Moving to a new home is a fresh start, so there’s no better time to organize and get rid of items you no longer want or need! If you have clothing, furniture, decor or other items you don’t use, there’s no reason to bring them — especially when doing so only adds to the costs and effort of moving.
Moving can be pricey, and you want to avoid spending more than you need to. Decluttering before you pack can help you save money and make relocating much easier. The fewer items you have, the lower your moving expenses will likely be. You’ll also have less to pack up, making the thought of doing so feel more manageable.
Here’s how to declutter before packing in three simple steps. We’ll also share tips for making the process as stress-free as possible.
1. Prepare for the Process
A little planning can go a long way. Before you begin decluttering, you should:
- Set a timeline: First, establish a timeline with your moving date in mind. Determine when to begin packing and have a deadline for decluttering. Most of us underestimate the amount of stuff we have, so start early to give yourself enough time to go through everything without feeling pressured. Depending on the size of your current home, you may need to start up to six months before you move and six weeks at the latest.
- Schedule time to declutter: While setting a deadline is one thing, meeting it is another. Schedule time to sort through your belongings to help you stay on track. Set aside between one and three hours each week, ideally on the same day, to get into a routine. If you’ve fallen behind, don’t worry! You can declutter for three to six hours until you’ve caught up.
- Create a checklist: Write everything down on a piece of paper or your notes app to structure your decluttering efforts. List all the rooms, areas and categories you must sort through. Even if you and your family have accumulated a lot of things over the years, creating a checklist breaks the process into smaller tasks and makes your end goal feel more attainable. Seeing your progress as you check off items is also incredibly satisfying.
- Gather the necessary supplies: Boxes, trash bags, bins, markers and large labels are moving and packing essentials that will make the decluttering process smoother and more organized.
2. Follow a Decluttering Approach
Following a strategy that works for you can make a world of difference in how well you sort through your belongings.
The Room-By-Room Approach
As its name suggests, this approach involves decluttering one area or room at a time:
- The kitchen
- Living areas
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- The attic
- The basement
- The garage
For example, you may start with the bedrooms and finish with the kitchen. You could also tackle the living areas first and end with the attic, basement and garage. Be sure to go through absolutely everything — check the backs of cabinets and closets, sift through draws and see what’s hiding under the bed. While decluttering before packing can be a long process, it’s worth it. This way, you’ll only bring items you use and love to your new home.
Room-by-room decluttering can feel more manageable because you get a clear visual of your progress and work through one area before moving on to the next. However, you may find yourself organizing the same items repeatedly, especially if your home has multiple bedrooms and bathrooms.
The Category Approach
With this approach, you declutter by category:
- Toiletries and cosmetics
- Clothing
- Books
- Paperwork
- Kitchenware
- Food
- Furniture
- Electronics
Decluttering by category can give you a good idea of what you own and help you spot duplicate items you don’t want or need. Yet, because this approach involves collecting items and moving them around the house to sort through them, it can feel like more effort.
3. Use the Four-Box Method: Keep, Donate, Sell and Trash
Now for the actual decluttering part! The four-box method is one of the best ways to declutter your belongings. It’s a sorting system that helps you decide, item by item, what to keep and what to toss.
Label four boxes and place your items into the boxes to decide their fate:
- Keep: Only place items in this box if you or your family use them daily, weekly or monthly — these things will come with you for the move.
- Donate: These are items you don’t want or use but are still in good condition and could make a big difference in someone else’s life. Think clothing that no longer fits, toys your kids haven’t played with in ages or books that have remained unread for years.
- Sell: Valuable items in good condition go in this box — you can sell them online or host a yard sale before you move. These could be things like musical instruments or electronics.
- Trash: Place anything not worth selling or donating, such as broken or damaged items, in this box. Remember to shred personal records and documents and always recycle where possible.
This method may seem simple, but it is completely normal to have a hard time letting go of your belongings. Isn’t it funny how you suddenly have a newfound appreciation for the blender you’ve used once? In these moments, evaluate whether these items will be expensive to move or take up a lot of space. Another tip is to do a swipe test with your finger — anything that has collected dust hasn’t been used in a while and shouldn’t make it into your new home.
Decluttering Tips for a Move
Follow these tips to make decluttering a breeze:
- Involve the whole family: If you have children, encourage them to declutter their own belongings. Beyond getting an extra pair of tiny hands to help you, getting them involved in the process can go a long way in helping your kids feel comfortable about the move.
- Start somewhere: There is no right or wrong answer to which category or room to start with, so just pick something. You could prioritize high-traffic areas and essential items to take on the heavy lifting first. You could also ease yourself into the process by starting with rooms like the basement or the attic and things you use less frequently. This way, you get yourself in the mindset of analyzing the value and purpose of what you own before reaching the really important stuff.
- Have some fun: Put on your favorite playlist or invite a friend over to help you go through your clothing and see if they want anything you aren’t keeping. After completing your weekly decluttering periods, you can reward yourself with a small treat, such as ordering a pizza or curling up with a book and a glass of wine.
- Tackle sentimental items: At some point, you’ll likely come across items like family heirlooms, personal mementos and keepsakes, and old photos. While it may be tempting to keep everything due to your emotional attachment, set some boundaries. You could hold onto one shoebox of photos and digitize the rest. Or, limit yourself to keeping only three pieces of jewelry you inherited from your grandmother and gifting whatever is left to another family member.
Ready to Start Packing? Corrigan Moving Systems Is Here to Help
Once you’ve decluttered, it’s time to start packing. Beyond putting items in a box and loading them onto a moving truck, packing is a science that relies on a strategic system. As the industry’s most trusted residential movers since 1929, Corrigan Moving Systems is here to simplify the process so that you can focus on the excitement of a fresh start.
With our professional packing services, expert movers will carefully pack your items to help everything arrive at your new home in one piece — literally and figuratively. Whether you’re moving neighborhoods, states or countries, we’ll make your next move the easiest one yet. In addition to moving and packing services, we also offer storage services, providing comprehensive relocation support to our clients.
To set up a free in-home or virtual consultation, contact us online or call us at 1-800-267-7442.
