Do you have a move coming up soon? If you do you there are probably a million different things on your to do list right now. Giving your notice or selling your current home; securing a new place to live; packing; scheduling movers; preparing your kids; and so much more. Many people want to make sure that when they move, they do not take items that they no longer use or need with them. Moving is the perfect opportunity to declutter your home.
Declutter a Room at a Time
When you go to declutter your home the process can be so overwhelming. So where do you start? The experts say that it is best to do one room at a time. It does not really matter what room that you start in. Just pick a room and go through everything that you have in it. Make three piles as you go through all of your items. One pile will be for the things that you want to keep; one pile for the things that you want to donate or sell; and one pile for things that need to simply be thrown away. Once you are done with one room go to the next room. Do one room at a time until you have successfully gone through every room in your house.
What Stuff to Keep & What to Get Rid Of
As you go through your items it can be difficult to decide what pile your items should go in. We have a few tips for you. When you pick up an item you will want to pay attention to your gut instinct on the item. If you have a hard time deciding which pile to put it in, you think about when the last time you used the item was. Marie Kondo, the decluttering expert, says that if you have not used an item in the last year that you should get rid of it. She continues to advise that most items that you keep “just in case” you do not typically ever use again. She encourages you to simply get rid of those items that you keep just in case the need ever arises. Keeping only what makes you happy will be more emotionally fulfilling.
Donate Household Items Before Moving
Once you decide to get rid of an item you will need to decide if you want to donate it or sell it. There are pros and cons to both choices. Donating your items is extremely simple. You simply load your items into your car and take them down to the nearest donation location in your city. Sometimes people like to reach out to friends or family members to see if they want certain items that they think would be useful to them. Donating your items is also tax deductible.
Selling Items Before You Move
Selling your items definitely takes extra time and energy but earning some money during the process is enticing enough to make it worth it. There are tons of different options if you want to sell your items. The traditional yard sale is a great fit for lots of people. You can also sell your items on Craig’s List, Facebook yard sale groups, Offer Up, Let Go, or other online options.
Moving Services & More in Chatsworth, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Glendale, Burbank & Greater Los Angeles, California
As you are going through all your items before you move it will take a lot of time and energy. Just know that when you get to your new home you will definitely be grateful that you took the time to do it before you moved. When you are done decluttering give Prodigy Moving & Storage a call so that we can help you get your move taken care of.