Getting rid of clutter before moving seems like another obligation! It’s not like you already have enough on your back, but now you have to clean. Cleaning and making your place tidy before you move out does not sound like a piece of cake. But it is.
Decluttering your space can make packing and move much more organized, faster, and lighter. You can get rid of the things you don’t need, donate things you do not use, and even find some old things that might have a new purpose! And, as always, Experia Moving have best movers in nyc, and there are here to help you do that most efficiently and conveniently!
We explained how to declutter before a move and what you need to do to make the most of your moving experience. Prepare yourself for packing in the easiest way possible and leave your old place clean and tidy with our moving declutter checklist.
Why You Should Downsize and Declutter?
You might want to consider reducing your belongings when preparing to move. Organizing and decluttering before moving can save you time and effort on both ends of your move and money.
If you wonder how - it's simple.
When you have a lot of stuff to move, the cost increases, the less stuff you have, the less it will cost.
Here are the top three advantages of downsizing and decluttering!
1. No more mess, no more stress
Less stuff means less packing and unpacking. When you move to a new location with fewer possessions, you can save time and money, as well as the physical and mental stress of the whole moving process.
2. Save up money
In order to reduce the costs and time involved in moving, you should be smart and intentional about what you select for your new home. You can save yourself the hassle of moving furniture into a space that cannot accommodate it by making plans for the new space before the actual move. This way, you can get rid of the things you do not use and thus pay less for the transfer.
3. A clean move will provide a clean start
The accumulation of goods may serve as a breeding ground for undesirable house visitors, like mold and mildew. Pest infestations can result from items being left unattended for an extended time while concealed in basements and closets.
You would not want to introduce this to a new environment. It's crucial to thoroughly inspect all your belongings to ensure they are free of harmful pollutants and bugs to have a clean transfer and a fresh start.
How to Get Rid of Things When Moving
Get rid of unnecessary things by selling, donating, throwing away, and keeping the ones you really need! Here’s how you should do it!
Things to Sell or Donate
Don't hesitate to sell items online or at a garage sale if you have good-condition belongings that you don't need or want any longer. This way, you won’t feel sorry for throwing them. You can also donate your things to charities or thrift stores if they are still usable. Charities will gladly accept your help, and it is always a good idea to help someone in need.
For instance, clothing donations are the most popular ones, with bags and shoes following. Aside from that, people also donate kitchenware, linens, toys, and games for children, books, and art.
Things to Throw Away
Don’t feel sorry to throw away the things that are broken, damaged, or no longer usable in an environmentally-friendly way. Think about recycling items like electronics and appliances, and properly dispose of hazardous materials like batteries and cleaning supplies. Also, your old clothes that are ripped or in really bad condition, it’s time to throw them away in the recycle bin!
Things to Keep
Make a list of the things you want to bring to your new place while decluttering. This will make it easier for you to keep track of everything and ensure nothing gets left behind.
The good thing is that while you are cleaning, you can see how many things you don’t need and how many things you actually need and use. Everything that you wear or everything that you use in your household on a daily basis, ensure to secure and pack them.
Track the list of supplies and go one by one. Pack from one room to another and at the same time separate those unused belongings for throwing away or donating.
Items you should consider decluttering first:
Here we provided decluttering tips for moving. Follow the given list so you can get rid of the things you don’t need but at the same time, keep some of them organized way!
Duplicate items
We fill our homes with ten variations of the same product, yet we hardly use any of them since we can never find even one among the mess! Duplicates are a simple place to start if we want to declutter and reclaim our homes.
Is it really necessary to have three sets of sheets, two coffee makers, or the same t-shirts that you almost never wear? Eliminate duplicate items that are no longer needed or used. This will light up your boxes and simultaneously declutter your things before moving to a new place!
Outdated or broken items
Consider disposing of broken, damaged, or unusable items responsibly.
● Furniture, electronics, appliances, and other items fall into this category. Ensure those electronics like an old TV or batteries are properly stored and placed in the recycle bin. For instance, don’t place batteries near the heat source or locations where there is moisture or humidity. Instead, place the batteries in a plastic pail or cardboard box.
● Also, get rid of those plastic silverware because plastic is not good for the environment, and normal silverware will do the job even better!
● Things like condiment packets are also items for throwing away. The condiment packets of fast-food restaurants are not worth saving.
● Don’t forget those expired pantry items as well. Over time, spices lose their flavor, and cupboard essentials like wheat and sugar stop working as well as fresh ingredients.
Consider throwing away a cupboard item if you haven't used it in the last six months.
Sentimental items
The moving process can be a good time to get rid of sentimental items that have lost their usefulness or are taking up too much space.
● Unused gifts - Get rid of that gift you received a few years ago that you never used. Don’t feel guilty because that’s yours and you can do whatever you wish, plus if it’s too bulky it can save you a lot of space!
● Old pictures - Items like pictures have memorable and nostalgic value. Sometimes it is tough to get rid of them but consider scanning them instead and saving them digitally.
● Keep only one childhood toy - Another way of saving some unique things from your childhood, for example, is to keep one thing. If you have a collection of mementos, such as all of your stuffed animals from childhood, you can choose to keep only one of them in order to preserve the sentimental value.
● Make a scrapbook - When you wish to relive those memories, you can keep a lot of your sentimental clutter organized in a simple scrapbook. Fill the scrapbook with pictures, letters, and other papers. Additionally, add notes in the margins that describe their significance. This scrapbook may eventually be handed down to subsequent family generations.
Unused or infrequently used items
Let’s be honest, we all have some belongings that we haven’t used for months or even years! And, let’s be even more honest, we are probably not going to use them ever. That’s why decluttering before a move is a must!
Get rid of such items to save space and make packing and unpacking easier. Those are usually
● Clothes that don’t fit, or we just don’t like them anymore;
● A pair of shoes that were worn only once;
● Outdated electronics like old phones that are still good but not in use;
● Old makeup expired years ago;
● Those medications that are luckily not in use.
Such things will not have their purpose in the new home, just like they didn’t in the old one.
Large or bulky items
Moving hefty or large objects can be costly and time-consuming. If you don't use or need something, think about getting rid of it. It might be more convenient to replace it once you move into your new house.
Maybe that old armchair or two-seater has sentimental value, but it’s too bulky for your new home, and plus, its design does not go with your new house interior. Try to sell it or donate it. This way, you will get rid of your old furniture, earn some money, and buy the appropriate one for your new home.
Seasonal items
Another way to declutter before moving is to go through your seasonal items. If you are moving to a colder or warmer place, consider removing those items you will not use so much.
For instance, you are moving to the south, where winter is very mild. That feathered flak jacket takes up a lot of space, and there is a big chance that you will never have to wear it again in your new town. If you have a couple of such jackets, choose one, while others you can sell, donate or give to someone.
This will make your boxes much lighter; it will save a lot of space and, most of all, make packing easier.
Make a plan for organizing your new home:
Since we answered the question of how to get rid of stuff before moving, another one arises.
How not to make a mess and stay organized once you move into your new house. It’s simple; just make a plan! Here are a few tips on how to do that!
1. Planning ahead
Moving requires a lot of planning and organization. It might sound boring, but it is the key to a flawless moving experience. Don't rush, and don’t try to do it in a day or a weekend. It would be perfect if you could start your preparation for moving forty days up to one month beforehand. It will give you enough time to organize, remove unnecessary belongings, and book the moving agency or truck!
Once you move in, unpacking starts. The unpacking part majorly depends on your packing. Ensure to label all the boxes and divide the boxes into each room. This way, you can know exactly which box goes to which room and also what is inside that box. According to your needs, you will start unpacking them one by one.
2. Start unpacking room by room
As we mentioned, boxes of your stuff should be placed in the room they belong, starting with your kitchen. Experts agree that you should unpack the kitchen first because the sooner you can cook at home, the less you'll spend on eating out. Also, it makes sense to unpack the kitchen first since it serves as the home's structural cornerstone.
Make a short plan for the rooms you'll work on first before you begin unpacking. Afterward, check that each of the boxes for that room is accessible. This is crucial if you have a garage or storage facility as a staging place for unpacking.
You might wish to work on bedrooms, bathrooms, or a living room once you finish the kitchen. Save unpacking of rooms like guest bedrooms or offices until necessary, and ensure that the most useful rooms are unpacked first.
3. Unpack first and then decorate
You might find decorative items alongside the rest of your belongings when you unpack. Put those aside and postpone decorating a room until you have unpacked it. This will make it easier to see what needs to be decorated and prevent you from making excessive holes in your walls.
Conclusion
After reading these recommendations, you are now prepared to arrange your brand-new home with movers nyc.
Instead of residing in a sea of boxes, you will soon be living in a very well-organized new home.
Simply follow the provided guide, and there will be no space for the mess. If you start packing and organizing on time, your moving experience will go flawlessly.
