In Moving Tips

Decluttering For A Move

When you decide to call the removalists in, you have to pack every single thing in the house. However there are always some things that you don’t really need.

These are things that may once have been useful, or that you really liked, but now your lifestyle has changed and you never use them. Rather than just carting them around and allowing them to clutter up your storage space, why not get rid of them?

Most of us can do without a lot of the stuff stored in the cupboards. Old craft or hobbies, sports equipment we no longer play with, toys the children have outgrown and even that old vase you got for a wedding present and always hated, can all go to the recycling centre.

Give it to a friend

It is much easier to pack up a home when it is not cluttered with things that are of no use to you. And knowing that someone else can take them home and love them eases the pain of parting with them. Very often, friends might well be delighted with that picture you no longer want, or some toys that her younger children could well make use of.

Have a garage sale

If none of your friends wants what you have to get rid of, consider having a garage sale. All you need to do is advertise, get all the stuff together in one place like the garage or front lawn and set up a table from which to sell it. You can get the whole family involved to help you with this and you’ll have fun doing it. Add in some clothes you no longer love wearing or that don’t fit anyone and you’ll have even less to pack.

Give it to charity

If there is anything left, give it to the op-shop or the recycling centre, or in the case of toys you might be able to donate to a children’s home, hospital or day-care centre. It’s good idea to wash soft toys first as these often get grubby over the years.

De cluttering can also encompass tools that you – or your hubby – don’t want any more. It could be an old lawn mower that still works, gardening tools or any of the things he has accumulated over time but now doesn’t use or want to keep.

Don’t become emotionally attached

You need to work out what is still good and what is really junk. Often we become emotionally attached to our goods and chattels and see them as something valuable when in fact they are only junk. If you are like this, have a friend come in and help you decide whether something is worth giving away or if it should just go in the bin. Once you have de-cluttered your life you will have a lot less to pack and unpack at the other end and your new home will be much roomier.

Checklist of Things to do When Moving