How to Declutter Before a Big Move

Moving to a new home presents many opportunities for homeowners. It is an ideal chance to change or upgrade pieces of furniture, sort your belongings, and get rid of things you no longer need. Just like any other tasks in moving that may seem unnecessary and time-consuming, decluttering your new home before you move offers a lot of advantages. Whether you are moving on your own or hiring local removalists, like Whybirds, to do the work for you, these decluttering tips will help make the process more convenient for you.

Decluttering your home before an upcoming move sounds like a daunting task, but it offers many benefits for the homeowner, especially if you have opted for a DIY move. Getting rid of items you no longer use or need will not only help you save space when packing your belongings, but also reduce the packing materials that you will need for the move.

Here’s how you can declutter your home in a more relaxed manner.

1. Avoid procrastination at all costs

Packing and preparing your belongings can take a lot of time. Once you start with preparations, you might start realising that tasks which look like they only take 2 hours to finish would actually take around 5 hours. Hence, getting a headstart is beneficial for you and whoever is helping you with getting your items ready.

Even if you are preparing months ahead of your scheduled move, it is ideal to start decluttering as early as possible. Procrastination may lead to not only delays but also a lack of time to get everything ready before the scheduled moving day. If you start packing as soon as you have secured a moving date or you have made the decision to move, you will have more time to go through the process at a more relaxed pace.

2. Dedicate a time for decluttering

Whether you spend an entire day or just a few hours every week, decluttering a few months before the move will allow you to make more progress, compared to staying put and rushing everything when you’re only a few days away from the big move. Every individual has a unique schedule and responsibilities that they need to do at the end of the day. Hence, there is no one answer when it comes to choosing the right time dedicated to decluttering. Find a time that is convenient for you and your companions so they can help you with your decluttering efforts.

3. Start with unused rooms

The unused rooms in your home often contain items that you seldom use. Aside from serving their original purpose, they may have been used as storage rooms for seasonal items, unopened/unused gifts, or other items that have no other place anywhere in the house. Check for unused items, unopened gifts, and other things that are still in good condition. You may sell these items to get more resources that you can use for your move, you may also donate unsold items to charities if you don’t want to throw them away.

4. Sort your belongings

Once you are done checking the items stored in unused rooms. Start checking other areas of the house and sort your belongings following the steps you did in unused rooms. Prioritise choosing items that you need and are still in good condition. To make sorting easier to prevent situations where you will change your mind about certain items, prepare containers or boxes in advance so it will be easier for you to organise your sorted items into each container. For other items that are already too old or worn out, especially things that are beyond repair, consider recycling or disposing of them. This will help reduce the number of items you have to pack and help save space when in your moving box or container.

You also need to be practical in choosing what items to bring into your new home, especially old, worn out, or perishable items that can be easily replaced upon reaching your new home. Carefully think about which option is more cost-efficient.

5. Keep the children occupied

Children are always curious about what is going on around them. Hence, it shouldn’t be surprising to see them hovering all over the place once you start decluttering certain areas in the house. To avoid distraction, you and your partner or whoever is with you in the house can split the task so that you can get things done. One will keep the child occupied whilst the other works. Since your moving day will be more hectic than other days, consider asking a family member or close friend to look after the kids, so you can focus on packing your belongings and making final preparations for your move.

If your children are old enough to handle simple tasks, you might want to consider asking them to help out, especially in decluttering their rooms. Prepare smaller containers for them, so they can sort their belongings.

No matter where you are moving, always remember that being prepared and organised is crucial for a successful, stress-free move. Even if your scheduled move is months away, start doing the simplest tasks as early as you can.