One of the best ways to make moving easier is simply to not move all of your things. If you have a lifetime worth of clutter accumulated in your home and are moving on to new pastures, you should see this as an opportunity to let go of some unwanted items. There are some fairly creative ways to do this, including donating clothing to charity, selling DVDs online, and making your friends’ day with some free entertainment. But first, you have to get started. Here’s how.
Start with a strategy
Just as important as what you choose to throw away or give away is how you attack the task. One of the most difficult parts of getting ready for a move by de-cluttering your home is knowing where to get started.
Firstly, don’t try to do it in one day. Sifting through years of clutter and necessary items alike is a good way to end up frustrated and overwhelmed very quickly. You should start by setting a schedule for yourself that stretches from now until moving day. The further ahead of time you get started, the easier it will be.
You should also designate a clear spot for organising moving boxes, which can help to categorise items. Boxes can be dedicated for those belongings that need to be taken to the trash or for those possessions that are for giving away or to be sold. Of course boxes should also be stored for those essential items that need to be kept hold of.
Getting rid of your old stuff
The next step is designating where all your junk should go. Larger items, such as old tvs, or furniture can be collected by your local council, which can be a hassle free way of off-loading unwanted junk. In most cases all it takes is a call to the relevant department. For clothes, charity bins or shops can be the best way to offload dated garments and all those awful jumpers your nan bought you for Christmas. For those high-end clothes that no longer fit or were bought but never worn why not try selling them on Ebay? Designer labels tend to pick up a lot of attraction from fashionistas and will nearly always generate some money. This money can then be put towards buying new items for your new home.
Once you’ve cleared out the bulk from your wardrobe, focus on your entertainment stash. One of the biggest tips you can use for organising before you move is getting rid of clutter without actually losing your music, movies, and games. You can invest in an external hard drive or a cloud drive service to save all of your songs, movies, and games in a digital format. Then you can give them away to friends and family, or you can sell your old discs using a service like MusicMagpie. This gives you another chance to not only clean house but also offers a chance to make money from your unwanted belongings. In similar way, if you have any old phones lying about you could also use one of the hundreds of sites out there to recycle your old headset for cash.
Remember to do the same thing with your books and magazines. Many of them can be recycled, which lightens your load and is beneficial for the environment (throwing away paper is always a no-no). You could also trade them in for newer titles at a second-hand bookstore.
If you de-clutter now, you’ll have much less to pack up once moving day actually arrives. You’ll also be able to feel like you have a fresh start in your new home and unloading could be less tiring. De –cluttering also offers the opportunity to generate some spare cash, which could be put towards turning your new house into your dream home.
Guest Post by Leo Fisher
