Before You Move, Lose the Clutter
Moving is hard enough. Why pack, pay for, and haul things you don’t even want anymore?
There’s something surprisingly liberating about getting rid of stuff before a move. Instead of boxing up everything you own and sorting it out later, take the opportunity to decide what is actually worth taking with you.
Ideally, start a few weeks, or even a few months, before moving day. You don’t have to tackle the whole house at once. Take it one room at a time, make a few simple piles, and watch the clutter disappear.
Whether you're moving within town or across the San Francisco Bay Area or relocating to a new home somewhere far and away, a little advance planning can make the entire downsizing process easier. And if the job feels overwhelming, a professional organizer or move management professional can help you create a plan and keep the process moving.
Here’s how to get started.
Start Somewhere Easy
Don't begin with the room that holds all your memories. You’ll spend more time reminiscing than decluttering!
Instead, choose an area where the decisions are fairly easy. The kitchen is a great place to start. Check for expired food, dishes you never use, duplicate cooking utensils, and those kitchen gadgets that seemed like a great idea at the time but haven't seen the light of day in years.
You can also start with knickknacks and decorative items around the house.
Save photographs, old letters, paperwork, and other sentimental treasures for later. These items can be surprisingly time-consuming and emotionally draining. Once you’ve gained some momentum, you’ll be better prepared to tackle them.
Give, Sell, or Donate
Set up three boxes, bins, or designated areas and label them Give Away, Sell, and Donate.
Give Away: Things you'd like to pass along to a friend, family member, or someone you know.
Sell: Items worth selling at a yard sale, through a consignment shop, or online.
Donate: Things in good condition that could benefit a charity or nonprofit.
Not interested in selling? Skip that box! If all you need is a Donate box, more power to you.
The goal isn't to create more work for yourself. It's to make your move easier, and to save some money packing and shipping things you no longer want or use.
If you're working with a professional organizer in the San Francisco Bay Area, they can also help you create a sorting system, make decisions room by room, and coordinate what happens to the items you no longer need.
Don't Forget the Trash and Recycling
As you sort, you'll inevitably find plenty of things that don't belong in any of your three boxes.
Keep bags or boxes handy for Trash, Recycle, and Shred items so you can deal with them as you go.
Sorting things immediately keeps the clutter from migrating from one room to another, and saves you from having to make the same decisions twice.
Handle Hazardous and E-Waste Properly
Not everything can simply go into the trash.
Paint, light bulbs, batteries, cell phones, motor oil, televisions, computers and monitors, misc cords and wires, and broken electronics may require special disposal. Check your local guidelines for hazardous waste and electronic waste, or e-waste.
Many communities offer free e-waste collection events, and some cities have regular drop-off locations.
Earth911 is another helpful resource for finding recycling and disposal options near you.
Have a Paper Problem? Shred It.
Moving is an excellent time to clean out the home office, but be careful about what you toss into the recycling bin.
Documents containing your name, address, phone number, account numbers, Social Security number, financial information, or other personal details should be shredded rather than recycled intact.
If you have years' worth of paperwork, don't let the thought of shredding it all stop you. Many office-supply stores and professional shredding companies offer convenient and relatively inexpensive shredding services.
Your future self will thank you when you're not dragging boxes of old paperwork to your new home.
Donating? Keep Good Records.
If you're planning to claim charitable donations as a tax deduction, take a few extra minutes to document what you're giving away.
For valuable items, consider taking photographs and creating an itemized list with the item's estimated fair-market value or appraisal, when appropriate. Keep your list and donation receipts with your tax records.
Tax rules and documentation requirements can change, so check the IRS website for the latest information before claiming a charitable contribution.
When You Need More Than Decluttering
Sometimes a move involves more than deciding what to keep and what to let go.
You may need help coordinating donations, arranging movers, preparing a home for sale, packing and unpacking, organizing the new home, or managing all the details between the old house and the new one.
That's where move management can make a difference. A move manager can help coordinate the many moving pieces, while a professional organizer can help with the decisions and systems that make the transition easier.
For older adults and families going through a downsizing or major life transition, professional organizing and move management can be especially helpful. Instead of trying to coordinate everything yourself, you have someone helping you break a big project into manageable steps.
A Lighter Move Is a Happier Move
Decluttering before a move isn't about getting rid of everything. It's about being intentional about what comes with you.
Every item you don't pack is one less thing to lift, load, transport, unpack, and find a place for in your new home.
So start small. Pick one drawer, one cabinet, or one room. Make a few decisions and keep going. A little progress each day can add up to a remarkably lighter load by moving day.
And if the process feels too big to handle alone, remember that you don't have to do it all yourself. Our professional organizers and move management services can help you plan, sort, simplify, and move forward, one step at a time.
When you finally open those first boxes in your new home, you'll be surrounded by the things you actually want, not the things you simply never got around to getting rid of.
Ready to learn more about our declutter, downsize, pack, unpack, organizing and Move Management services? Click the link to get started.
Isabella Guajardo, founder and Principal Professional Organizer of the Bella/Girl With A Truck™ team, offers home organizing and move management services in Oakland, San Francisco, and throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area since 2007.