You’re moving! Now’s the perfect time to declutter (before moving, not after). Start life in your new place with the benefits of a streamlined home. Don’t let the idea overwhelm you. As always, it’s not about perfection, but progress. You’ll enjoy letting things go that you don’t want or need anymore.
Our last big move was from a house that we’d been in for 14 years, and we were moving to another state. In addition to everyday decluttering tips, I learned a LOT about strategies to use when relocating. Those things have paid off well ever since.
With one townhome in between, we moved into our current house about 2 years ago. All that decluttering for a move is still evident because we haven’t replaced it. So be encouraged. The clutter you get rid of today can impact this move and future ones too.
Moving Mindset
It’s really important to get in the right mindset when you’re planning how to declutter your home before relocating to a new one. Be intentional about keeping the following things in mind. It will help you make better decisions, ones that you’ll thank yourself for both during and after the big move.
- Everything you take along has a cost. Nothing is free. Every object is going to use your limited resources in some way, whether that be money (movers and/or future storage rental), time, energy, or space.
- It’s all about what will work in your new home. Get in the habit of picturing your items in your new home. This may take a little practice. Where will they go? Will they fit? Will they work with your new lifestyle/routine? Things that you absolutely love in your current home may just not work in your new one.
- It’s a fresh start. What will you do with it? A clean slate. How can your new place move you toward a new style, new habits, or new goals that are important to you and your family? You still need to be practical, but think about this as you’re deciding what to keep and what to declutter.
This is the best opportunity you’ll have to massively declutter your belongings until maybe you move again in the future. Take advantage of it as much as possible.
Tips for Success
No need to learn the hard way when you can use these suggestions and avoid costly mistakes. There is so much to think about when your prepare for a move, you’ll want every advantage you can get.
1. Start as early as possible.
As soon as you make that decision to move, let the decluttering begin. At first you may just form a plan and start getting rid of whatever obvious clutter you can. Once you know exactly where you’ll be living, you’ll have the information you need to declutter more specifically.
Moving, especially buying and selling homes, can be full of surprises. Our last house sold in only 7 days, which we totally didn’t expect. So I was really glad for all the work I had already done when we put it on the market.
2. Prioritize.
There are certain cluttering tasks you should prioritize when getting ready to move. You’ll want to think about things a little differently than you would under normal cirucumstances.
- Align your decluttering schedule to your most limited resource. Time, money, manpower, and space are the four most important resources when you’re getting ready to move. If you’re on a budget, focus on decluttering items that would cost the most to move and/or store. If your new space is smaller than your current one, focus on deciding what will fit and what won’t. If you’re on a tight timeline, focus on streamlining the categories of items you use most often. This will simplify your daily life immediately in your new home.
- Declutter large, bulky items up front. They are the most difficult and costly to move. Whether they are heavy, awkward, or just take up a lot of space, you don’t want to bother moving any that you don’t have to. Plus, it gives you more time to sell and/or donate these items. One of the reasons to make decisions about these items early on is because often they can be sold to the new owner, or included with the home as an extra incentive.
- Don’t start with sentimental items. Better to deal with as many practical items as possible first. You’ll make faster progress which is key when you have a big deadline approaching.
3. Create a simple plan.
Start with your deadline and work backward so you have an idea how much time you have to put into clearing the clutter. Use the list below to get a look at the big picture of categories to declutter. Then set your priorities and go through them in order.
4. Create a staging area.
Clear a space dedicated to temporarily storing the items you’re decluttering, whether it’s an entire room, or an area of the garage. They may pile up quickly and you definitely don’t want them to stay in your living space. Also, keep them away from boxes that you’re packing to move just to avoid any mixups.
5. Limit buying while you're in the moving process.
Don’t work against yourself as you’re basically decluttering your life. Try to limit purchases to items you need. Wait until you declutter this home before buying things for your new place.
Items to Declutter
Ideally, you’ll be able to work through many different types of clutter before you move. The more the better. Here’s a list of categories to help you see the big picture and get you thinking about some areas that may not have occurred to you yet.
Indoors
- Furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, bookcases, armoires, media centers, desks, ottomans, beds, dressers, nightstands, toy boxes, etc.
- Large Household Appliances: refrigerator, freezer, microwave, oven, dishwasher, washer, dryer, etc.
- Home Decor: rugs, curtains, drapes, blinds, artwork, knick knacks, plants, vases, candles, wall hangings, pillows, throws, lamps, mirrors, floating shelves, picture frames, etc.
- Books and Magazines: cookbooks, homeschooling books, periodicals, novels, puzzle books like crossword and sudoku, etc.
- Electronics: computers, phones, tablets, educational toys, remote controls, cords and cables, games, streaming devices, headphones, DVD players, CD players, etc.
- Pet Equipment and Supplies: food, medicine, prescriptions, toys, leashes, carriers, cages, beds, grooming products, etc.
- Clothing, Shoes & Accessories: daily wear, special occasion wear, shoes, boots, coats, jackets, swimwear, hats, scarves, gloves, purses, belts, ties, etc.
- Linens: sheets, pillow cases, blankets, comforters, duvets, quilts, bath towels, wash cloths, table cloths, kitchen towels, etc.
- Paperwork and Documents: bills, receipts, legal papers, contracts, etc.
- Hobby Equipment and Supplies: no matter what the hobby, this is the time to clear our the clutter
- Cooking and Baking Supplies: cookware (pots and pans), bakeware (sheets, pans, dishes, tins), utensils, liners, racks, etc.
- Eating and Drinking. Plates, bowls, glasses, mugs, cups, drink bottles, forks/knives/spoons, etc.
- Food: dry goods, canned goods, frozen food
- Small Kitchen Appliances: mixer, blender, food processer, toaster, toaster oven, crock pot, panini grill, Instant Pot, etc.
- Cleaning supplies: brooms, mops, rags, sponges, cleaning products, buckets, etc.
- Toys and Games: board games. educational toys, dolls, stuffed animals, card games, electronic games, puzzles, pretend play, RC vehicles, toy cars, Legos, etc.
Outdoors | Sports | Maintenance
- Outdoor Furniture and Equipment: chairs, benches, tables, hammocks, lounge chairs, grills, firepits, etc.
- Outdoor Decor: garden flags, fountains, planters, yard art, ornaments, bird feeders, lights, garden statues, door wreaths, door mats, porch rugs, etc.
- Lawn and Garden: lawn mower, rakes, shovels, trimmers, hoses, sprinklers, etc.
- Play Equipment: swingset, sandbox, play house, trampoline, etc.
- Tools: basically everything used to make, fix, or maintain something
- Painting Supplies: paint brushes, rollers, edgers, leftover paint, etc.
- Sports Equipment: team sports equipment, basketball hoop, camping gear, fishing gear, etc.
Wrap Up
Moving to a new home is a terrific opportunity to slim down your belongings and streamline your daily life. Things that you don’t want or need shouldn’t go along with you. Create a simple decluttering plan and work though it. By the time you move you’ll be so glad you did.