The Los Angeles Times reports that most American households have about 300,000 items from clothes, toys, paintings and more. Often, we collect items without even thinking about it, filling up our closets, shelves, basements, and garages with a variety of trivial things. One huge advantage to moving is that you now have an opportunity to declutter. You can choose what you want to take with you and what you want to leave behind. Not to mention, it offers a fresh start to relinquish items you no longer love, or you don’t find useful.
Here are some simple steps to decluttering your home to save some time before relocating.
Throw Out the Trash
If you have a lot of unnecessary junk that needs to go in the garbage, get rid of it. Consider dedicating an entire day to removing all the garbage from your rooms, closets, attic, and garage. Throw away all the things you can’t sell, recycle, or giveaway. If you have a lot of garbage, you may want to consider ordering a dumpster. This is a wonderful option because all you have to do is fill it up, and they will take it away for you.
Schedule a Garage Sale
Once you’ve thrown out all the garbage, then decide what you want to discard. Plan a garage sale, for it’s easier to part with unnecessary items when you’re receiving money. Walk throughout your house and start gathering those items. Start with all unnecessary stuff such as extra linens, old toys, unused dishes, books you’ve already read, etc. Items that you have not used for years should be the first to go. Look around your house at the existing décor and throw away everything that you don’t love.
Donate to Charity
Whatever items you haven’t sold, consider giving them away to family members, friends, or neighbors. Haul the remaining things to your local charity distribution center. Some charity organizations will come to your home and pick up donated items. After all, “One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.”
Place Local Ads
Local ads like Craigslist or Offer Up is another great way to get rid of stuff you don’t want. You can sell your items or offer them for free. In many suburban areas, you can discard items by merely placing them outside on the curb. You may also want to consider putting up a sign to let people know they are free.
Organize
Now that you have only the items that you plan to keep, it’s time to get organized. Being organized makes the whole moving process a lot easier. Clean out your drawers, organize your clothes, restructure kitchen items, and utilize unused space. Once you reach the organizational stage, you’re now comfortable with getting rid of things you no longer need.
You’re starting to feel pretty good about the move, and a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders. At your new home, you will find it easier to organize and sort out everything because you don’t have as much stuff, and you had organized everything prior to moving. By making these simple changes, packing and unpacking should be easier and more efficient.