Make moving house easier, and cheaper, by decluttering your home before you move.
There are many reasons why it is a good idea to declutter before moving house. Not only will you save yourself valuable time, as you’ll be packing only the things you really want to keep, and will use, but you will also save money as Removal Companies will charge you for the amount of stuff you need moving!
Decluttering is also a good way to help clear your mind, so you can focus on some of the other important elements of moving!
15 things you can declutter while packing for your next move.
Clothing
Be brave and unload unworn and worn-out items of clothing, and include clothing you’ve been holding on to for ‘that’ special occasion that hasn’t happened or for that day you hope you will ‘fit’ back into.
Be honest with yourself and only keep the things that you love and will wear. If you’ve not worn it for over 6 months, then think about parting with it.
Also go through the children’s clothing and ditch the things that are outgrown, worn out or no longer loved. The same goes for off-season clothing. think Ski-wear, winter coats and sports wear.
Furniture
When deciding which pieces of furniture you want moving to your new house, first check whether bulky items such as sofas, dining tables and dressers will actually fit in your new set up. There is no point moving furniture that you are likely to replace soon after you settle into your new house. In some cases, it might even be cheaper to replace with something new at the other end.
Large pieces of furniture take up a lot of room in a removal truck, so try visualising yourself in your new home and choose only to the items you really want and need. That way you will save of wasted space in the trucks, and more importantly, money.
Toys
This area of decluttering is sure to pull on the heartstrings, but you will be amazed at how much space that extra box of stuffed toys will take up. It’s important to teach children to let go, as with most things, toys do have a lifespan.
Sit down with your children and ask them to sort through their toys and decided on their 3 favourite stuffed animals, and get them to donate the others to a local children’s charity or hospital. Children will be delighted to think of their toys being given to children less fortunate then themselves.
Let go of old games and puzzles with missing pieces, and donate games which are no longer played with.
Pianos & other musical instruments
Decided whether you really do want to move the piano to your new home, as they are extremely hard items to move, and if you have an iron framed piano then you will need at least 4 strong men to shift it.
If you do decided to move it with you, then ensure your Removal Company is experienced in moving such items, as you will need special trolleys to move both an up-right piano, or a grand piano, as well as a tail-lift truck and special strappings to keep it from getting damaged in transit.
Casey’s Removals offer an experienced Piano Moving Service, so get in touch in you would like a free quote
Kitchen Gear & Gadgets
Take a look in your kitchen and decided what items you really do use and what can be donated or recycled. Check for chipped cups and plates, underused glasses, kitchen gadgets which haven’t EVER been used, piled up tupperwear boxes.
As for small appliances, decide whether you really want to take that juicer, the ice cream maker or that food processor. If you haven’t used it within 3-6 months, will it really be missed?
Large Appliances
Your fridge, washing machine and tumble dryer and probably the heaviest items you will move. If you are thinking of replacing them in the not-so-distant future, it may be worth deciding whether it’s worth the expense of taking them with you.
Also, some properties are bought with integrated appliances, so why bother taking yours if you will have one already at the other end. If they are fairly new, then you could try selling them, or for older working models, consider giving them away.
Pet Supplies
Do you really want pay money on moving that empty rabbit hutch or hamster cage to your new home? It may have cost good money when you bought it, but if it is still empty now, maybe it’s time to find it a new home.
Give it a good clean and put it up for sale, or give it away locally. You might even get some money back for it.
Tools and Construction Supplies
Got a shelf of half used paint pots, a bag of unused concrete and a pile of left over timber in the shed or garage? These things are usually not worth moving, and were most likely bought for projects in your current house, not your new one.
An easy way to get rid of these is to post on a local freecycle group, or simply take them to your local refuse site.
As for tools, decided whether these are needed. Were they bought for a particular project?
Outdoor Furniture & garden equipment
Make sure these items will actually fit and look good in your new garden. Why pay to move them, if they will be too big to fit, or the style won’t match?
Items stored outside can also get rather weather-beaten, so make sure they are actually in good working order too. And if you have kids outdoor toys, make sure they will actually still want to use them in your new garden.
Items such as garden rakes, spades and hoses has a tendency to multiply over time, so take stock of what you actually use and declutter the remainder.
You may be able to sell these items locally, giving you more room in the removal truck for the things you do want to keep.
Plants
Plants can be quite hard to move. The first thing to consider it the dirt, and then how to pack them securely so they survive the transit.
If you are adamant that you want to take them, make sure you have a clear idea of where you are going to place them in your new property, and consider taking them separately so that they don’t get damaged.
You may have more luck with a local move, but if you are moving further afield, you may want to consider finding your beloved plants a new home, and then buying some new ones for your new place.
Holiday Decoration
Over the years we can accumulate more and more season decorations, be it Halloween, Easter or mostly Christmas! Take a look through and see if there are any items which are broken, no longer working or you have fallen out of love with.
You’ll feel much better opening your season decoration box, with just the things you love, in your new home.
Cleaning Supplies
Now is a good time to sort through your cleaning supplies, and these type of items may leak during transit. Save a bottle or two of all-purpose cleaners and bin the rest.
Make sure they are packaged up securely in a plastic box and wrapped in plastic bags to avoid a mishap leaking during transit.
Old Electronic
When we spend a lot of money on an item, we find it harder to part them them, and often keep hold of them on the premise that they will one day be sold, fixed, or in some way make a come back!
But as technology moves on, the items we once though of as high-tech may now not seem to useable. According to a survey by The Royal Society of Chemistry, there are currently 40 million unused gadgets in our homes, and a whopping 45% of use are hoarding up to five unused devices.
If you have unused items such as printers, laptops, cameras, mobile phones and games consoles, why bother taking it with you to your new home? Instead think about selling them, giving to a friend, trading them in or donating them to charity.
Books
Although you might love the idea of creating a library in your new house, moving books is not a easy task. Books are heavy, and to move them can take up a lot of boxes as you will need to share out the weigh to ensure the boxes don’t collapse, and are safe to lift and carry.
Now will be the time to declutter your books and only take with you the ones you think you will ACTUALLY read or reference again.
For the rest, why not donate them to a local charity shop, leaving them at a community free library or giving them away via a local freecycling group.
Knick Knacks
These are sometimes the hardest things to part with. Mementoes and funny knick knacks that you pick up throughout life often hold special memories or once made you happy to look at. But do you still really need them?
Take a look at these items, be it pictures, vases, figurines or collected pebbles and shells, and decide if they still appeal to you and if you can visualise them in your new home. Remember these items usually require extra care when packing and, if kept, result in becoming dust collectors!
Take this chance to declutter these before you move. It will ease the stress, and save yourself time AND money.
Need help with moving house?
At Casey’s Removals we understand how stressful moving house can be, which is why we try to make the process of moving as smooth and stress-free as possible by offering both a full or partial packing service, alongside our house removal service.
Call us for a free removal quote for your house move, or complete our online form.
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