It doesn’t matter if you wish to move or if your main goal is to remove unnecessary belongings because decluttering is essential for ensuring the best course of action. Before moving, a large declutter will save you both energy and time, while you will save money at the same time.
The more stuff you own, the more you will end up spending during the moving process. Besides, if you host a garage sale or donate while downsizing your belongings, you can earn money with the extra cash you can use throughout the process.
Even if it comes with numerous advantages, you should remember that decluttering seems like a challenging and overwhelming task, especially because moving is one of the most stressful events in a lifetime. The main idea is to organize yourself and understand a few tricks that will help you streamline the process and make it more convenient.
1.Motivation
Generally, decluttering can be both an overwhelming and emotional process, especially if it is your first time. You will need proper inspiration or motivation to prepare yourself for the process. The main idea is to remind yourself of how great it is to save money by removing unnecessary belongings.
At the same time, you will start fresh in a new area without lingering on stuff you do not use anymore. You will feel much better when you decide that decluttering house of rubbish has a calming effect that will help you free yourself from things that do not serve a purpose in your life.
2.Start Early
The biggest mistake most people make when beginning a decluttering process is starting too late. It is important to understand that we have too much stuff, meaning time is precious when deciding.
Everything depends on the size of your apartment or household, but you should start at least six months before moving. That way, you can make the process less stressful and intense.
3.Start With the Rooms
The first thing you should do is to start with your rooms and gather stuff you have stopped using in the last year or more. Avoid nostalgia and memorabilia, because if you start with a room that you do not use too much, you are more likely to go through the process faster and without too much emotion. That way, you are more likely to get rid of up to three-fourths.
That is why you should start with your garage, attic, or basement because you will train your brain to think about the purpose and value of your stuff. So, when you reach the personal and vital stuff, you will deliberate less than before. At the same time, you will have more time to process each step along the way.
Besides, you can pack the items into plastic bins or boxes, and handle each step without disrupting your daily routine. We recommend you to enter here to learn everything about decluttering your home.
4.Pack Along the Way
Everything you do is for moving into a new, better location and household. Therefore, you should start packing right away. Try with the areas that feature items you do not need before the moving day. We are not talking about packing piles of stuff inside the boxes without systematisation.
Instead, you should take the time and be as thorough as possible and check each item you have in your household. That way, you can ensure everything is dust-free, clean, and packed efficiently and neatly. Categorizing boxes is another way to prevent stressful unpacking when you reach a new home.
Finally, you can start using packing materials, which will help you save money in the long run. That way, you can rest assured along the way.
5.Avoid Nostalgia
It doesn’t matter what you decided to do, because when you start going through the personal items with an emotional attachment, you will start feeling bad and decide to linger on stuff you do not need.
The best course of action is to think about the present and avoid going down memory lane, which will help you declutter your past emotions as well. You should pull out from the memories and enjoy the process of packing while thinking rationally about which options you wish to keep. Try to fight the urge to look at the old photos for hours.
Of course, if you feel a deep connection, it is way better to start with a nostalgia trip when you reach a new home.
6.Piles
Similarly, as mentioned above, one of the most important factors when decluttering is separating items into different piles, which will help you determine the best course of action.
The prime examples will help you categorize items, which will help you throughout the process. Create piles that include trash, keep, things you wish to shred, sell, donate, recycle, and store.
7.Involve Children
Although it may take a while, it is vital to involve your loved ones in the process of decluttering their belongings, especially if you have patience and time. The main question is how to get your five-year-old to go through possessions and decide which are the best things to keep.
You should ask them questions such as do they wish to play with certain toys. Kids are more likely to let go of items, which will help you prevent lingering and declutter faster, but you must arm yourself with patience.
Although the process can be a struggle especially if your loved ones haven’t seen some things in a while, which may lead some toys to become their favourites once again. You should remind them that they have enough toys and they should choose between items they love and love less.
You will be surprised at how children are generous to others, especially if you tell them that the process of decluttering is a chance to share their toys with children that cannot have them. As a result, they will grow with relevant emotional skills that will allow them to declutter their belongings in the future.
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8.Dedicated Time
The main idea is creating a schedule for decluttering, which is way better than doing it any time you want. That way, you can prevent additional stress, and spare a few hours daily on dealing with clutter, which will provide you peace of mind.
For instance, you should dedicate at least three hours of decluttering weekly on specific days, which will help you create a routine. As a result, you should avoid tuning in appointments, schedules, and other responsibilities in these moments. That way, you are more likely to reach the end goal weeks before the moving date.
9.Portable Storage Container
Taking advantage of storage containers such as PODS is the best course of action that will help you declutter. Since you know that you will have numerous things throughout the process, you should keep downsizing your belongings by loading the items into the bins to ensure the best course of action.
Then, you should take the storage container to the storage centre, which will prevent potential hassle. It is a secure facility where you can place portable containers, or take them into the driveaway as long as need them to prepare for moving with ease.
It is a convenient way to temporarily store items you do not wish to bring with you, which will allow you to determine the stuff you wish to move.