Decluttering Before Moving (How To Start Getting Rid Of Things)
Decluttering before moving is a great way to save money and practice minimalism.
Many of us accumulate stuff in our homes and often forget about them, chucking them in a corner.
When it’s time to move, then you finally realize how much stuff you really have and that you can get rid of most of this stuff without batting an eye.
Plus, by lightening the load, your moving costs will be lower, and you can even make some extra cash by selling your items.
Let’s get into a few tips you can use to start decluttering when moving so you can get rid of items and save money easily…
Get Into A Minimalist (Decluttering) Mindset
The most important tip to start decluttering is to get into a minimalist mindset so you can purge items that are no longer needed or wanted before you move.
Without getting into this mindset, you will never choose to get rid of things you don’t need because you will believe that you need everything!
The reality is that you don’t need most of the stuff you have, and you can live off of less and be equally as happy or even happier.
You need to create a strong motivating reason to change. So before you even attempt to declutter before your move, you’ve got to figure a few things out.
What bothers you most? What do you want more of? Maybe you’ve got too much stuff lying around, or you want more morning time to add meditation to your routine.
I had grown tired and unhappy of being a slave to stuff and wasting time and energy. It’s exhausting and emotionally draining having too much stuff lying around.
The goal is to find contentment. You must be happy with what you have. You must realize you have abundance, and there is no need for more. It’s the only way you’ll be intentional with future purchases.
Now that we got into the mindset let’s check out some tips you can use to start decluttering when moving…
Start With The Necessities When Moving
To start decluttering, pick out all the things you definitely need and pack those away first for your move because these are items that you will need to keep.
The key here is to be honest with yourself, don’t tell yourself you need certain items because you like them. This tip is only about things you need!
Before you move, take everything you need and put it in a pile to be packed in boxes.
These can be items such as clothes, dining ware, home decor, kids items, etc… and are things you will definitely be taking with you on the move, so pack them away so you can start focusing on the other items you have.
Remember to be honest with yourself; I can’t say this enough because many people think they need certain items when they really don’t.
This is a great time to get into the minimalistic mindset and start relying on fewer things, you will thank yourself later on!
Declutter The Unneeded Or Unwanted Items
The second step you need to do for decluttering before moving is to get rid of all the items you don’t need or want.
Take all the items you don’t need or want anymore and put them aside. These are the items that you are going to get rid of.
This helps you save money because by getting rid of things you don’t want or need, you will have to bring fewer items with you when you are moving.
This means you can get a smaller truck or hire fewer people to assist you with the move. Moving companies will be cheaper if you have less items for them to take so do your best to purge unneeded items to save money!
For the items that you don’t need, don’t just throw them away. Sell the items in good condition and then donate other items you feel won’t sell.
If you need a fast way to get rid of these items, then you can host a yard sale and have people stop by to purchase items from you.
While this is the fastest way to make money, you won’t make as much money as you would with other methods because yard sales usually have items that are extremely discounted.
If you have some time to sell your items, then I recommend checking out apps like OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, Craigslist, Mercari, etc…
With these selling apps, you can make more money than you would with a yard sale, but it will take some more time to sell your items.
Don’t just throw away unwanted items before you move; make some money from them!
Review The Remaining Items
In this decluttering when moving process, you have put together all the items you need and got rid of your unwanted items; now it’s time to handle the “wanted” items.
I put quotes around wanted because a lot of people think they still want certain items, but they haven’t been used in years! So why keep them?!
This is the time when you review these items and really decide if you want to keep certain items or not.
I’ll say this again… be honest with yourself! Really think about what you want to keep and not, or else you will end up with a lot of items stuffed away in the back of the closet of your new place.
Use your values to guide your decluttering checklist before you move.
What matters most to you in life? Is it dressing well? Traveling the world? Your creativity?
Who you are and what you do will dictate what you keep and what you get rid of. It is about keeping the meaningful items and ditching the energy-draining items.
Don’t feel guilty about letting go of things before you move. Know when it’s time to let go; trust me, you will feel better in the long run. Sometimes a good purge will help you feel better so definitely consider it!
This will help you decide if you want to keep or get rid of the last remaining items before your move.
Pack away the items you choose to keep and then sell or donate the things you want to get rid of. This will greatly reduce the cost of moving!
Continue With Minimalism
That’s pretty much it about decluttering when moving, but this is not the end of the road.
Yes, it’s great to declutter before a move, but you shouldn’t acquire useless items, to begin with.
This is why you should continue to think about minimalism and only purchase items you need or really want.
Not only will this save you money, but it will also give you a sense of peace knowing that you don’t have clutter laying around.
I am not saying you should become an extreme minimalist that can fit everything you own into a backpack (even though there is nothing wrong with this); I am saying that you should be mindful of your purchases.
You should second guess every purchase to make sure it’s something that you need or want.
End Result Of Decluttering
Decluttering is not complex, nor is it a hard thing to do, so why do so many people acquire a lot of things over the years?
The simple answer is that it’s all in the mind; a lot of us think we need or want things, so we either keep things around the house that is never used or acquire new things.
You now have the necessary tips to start decluttering when moving and in general!
After you finish decluttering, you will feel free from all the material items around you and experience a sense of freedom that comes with practicing minimalism.
The hardest part is getting started, but after you get past the initial hurdle, it will become easier, and you will thank yourself!
Declutter FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions when it comes to decluttering when moving…
The word declutter means to get rid of clutter, which are items that are not needed or wanted and are just taking up space.
The best way to declutter is first to put all your needed items in one pile to keep and then put all the items that you definitely don’t need or want in a pile to get rid of. Then review all your remaining items to decide what you will keep and get rid of.
It is important to declutter because it is a method of self-care. By decluttering, you are getting rid of the unwanted and unneeded items in your life to provide clarity and improved mental health.
The best way to declutter when overwhelmed is to start small. Just get rid of a few items at a time to build up a habit, and then you will find that decluttering is not hard to do at all, and you will find it rewarding.
Deciding what to throw away when decluttering is personal, but you should throw away items that are broken, unneeded, or unwanted. Some examples are old documents, unused electronics, unwanted clothes, etc…
Items you should not declutter are items that you need that are used regularly, and items that you really want to keep.
The 20-20 rule of decluttering states that if you can replace an item that is less than $20 in under 20 minutes, then it can be decluttered without thinking twice.
The 6-month of decluttering states that if there are any items in your space that you haven’t used in 6 months, you can most likely get rid of these items without any consequence.
The best rooms to pack first when moving are your least used rooms such as your basement, garage, or attic. These items can most likely be packed away in boxes before being needed again until after your move.
Conclusion
Minimalism is about choices. About living life intentionally. Instead of accumulating tons of crap you never use, only keep items you can truly appreciate and that enhance your life.
If you are going to a new place, these tips on decluttering before moving can help you get rid of a lot of unwanted items that can also help you save on moving costs.
Plus, remember the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” so just don’t toss all of your unwanted items in the trash. If the item is in good condition, then try selling it to get some money.
If you liked this post, I recommend checking out my posts on How To Live Rent Free: Unique Methods and Cash Envelope System For Beginners.
Do you have an easy method for decluttering? What are your tips for creating a mindset for decluttering?
