Moving is a lengthy process, and packing takes a huge part of it. Sometimes, packing may take up to four or six weeks, depending on how big your house is! And that is perfectly fine, as long as you do a thorough job. One important aspect of packing is decluttering your house first.
The act of decluttering facilitates the identification of items that will accompany you on your relocation journey and those that are to be discarded. While there are several approaches to decluttering, a meticulously planned method is deemed most effective.
This article outlines essential considerations to bear in mind as you embark on the process of decluttering your home in preparation for your move.
Creating a Sorting System
The first step in decluttering your home is to create a sorting system. Find a couple of bins or some free cardboard boxes and mark them with different categories. You will need a bin for the things you are keeping, one for throwing things away and the final one for taking things into the storage.
Make these bins available as you go from one room to the next, and be ruthless. Everything that’s out of its place – put into one of the bins. Be careful and thoughtful – and be honest. If you don’t really need something, don’t be scared to throw it out! Having fewer things means spending less money on moving them to your new home.
Clean the beans after finishing each room. The things you decide to keep you should return to the proper place or pack if the moving day is drawing close. You need to decide what you will do with the things in the second bin. You can either recycle your items, sell them for extra money or donate them to a charity organization. The things in the final bin can go into your storage until you figure out what you will do with them.
Declutter Your Bathroom
The process of decluttering bathrooms can prove to be a challenging task. The presence of various items in drawers and medicine cabinets, coupled with the accumulation of random objects over time, can make it a daunting undertaking. It is not uncommon to find books and cups occupying space in some bathrooms. Therefore, the question arises, how does one effectively declutter such a space?
Start with the medicine cabinet, and then after you’re done, move to the drawers. When decluttering, take everything out. Don’t leave things in there, even if that is their proper place. Once you have all the clutter out, you can decide what you will keep or not.
Get rid of old medicine, makeup, and skin products. Check all areas of the bathroom, including under the sink and in the tub.
Declutter Bedrooms
The process of decluttering a bedroom bears a resemblance to that of decluttering a bathroom, albeit in reverse. The initial step involves clearing the tops of nightstands, wardrobes, and dressers, and placing all items into designated bins, rather than returning them to their original positions.
This same approach should be applied to items on the floor or bed. Subsequently, all items within drawers should be removed, and a decision made as to what should be retained and what should be discarded, with the respective items placed in their designated bins.
Clothing May be the Hardest Part
For some people, decluttering their wardrobes is the hardest thing in the world. It is because they just do not want to say goodbye to some of their clothing items. This is why there are many creative ways to declutter your wardrobe.
One of the best is to divide your clothes by type – shoes, boots, denim, cotton, shirts, dresses etc. Sort them however you want. That way it’s easier to throw away an item when you compare it to others of the same sort. For example, you might love a pair of jeans, but you can realize how worn out it is only after seeing it next to other jeans you own.
If you have more time, you can try the Oprah Winfrey Closet Decluttering Method. Simply place the hangers in your dresses in the opposite direction. After you wear an item, place the hanger in the correct direction. After some time (she suggests six months, however, sometimes you don’t have that much time), you will see which clothes you like wearing and which you seldom do. Take these into consideration for throwing out when decluttering.
Declutter Kitchen
The kitchen may be one of the most challenging rooms in your house – just because we all keep so many things in it. What’s really hard here is deciding how you will go about decluttering. You can do it by the type of your stuff (like glassware, plates, cutting boards) or area by area. Whichever way you go about it, be sure to empty all the drawers and divide them into bins.
Declutter Living Room
Maintaining a clutter-free living room on a daily basis can prove to be a challenging task. Given that this space is where we spend a significant amount of our time, it is not uncommon for it to lack adequate storage options. To tackle this issue, it is recommended to begin by decluttering bookshelves and TV consoles, followed by smaller areas such as side tables and coffee tables.
When it comes to electronics, a useful guideline is to dispose of anything that is not connected to your TV set. This is likely an indication that the item is not frequently used, and it is advisable to consider whether it will be of value in your new residence.
Once you have finished decluttering your home, it’s time to call some professional movers. When you declutter home, you reduce the stress and speed up the packing process. This way, you help both yourself and the movers.
This is why we recommend you do it. Even if you are not moving to your new home, you should declutter home at least once a year. Living in a place where everything is in its place is often calming. Decluttering is good because you do not need any fancy equipment, but it does take some time, so be careful and plan it well.