Essentially when it comes to moving house, the less stuff you have, the cheaper and easier the move. This isn’t a sign to get rid of everything you own, but if you’re moving house, it’s the perfect time to declutter the things you may not need or use anymore, as fewer packing boxes mean less space taken up in the van and less stuff to physically move into your new home.
So, how do you declutter for your move? This blog will tell you everything you need to know about decluttering with your house move in mind.
How to declutter furniture?
Planning before a move, and at any part of the process, is key to saving time, money, stress, and decluttering is no different. By planning each room in your new home and a detailed floor plan, you can determine what furniture will fit where and this will also make it quicker on the other side of the process as you will save time deciding what will go where. It will also help you identify which items to donate or sell that you won’t be needing in your new home.
MDF-type furniture is usually not worth dismantling or moving as the fixings can be ruined when you try to take them apart and the wood can be easily damaged during a move. When you’re deciding what furniture to take with you, ask yourself these questions:
Do I love this item of furniture?
Is it financially or sentimentally irreplaceable?
Does it fit the decor style of my new home?
How to declutter clothes?
When decluttering clothes and wearable items, consider the storage situation and options in your new home. Is there more or less space? If there’s less, then this is a sign to be brutal with your decisions, if there’s more space available, think about the fact you’re starting a new chapter in your life and should get rid of any clothes you have grown out of or haven’t worn in the past year. When you’re deciding what clothes and shoes to take with you, ask yourself these questions:
Are they in a good condition?
Do they still fit?
When was the last time you wore it?
Would it be more cost-effective to sell it or move it to your new house?
How to declutter books and magazines?
Nothing compares to holding and reading a real paper book no matter what technological advances are developed, but books are a very heavy matter to move if you have a large collection. Most books and magazines are now available to read online and the ones on your shelves may not have been opened for years. You may not want to get rid of many of your books if you have collected a substantial number over the years, but it’s a good opportunity to have a declutter and donate old ones to charity. It’s worth asking yourself:
Why do you want to keep it?
Is it sentimental or nostalgic to you?
With recipe books, can you get the recipes online now?
With your children’s books, do they still read them?
Our top tips for decluttering
Declutter before getting an in-home removals estimation as the estimate will be far more accurate if the company can see exactly what they are charging to move.
Decluttering is time-consuming, so leave enough time to get rid of things and donate or sell them to where you want to.
Create a plan to decide which rooms to prioritise and set yourself a realistic date for decluttering those rooms.
Be strict with yourself and keep the right frame of mind. You only need to keep the items that are irreplaceable to you.
Declutter non-sentimental items first as these will be the easiest things to get rid of and after this, you should find it motivating to keep going and try to declutter more.
We recommend making three piles; one for things you want to keep, one for items you can sell or donate, and one for the stuff you are throwing away.
This blog should’ve given you the help and guidance you need to declutter your stuff ready for your move. Once you have decluttered, get in touch with us at HomeMoovers for a quote to see how much money we can save you on your move.