Clearing the Clutter Before Moving

January, 2018

A clutter free home makes for a clutter free life. Well, in theory anyway; when your home is free of clutter, it makes being able to move freely and safely that much easier. When moving, the more clutter free your home is, the easier the whole packing and moving process will be.

The reality is that most people will accumulate clutter over time, and that’s ok. However, it’s important to always stay a step ahead of it, and find ways to turn it into something functional or profitable.

The following are some great ways to de-clutter, turn trash into treasure and optimize your home environment for everyday living and moving:

Ways to De-clutter Your Home

‘De-clutter the obvious things. One of the biggest traps people fall into is to make packing the first step and think that downsizing will be easier on the back end. Instead, go through the house and throw as much away as possible before you even think about packing. Getting rid of things you obviously won’t be taking will also make it easier and less stressful to make the tougher decisions down the road.

Keep your new space in mind when downsizing from your old home. Picture the layout of the bedrooms, family rooms, garage and storage spaces. You may find that you’re getting rid of too much or not enough and have to make adjustments. It’s much better to have this in mind before downsizing to avoid starting over after you’ve moved in. Take measurements of the new space as you are going through your household items. There might not be enough physical space in your new home to bring the couch with you. That makes it an easy decision to donate or give away. In general, avoid making decisions based on sentiment, and stick to practicality. If there are any questions, get an outside opinion. Find someone who will be objective about the item in question and whether it will actually be of use.

Don’t just throw things away. The first option should be reaching out to friends and loved ones to see if anyone has interest in taking your old things. Donate what’s left over to a better cause like Goodwill, the Salvation Army or Big Brothers Big Sisters. If you’re thinking of selling anything from furniture to jewelry to household trinkets as you downsize, consider a service like MaxSold. They will come to your house, itemize the belongings you wish to sell, run an auction and then organize a day where the auction winners will stop by your house and pick up their purchases. The whole process takes only a couple weeks from start to finish. Lastly, before you think about throwing anything away, see if it can be recycled.

Give yourself plenty of time for this process. It’s not controversial to say that you don’t want to be running around at the last minute, but budget extra time knowing that other things may crop up. Starting to downsize six months before a move is ideal. Anything under two months risks you rushing to get everything done.’ (source: allconnect.com)

At Boyd your Ottawa professional moving, storage and distribution specialist, we can help ensure that when you’re ready to move that it is done in the most effective way possible. Learn more about our services and contact us today!