Streamline Your New Home: 5 Essential Tips for Decluttering Before a Move

Moving is a time of opportunity, a fresh start with all the potential of a new home, but

if you’re planning a move you may be feeling overwhelmed by all you have to do - and then there’s the packing to think about. Often there are several years of belongings to consider and it makes sense not to take possessions that you don’t want or need, lightening your load. Here are my five top tips for decluttering before your move:

1) Give yourself plenty of time to declutter before your move date

Your possessions may have built up over months and years and decluttering is naturally going to take some time if you want have the space to make thoughtful decisions. If you try to tackle it all at once it may feel like an overwhelming task, so remove some of the pressure by starting early and giving yourself time to break it down into smaller tasks.

I’d recommend starting at least two months before your move. Try to plan regular sessions each week or smaller daily sessions to check through your home.  Scheduling the time into your calendar will help you keep to the plan and stay focused.

It pays to plan ahead

2) Have a really clear vision of your new home

Moving home is a great opportunity for fresh start and it’s helpful to have a really clear idea of how you want your new home to look and function. If you love clear work surfaces and a calm space, keep this in mind as you declutter! Let your vision be a guide in your decisions.

The physical space you’re moving into will be a consideration too. How do the room sizes compare to your current home? How do the kitchen drawer and cabinet layout compare? How will your furniture fit and where will it go. If you’re downsizing you may have to make some extra selective decisions.

As you work through items, imagine where they will sit in your new home - this isn’t just about getting rid of things, but about thoughtfully creating the home and space that you want.

3) Plan to work methodically room by room:

Make a whole house list! Use each room as a heading and then list under each room the items of furniture that contain something. Your living room list for example may begin something like this:

Living room:

Two Bookcases

Books

Paperwork

Ornaments & candles

TV unit

DVDs

CDs

Elecricals

Ottoman:

Random bits and bobs

With a comprehensive list you can break down the tasks into a manageable size, work through them and tick them off. It will allow you to plan and to monitor your progress. Allow yourself extra time for areas such as junk drawers and places where random items gather together with no categorisation.

Where to begin once you have a list? When I work with clients, I always suggest that we work in areas with the least sentimental items first so the kitchen is often a good starting point.

4) Be properly prepared for your decluttering sessions:

As you work in each area, it will be useful to have boxes, containers or bags already prepared for the following:

Donate

Sell

Recycle

Rubbish

It also makes sense to have an exit strategy in place for those items, so you may wish to schedule a slot at the recycling centre or a charity shop drop for after your sessions. If you’re selling, you could book time into your calendar to get the items properly prepared and listed.

Decluttering can be mentally and physically tiring so consider having some water or a drink to hand and a snack if you’re dong a longer session to help keep you focused and energised.

5) Questions, Questions …..

It's easier to hold on to things than to let them go, but if you don’t want to move with absolutely everything you own, asking yourself some questions as you work will help you to be realistic and honest about the items you’re considering.

Some of these may help to get you started:

Do I want this in my new home?

Do I have room for this in my new home?

Do I actually like this?

When did I last use this item - if it hasn’t come out for a number of years, how useful will it be to me in my new home?

When did I last wear this piece of clothing? Is it something that I always skip over to pick something else instead?

Do I have duplicates of the item? (If you’re holding on to five corkscrews for example, it may be time to consider letting some go).

Preparing to pack up can be overwhelming, but I hope these tips help to take some of the stress out of your move.

If you're looking for more help during your move I offer pre-move decluttering sessions and effortless unpacking sessions in the local area, visit my moving services page for more information.

Happy decluttering!

Nikki

Dunmow Decluttering

Essex Professional Organiser

Dunmow Decluttering Essex Professional organiser offers home organising services, home decluttering services & house move preparation & unpacking for the areas surrounding Great Dunmow - Saffron Walden - Stansted - Bishop's Stortford - Sawbridgeworth - Ongar - Chigwell - Colchester - Chelmsford - Brentwood - Braintree - Cogeshall - Tiptree - Witham - Maldon - Halstead - Sudbury - Haverhill