Plan Ahead: way far ahead
Make a plan of action including a timeline
Gather Your Supplies
Room By Room
Prep For the Move
How To Declutter For A Move: Decluttering Tips From The Organizing Pros at Fresh Space
Do you have a move on the horizon? You know you’ll need to declutter and get the house ready for showing but what does that even mean? Decluttering for a move is different from ordinary decluttering so read on for our top tips on how to declutter for a move:
Decluttering Tips
Step 1: Plan Ahead, Way Ahead
There is no such thing as starting too soon when decluttering for a move. You think you’ll have plenty of time but it comes at you so fast plus this isn’t the only thing you have to do before the move so often the decluttering gets put on the back burner. Working with a professional organizer for accountability and guidance can be a game changer but if that’s not in the cards…read on!
- Ideally starting at least 3-6 months in advance will work as you can break up the rooms and tasks over time.
- We recommend being pretty ruthless because each thing you keep is something you have to pay to move and deal with on the other end.
Decluttering Tips
Step 2: Make a Plan of Action Including a Timeline
Creating a checklist or a task list breaking out all of the areas in the home that need to be decluttered is key. In our heads, it may not seem like that much but once you break it down – it can be a reality check. And it’s not just a room on the list but the components like closets and cabinets. Identify who is responsible for each area though in my experience one person needs to be ‘in charge’ of making sure it is done.
- Identify appropriate donation spots such as a womens shelter, food pantry, etc. so you have a clear vision of where your things will be going.
- Consider scheduling a junk pickup especially if you are decluttering a garage or attic space.
Step 3: Gather your supplies
These are the tools we use when we declutter:
- folding tables
- bins or boxes to sort into
- heavy duty clear contractor bags for donation (and having a few cardboard boxes for breakables is helpful)
- heavy duty black contractor bags for trash
- Post It Notes and Sharpies for making notes about the groups
- gloves
- step stool
Decluttering Tips
Step 4: Room by Room
When we declutter for a move, we typically go in this order (and this is also the order in which we unpack). If a larger space is too daunting, consider tackling a small space like a bathroom or the hall closet to get your feet wet. For each of these rooms, start with a closet or a cabinet or a drawer if the whole room is overwhelming.
- Kitchen & Pantry
- Laundry
- Primary Suite
- Playroom/Bonus Room
- Kids Rooms
- Living/family/media rooms
- Office
- Attic
- Garage
- Other peripheral spaces
Decluttering Tips
How to declutter like a pro for a move:
- Pull everything out from cabinets, closets, shelves, drawers, etc.
- Group like with like using the bins and folding tables
- Edit out any items you know you will not want to take with you to your new home starting with the low hanging fruit of damaged, disliked, unused, and repetitive. Be ruthless.
- Group items how you want them packed when you place them back in their spaces
- Dispose of expired foods, open bottles of products, anything broken or damaged
- "Spend down" food, beverages, products, etc. and don't replenish unless critical
- Use up the contents of the outdoor fridge and/or freezer
- Give away items that movers won't transport if you can't take them yourselves like open bottles of liquor or other liquids, plants, propane tanks, etc.
- Donate or sell bulky items that aren't worth paying to move like Ikea furniture, cheap shelving units, kids playsets, etc.
- Get rid of those aspirational (I'm going to learn how to do needlepoint...), just in case, sometime in the future items
- The goal is that you are delighted with each thing coming out of the boxes on the other end rather than wondering what you were thinking...
This is also a great time to wipe down all the shelves and make any repairs, and a great time to create memory bins for the kids and other family members. A bin just for memories collects scattered papers and treasure and keeps them safe not only during the move but when you arrive.
If tackling a whole room is intimidating, starting small can be key. You’ll exercise your decision muscles and gain confidence. It’s amazing how empowering an organized junk drawer can be
Decluttering Tips
Step 5: Prep for the move
We recommend packing up items you won’t need before you move. Often seasonal items, infrequently used small appliances, out of season clothing, decor, etc. are good candidates for pre-packing. The more free of clutter your home is, the better it will show to potential buyers plus it’s less you have to deal with when the time comes to move. Be sure to label each box clearly with the contents and its end location in the new home.
As you discard items ahead of the move, create a list of things you may need to replace on the other end such as spices, cleaning supplies, etc.
A few things to consider:
- Is your new home smaller, larger, or a similar size?
- Do you have similar spaces in the new home or is it really different?
- What types of storage do you have at the new home - is it comparable?
- Do you need to make changes in the style or types of rooms you have?
- Will your kids be at a point where they'll want to change up their room due to their age or interests?
- Will you be staying in an interim home where things need to go to storage?
- Are you flying to your new destination or driving?
Declutter for a move like a pro!
Thinking through these questions can help you make better decisions about your stuff and what deserves space in your new home. My feeling is that things better earn their way in by being useful or necessary or something that just makes me happy. If it isn’t one of these things, then why would I pay to move it?
Decluttering for your move will be the best time you spend to make your move simpler and more stress free. The fewer things you have to deal with, the fewer stressors you will have. And won’t it be nice when every box you open on the other end holds something you are delighted to see?
