How to Clean, Declutter, and Downsize Before a Big Move
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When planning a big move, you’re probably looking for qualified advice on how to get rid of everything and move. A large declutter before a big move can save money, energy, and time, making your move more manageable and stress-free.
This is because the more stuff you pack, the more you pay for it and the more time and energy you use on both ends of the move. To save yourself from the stress of big moves, you must plan for a seamless move. Here are a few effective tips for cleaning, decluttering, and downsizing before your move.
Plan Your Storage Options in Advance
Since you’re downsizing, your new home will not accommodate everything you have in your current place, even the useful ones. For this reason, you need to plan where to store the useful items temporarily and where to dump the useless ones as they await hauling.
You can have a portable container delivered to store furniture and heirloom items you’d want to keep for future use.
For the clutter you won’t need, you can go for dumpster rentals that perfectly accommodate everything you wish to haul away. A dumpster rental is a perfect option because you can have it delivered to your home early enough to allow ample decluttering time.
Use All Available Manpower and Help
If you have kids, it’s important to involve them in the entire process as an additional source of manpower and as decision-makers, helping choose what stays and what goes.
Since your kids know what’s good for them to keep and what they can let go of, involving them in decluttering their items saves you the stress of making the decisions alone.
Use the help of neighbors or other family members who might need the items you intend to donate. You may have them step in to help sort these items as they choose what’s useful to them from the items you’ve set aside for hauling.
Their involvement can offer the additional manpower you need as they gain the free items you have to offer.
Get Started Early
Due to your emotional attachment to items and the many items you have accumulated over the years, decluttering might be more challenging than you thought. That’s why you should start early with the process to ensure you have enough time to go through everything and make the right decisions.
Don’t wait for the last few weeks or days to start rushing everything. You may end up letting go of useful items and retaining less useful ones. If you run out of time and the move is due, choose the right team of professionals to help you sort your possessions.
Pack as You Declutter
Since the main purpose of decluttering is to ensure a seamless move, it’s helpful to pack items you won’t need before the move as you declutter. Take the time to confirm the items are indeed useful before packing them.
Ensure they’re first-free, clean, and efficiently packed to minimize space wastage. Doing this will save you time and money and make it easier to remember where each item was packed once you move to your new home.
Planning a move can be stressful, especially when you’re downsizing. You need to allocate enough time for decluttering to enjoy a smooth move without losing your valuable items. Seek professional movers’ help if you feel overwhelmed planning and executing the whole moving process.
