A simple way to make your next move simpler and less stressful is to downsize before the first box is loaded on to the moving truck. In doing so, you’ll remove any unnecessary clutter and cut down the amount of belongings that you’ll need to pack up, transport and unpack.
To help make your next move simpler, follow our top tips for decluttering your house before you move.
1. A simple way to reduce the clutter in your home is to sort through the contents of your wardrobe. In going through your wardrobe you can discover which items you haven’t worn in the past year, no longer fit you or are beyond repair and then part with them accordingly. The clothing that you no longer want or need could be shared with friends and family, donated to charity, sold at a garage sale or sold online.
That ugly Christmas sweater you got last year? It belongs in storage. Photo: TheUglySweaterShop.com
2. Before you even begin to move your belongings, try to use or part with as much food from your cupboards and fridge to reduce the amount that you need to transport to your new home. A good starting place is to check the use by dates of products in your pantry and discard them if they are no longer fit to eat.
3. If anything you own is broken or beyond repair, get rid of it! There’s no use having broken items around your house if they do not perform their intended use or cannot be worn. If you know someone who might be able to fix or rework the item, give it to them and make more space in your home.
4. Paperwork and print media can create a lot of unnecessary clutter, so shred any documents that you no longer need and recycle newspapers, magazines and junk mail. If you’re holding onto a newspaper or magazine for one or two articles, cut the articles out and put them in a scrapbook or folder.
5. If you have a large book or DVD collection, you might want to consider downsizing it to make your move easier. If there are books that you’ve owned for a while but haven’t read, or DVDs and novels that weren’t particularly memorable or enjoyable, give them to friends, donate them to charity or sell them online.
6. If you own a lot of electronic items, consider parting with those that you no longer use or are not compatible with the rest of the electronics that you own. There’s no use hanging on to a printer if you can’t purchase the ink that it needs to print or holding on to a charging cable if the specific mobile phone it was made for no longer switches on.
If it doesn’t work, don’t keep it!
Visit your local Rent A Space to find a great range of storage options and packing materials that will help keep your belongings in good shape during your move. Rent A Space’s free truck and driver move-in will also help make your move easier and less stressful.
