How does moving and decluttering a house feel like? Exhausting, right? It’s a combination of moving checklists to follow, staying organized, managing your work life, and moving at the same time. Packing is one of the most time-consuming tasks in this journey, and decluttering your home before moving is a crucial step to ensure the process runs smoothly. Not only does decluttering lighten your load, but it also helps reduce moving costs and stress levels.
What’s more? You need to notify important people while moving so that you receive all your utility bills and important documentation at the right place. Following the change of address checklist takes care of this aspect. Now, if you are pondering over how to declutter your home before moving, this blog is here to help. Let’s learn the step-by-step process of decluttering home before moving.
Creating a Sorting System
The first step in decluttering your home before moving is to create a sorting system. Find a couple of plastic moving 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 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 when moving and decluttering. 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 the items you want to keep. 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 you have packed can go into your storage until you figure out what you will do with them.
Declutter Your Bathroom
The next is decluttering your bathroom. 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.
There are some things that you must get rid of. So, what do you get rid of in your bathroom?
- Raggedy towels and bathmats
- Expired medications
- Unused toiletries
- Old makeup
- Unused or broken cleaning supplies
- Worn-out toilet plungers
By clearing out unnecessary items, you’ll simplify packing and free up valuable space in your new home.
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 a closet or wardrobe 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 ways to do this is to divide your clothes by type – 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. By sorting out your clothes, you can easily prioritize or declutter your closet, which further makes it easy to pack your clothes for a move.
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 when throwing them out when decluttering your closet.
Declutter Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the home. So, you can’t forget to declutter it before moving. What’s really hard in packing kitchen items for moving 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.
Start by emptying all cabinets and drawers. Decide whether to sort by item type (e.g., plates, utensils, glassware) or by specific areas of the kitchen. Be meticulous and honest about what you truly need in your new home. After you have sorted the items, it’s time to pack. Always use top packing materials when you are packing as you don’t want your kitchen items to break during transit, right? Paying attention to packing and decluttering makes your move seamless.
Declutter Living Room
Maintaining a clutter-free apartment 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 your living room’s 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.
If you have larger furniture items like a table, couch, etc., to declutter that are taking up unnecessary space in your home and you don’t feel that you need them, you can easily dispose of that couch or furniture items. It will make your apartment a more organized look!
Once you have finished decluttering your living room, it’s time to call some professional movers and get started with the process of packing an apartment. When you declutter your home, packing an apartment becomes easier. 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 your 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.
Use the power of piles
Using piles is one of the greatest hacks to declutter before moving. Categorize and separate your items in different piles, namely “keep, donate, trash, sell, and store.” Always label the moving boxes and piles to make the organization easier. It helps set up your new home in a much-sorted way.
Book a portable moving and storage container
A portable moving container offers convenience and flexibility during your move. It provides a secure space to store items you aren’t immediately taking to your new home. Moreover, you can consider storing your items in plastic moving bins when you are decluttering and moving your home. It is a great eco-friendly option to store your belongings and have peace of mind that your items are protected, whether you are moving or have less space at your home.
Hire a Moving Professional to Move Your Belongings
At Big Apple Moving, we specialize in making your move hassle-free with the magic of our moving and decluttering experts. Our experienced team takes the stress out of packing, loading, and transporting your belongings safely to your new home.
From helping you declutter before moving to offering eco-friendly plastic bins, we’re your one-stop solution for all moving and packing needs. Request a free quote today and experience the difference with Big Apple Moving.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to declutter your home before moving not only lightens your load but also ensures a smoother and more cost-effective relocation. By following moving and decluttering tips to stay organized, you’ll be well-prepared for your big move.
It’s time to take the next step. Contact Big Apple Moving today for professional moving services that meet your needs. Let’s make your move a stress-free experience!