A Guide On What To Throw And What To Keep When Moving

Before you start packing, it’s helpful to tackle the cleaning and organising that needs to happen before you move. You may also want to hire a company to help with this service. However, decluttering early can save you time on the day of the move, as well as keep you from feeling overwhelmed with the process. People often want to pack as much as they can into a moving truck, but the more you pack, the more rooms you’ll need to clean and organize after the move. Once you’re living in your new home, you can unpack and organize at your leisure.

 

Some Basic Steps!

 

Before you go around your home and toss things, there are a few important steps you should take first.

 

1. Use a checklist; Go down this list and cross things off as you go. This will help you stay organized and make it easy to see what’s left over and what has been tossed.

 

2. Take pictures; Snap pictures of your furniture and electronics. This way, if you need to find out if a part or accessory is missing, you will be able to compare the pictures to the actual item.

 

3. Discard; Donate, recycle and sell things you don’t need; It may seem counterintuitive, but it is better to let go of things you haven’t used in a long time than to move them. You can sell them online or at a local yard sale. You can also donate them to a local charity.

 

4. Sorting; Start by sorting through your belongings. You can do this as you go about your daily routine, or you can collect all of your items into a single location. As you sort, you’ll discover that you have a lot more than you initially thought. It is a bit hectic during process but results are worth every minute spent.

 

To start off, here are further 10 general tips for de-cluttering from start to finish:

 

1. Get rid of most of the stuff you don’t want or need.
2. Put off the really tough decisions till last.
3. Prioritize and organize your stuff.
4. Determine how much space each item will take up.
5. Move the big stuff first.
6. Sort the rest.
7. Dispose of trash and items you have to get rid of.
8. Get help if you need it.
9. Be prepared to make some hard decisions.
10. Be realistic.

Without further delay, let’s get into what you should throw out and purge before making the move!

1. Old appliances: While you’re purging unused appliances, go ahead and get rid of ones you got rid of a year (or two) ago, but never stopped using.
2. Excess food: If you have enough food in your pantry to feed an army, chances are you have extra cans of sauce, boxes of pasta, and bags of rice sitting around. Purge these, and you’ll have less to move.
3. Things to Purge From Your Bathroom
4. Old makeup: If that old, dried-out mascara doesn’t work anymore, don’t bother packing it when you move. Go through your makeup collection and toss anything that’s expired. Set a date with a friend to go makeup shopping and pick up some new products.
5. Old razors: If your razors have dull blades or rust spots, they’re not safe to use, so get rid of them.
6. Old cookbooks: Keep your most recent cookbooks while getting rid of the rest. Your old family favorites can be digitized and saved to your computer or tablet.
7. Extra containers: If you have enough Tupperware to feed an army, you don’t need to bring any more. A single set for your essentials will do.
8. Unused appliances: Air fryers, slow cookers and bread makers should seriously be considered for removal. If you’re not going to use them, don’t break your back trying to get them in the next apartment.
9. Extra kitchen gadgets: Don’t bring your steak knives to the new place unless you plan to use them (hint: you probably won’t). Reserve cabinets for the essentials and leave the rest.
10. Unused spices: Clean out your spice cabinet with the help of an aromatherapy bracelet, then toss what you won’t use in your new home.
11. Old gaskets: If you don’t use them, toss them. If they’re damaged, they’ll need to be replaced, so pack them up with your pots and pans.
12. Duplicate items: Do you have two rice cookers, two bread maker or two waffle irons? If you don’t use both, it’s time to get rid of one.
13. Scratched up knives: They’re still functional, yes. But that doesn’t mean they look any better than the scratched-up pots and pans you plan to get rid of.
14. Discoloured cutting boards: If they’re stained, you can throw them out. If they just need a good washing, repurpose them as serving boards or countertop mats.
15. Old clothes: Instead of cluttering your closet with old clothes that you rarely or never wear, give them away or donate them. Do you wear everything you own in the bedroom? If you don’t, then consider getting rid of the extras. Does your bedroom closet have too many clothes that won’t be worn until next season? Get rid of them!
16. Excess hangers: Are you still using the same wire hangers that you got when you were 12 years old? It’s time for an upgrade.
17. Extra bed pillows: If you’re planning to buy a new mattress, you might want to replace your pillows at the same time. If a pillow doesn’t have a mate and it hasn’t been used in the last month, it can be donated or tossed.
18. Old sheets: If you’re planning to buy new sheets, get rid of old sheets that are more than a couple of years old.
19. Boxes of old photos or keepsakes: If you haven’t looked at the contents of a box of keepsakes in the last year, it’s time to get rid of them and make room for new things.
20. Old magazines: Read them or toss them, but don’t transport them to your new home.
21. Cords and wires: Once you’ve packed your computer and electronics in boxes, gather up all the cords and wires you won’t be taking with you.
22. Books: Getting rid of old textbooks is always a good idea, but you can also donate books to libraries or friends, or sell them for cash to help pay for the move.
23. Shoes: Maybe you like wearing them in the bedroom, but do you really need more than one pair of shoes in your bedroom?
24. Binders: These days, documents are often organized by digital means – an external drive or cloud. Keep a binder if it’s important, but if you haven’t opened it in five years, you probably don’t need it.
25. Brooms and mops: If your broom or mop is unmatched by the vacuum you have at home, toss it. In fact, grab a new broom and mop before moving day. They’ll make the cleanup easier.

We’re ready to help with tips and tricks on preparing your belongings and home to make the process easy and enjoyable. Call us or visit us today.