PhotoPlanning a move? Have a lot more than you need, want, or are able to take into the new home? One strategy might not be enough to take care of all the different items that you might have different attitudes towards, but that doesn’t mean that you should have no strategy. Here, we’re going to look at the different efforts you can to reduce clutter in your home before and on moving day to make the move much easier.
Get packing and decluttering early
The first thing you have to bear in mind is that time is not your friend when it comes to a move. The more time that you allow yourself to prepare, the better your chances of not having extra items hassling you on moving day. You should start by taking an inventory of the items that you do and don’t want to bring with you. You can start sorting them and even packing some of the items that you don’t need during this process as well. You need to be decisive about what you do with each item in advance, so keep reading to learn what your options are.
Start using up any stockpiles that you have
Some of the items may not be things like furniture, but rather might be household resources, toiletries, and even foodstuffs that you have been keeping in bulk. There’s nothing wrong with having a stockpile of goods that you’re likely to need, but now is the time to start making use of them. Even if you run out, these are the kinds of goods that are easy to simply buy and refill the day before you move. Otherwise, you might have to resort to throwing some away when you move and no one likes to be wasteful. Make sure you keep in mind your moving-in day kit and what you need for it so you’re ready.
Get the living clutter out of the way
We don’t really think of our kids and our pets as living clutter, of course, but when it comes to the big move, that’s what they can really feel like sometimes. Don’t let any children get under the feet of you and the moving crew when you’re trying to load things out of the home. If you are moving with children, make sure to consider how you’re going to stop them from being a hassle. If you’re able to get someone else to take care of them for the day, that can work just fine. For pets, consider finding a doggy daycare, or the equivalent for what animal you have. If you’re able to actively be there to give them attention and keep them out of the way, that works just as well.
Find some storage for it
There may be plenty of items that you don’t want to get rid of but, at least for the moment, they don’t have a good place to be in your new home. For such situations, you should consider what storage options you might have. A decent storage locker might be just plenty, but there are also mobile options like pods moving that allow you to bring a storage pod with you to the new home. That way you have more time to decide what you can do with high-value or emotionally important items. Even if they don’t find a place in your home immediately, that doesn’t mean that you want to get rid of them, after all.
Sell them
Of course, one of the most advantageous options for items that you don’t want or need anymore is to sell them. That way you can get some money back to help you make the rest of the move a little more affordable. There are lots of items that you can sell online through marketplaces like eBay or other listing services on social media or local sales sites. However, the more specialized the item, the more likely you are to benefit from finding specialist sites or publications to help attract the crowd most likely to pay what they are worth. For other miscellaneous items, you can always opt for setting up a car boot sale to help you sell it all off in one go.
Donating and giving them away
You might not be able to make a penny off of the items that you want to get rid of, but that doesn’t mean that they are useless. They can still be of plenty of use to other people. You can always check with family and friends first if they want any of the items that you’re going to be able to give away. Otherwise, you should check with local nonprofit organizations if they want to take them off of your hands and put them to better use. Just don’t try to give away any items that are clearly too damaged or soiled to be much good to anyone.
Disposing of them (as responsible as possible)
There will be those items that you don’t want to keep, but can’t sell or even give away. In that case, there’s nothing left to do but to dispose of them. However, this doesn’t mean that everything has to go straight to the dump. First, you should look at what you can recycle, either via local facilities or through sites that deal with certain items, such as taking in digital technology to be recycled. Don’t forget that many retail parks and large stores will have options for recycling cardboard, clothing, glass, and more. You’re almost always able to get someone in your area who will pick up any metal items that you have, as well. In some cases, but not all, you might even be able to get some money for it.
Final Thoughts
If you have more than you need as you approach moving day, then you need to consider what you can do to cut on that clutter right now. Hopefully, the tips above can help you find the strategies that work for you based on how you feel about each item that you’re considering.
