Moving out can be a challenge if you are a hoarder. Sometimes we get into the habit of hoarding even without knowing. With the advent of digital marketing, we are exposed to more advertisements than ever before.
There is always something that we want to order online. As a result, we end up with overstuffed drawers and closets with stuff we don’t even know we own. When it's time to pack and move out, that extra clutter costs you more than you had spent buying them.
You will have to pay your moving company more money just so you could move the junk you wouldn’t even want to take along to your new place.
If you want to move out as stress-freely as possible, you should declutter your closets before you start to pack. In this article, we are going to share some of the best tips to make the moving process as stress-free as possible. So without further ado, let’s get to the details.
Stress-free tips to declutter before you move:
1. Start early:
Start from getting a small storage unit on rent.
There are a plethora of things you got to do on your moving day. Therefore, decluttering the day you move out should never be an option. You need to start early to make the moving process less overwhelming and inexpensive.
Get rid of everything you don’t need before the movers arrive. The ideal time to start decluttering is two weeks before you move. Tackle each room one by one by taking out a few hours each day. This will make it easier for you to decide what you want to keep and what to give away.
2. Use excess goods:
Most families stockpile household goods during the sale season including shampoos and toilet paper. These items are hard to pack and can cost you much more than their actual price when moved. Therefore, use the excess goods before you move out. The lesser you have to bring along, the better it is.
3. Make a necessities box before moving:
Take a spare box and add to it everything you will require as you move into your new house. Your box of necessities should contain toothpaste and toothbrushes, a toilet paper roll, nails, a hammer, and a box cutter. Label this box and keep it aside. This way you won’t have to rush to the grocery store or dig into different boxes right after you move into your new place.
4. Leave stuff with sentimental value for last:
It is hard to get rid of the items that hold an emotional value for you. Sometimes we don’t want to let some items go even though they serve no purpose. While decluttering before you move, try to leave such items for the last. The possibilities are with most of the useless stuff out, wouldn’t even need to give your beloved belongings away.
5. Get three boxes:
Get three boxes and take them to every room you decide to de-clutter. Dedicate one box to the items you will be keeping. Spare one box for the items you want to throw away and keep the third box for the items you can donate. Go through your closets and drop every item into its dedicated box.
6. Perform practicality test:
As mentioned earlier, sometimes we don’t want to give away even the items we no longer use. If you are confused about whether you want to keep or donate an item, perform a practicality test. Let’s take the example of clothes. Decide a time-limit, for example, a year. If you haven’t worn something in a year, chances are you will not wear it again. Therefore, it should go into the donation box.
For utensils, look for the items you have duplicates for. If you have more than two tea sets, try to donate one. The same goes for towels and bedsheets.
7. Look out for almost-expired items:
Before you start packing to move, check your bathroom or pantry for the items about to expire. Go through your vanity and search for the makeup items past their prime. Get rid of them before packing for your new house.
Wrapping up!
Decluttering a week or two before you move out to make the process stress-free and less overwhelming, follow the above-mentioned tips to save time and money while moving.