move, it is best to acquire the necessities needed. Moving boxes, packing tape, and a dolly to carry all of your things easily. You also have to consider renting out a moving truck or two, depending on how much you have to pack up.
Get Rid of the Old and Expired
Chances are, there are items in your kitchen or bathroom that you can throw out due to their expiration date. Before you pack up these items, be sure to check the expiration date so you don’t bring anything that is out of date. Spices, fortunately, can last for years, so you do not have to worry about that. However, if there is food with a fast-approaching expiration date, get rid of it. As for the bathroom, any cleaning items or old makeup can be discarded.
Be Practical About What to Keep
Even if you follow the three-box method, it’s hard to determine what to keep, donate or throw out. A solution for this would be to take a step back and analyze the item itself. Channel your inner Marie Kondo to determine if it sparks joy or not. Though, of course, this might be easier said than done. In that case, try to think of what you can handle when moving out your items to your new home.
Consider Your New Space
It’s important to consider what can be kept and what needs to be let go as far as furniture goes. If your new place doesn’t have a lot of rooms, try to condense what you have now to make it
easier for moving day. Assess what you’ll have room for, where items will go, and what will fit in your new place, among other things.
Ask for Help
There is no shame in asking for help, whether from friends and family or professionals. Though it is best not to wait until the last minute to seek guidance. Seek out recommendations of declutterers on neighborhood websites such as Angi’s List or Nextdoor.
Final Thoughts
It’s challenging to navigate the stress of decluttering before moving, but it doesn’t have to be a total nightmare. If you follow these tips, your move will go much more smoothly, and you’ll be comfortable in your new home before you know it.
Guest Blog written for Joyful Tidying by Nancy Zafrani of Oz Moving & Storage.
Author bio:
Nancy Zafrani is the general manager of Oz Moving & Storage. A day-one employee of Oz, she has 30 years of experience in the moving industry. As a lifetime New Yorker, Nancy also has lots of experience dealing with small apartments and organizing. Nancy has many interests. Her hobbies include painting, hiking, and baking.