How to Declutter Before a Move: Tips to Lighten Your Load

Why Should I Declutter Before I Move?

Too much clutter can make it difficult to find things and keep your home organized. It can also make your home feel smaller and more cramped. If you’re planning to move, decluttering before you go can make the process much easier. 

Here are just a few of the benefits of decluttering before you move: 

• Save money. The less stuff you have, the less you’ll have to pack and move. This can save you money on moving supplies and labor. 
• Save time. Decluttering can also save you time on moving day. The less stuff you have to pack, the less time you’ll spend packing and unpacking. 
• Reduce stress. Moving can be a stressful time. Decluttering can help you feel more in control and less overwhelmed. 
• Make your new home feel more spacious. If you’re downsizing or moving to a smaller home, decluttering is essential. It will make your new home feel more spacious and less cluttered. 

If you’re thinking about decluttering before your move, here are a few tips to get you started: 

• Start early. The earlier you start decluttering, the more time you’ll have to get rid of things you don’t need. 
• Be ruthless. When you’re decluttering, it’s important to be ruthless. If you haven’t used it in the past year, chances are you don’t need it. 
• Get rid of what you don’t love. If you’re not sure whether to keep something, ask yourself if you love it. If you don’t, it’s probably time to let it go. 
• Donate or sell items you don’t need. If you have items in good condition that you don’t need, consider donating them to charity or selling them. 
• Throw away anything that’s broken or damaged. If you have items that are broken or damaged, it’s time to throw them away. 

How Do I Declutter Before My Move?

Start Early and Don’t Procrastinate 

Don’t wait until the last minute to start decluttering. Leaving this crucial task until the day before your move is a recipe for disaster. Instead, give yourself ample time to sort through your belongings and decide what to keep, donate or discard. 

Realistically, you should begin your decluttering journey several months in advance. While even two weeks might seem like a long time, starting earlier will significantly reduce your stress levels and prevent hasty decisions. Rushing through the process can lead to impulsive actions, such as throwing away too much or packing items you’ll regret later. 

Start by breaking down the decluttering process into manageable chunks. Don’t try to tackle your entire home in one day. Instead, dedicate a few hours each day to a specific room or area. By setting realistic goals for each session, you’ll maintain a steady pace and avoid feeling overwhelmed. 

Measuring your new space before you move is essential. Knowing the dimensions of your new home will help you determine which furniture pieces will fit and where they’ll go. This information can guide your decluttering efforts and prevent you from moving unnecessary items. 

Get Prepared  

Before you start digging through your clutter, make sure you have plenty of heavy-duty trash bags, bins or boxes on hand. You might even take this opportunity to pack boxes while you declutter. 

Packing tape and packing paper are also good to have on hand in case you need to pack anything up. We also recommend getting or borrowing a paper shredder to get rid of documents. 

Make Lists  

One of the best ways to declutter before a move is to make a list of all the large furniture items you own. This will help you visualize what will fit in your new home and what you may want to get rid of. It’s also wise to make a list of essential items that you know you want to keep. 

Once you have your lists, you can start decluttering room by room. As you go, check off each room on your list as you finish it. This will help you stay organized and motivated while giving you a sense of accomplishment as you see your progress. 

Involve Your Family and Friends  

Even though it might take longer, it’s important to involve your kids in the decluttering process. There are probably items that they will want to see before you decide whether to throw them away or save them.  

You can make decluttering fun by inviting friends and family over. Consider making an event out of cleaning up your belongings, perhaps serving snacks and drinks as an added incentive. 

To speed up the process and to give everybody in the family a sense of ownership, clearly assign rooms or areas of the home that need decluttering. This way, there’s no room for confusion and decisions are made by the family. 

Set Up Four Piles: Keep, Sell, Donate and Trash

Plan on creating four piles, clearly labeling them or sectioning them off. Then, take out the trash immediately after each decluttering session. 

Keep

If you have any items that you’re thinking about fixing or altering, ask yourself a few questions before packing them up. First, think about when you last used the item. If it’s been a while, you might not need to keep it. Next, consider how much time and money it would take to fix the item. If it’s a lot of time or money, it might not be worth it. Finally, think about how often you would use the item if you did fix it. If you don’t use it very often, you might be better off getting rid of it. 

In reality, we often overestimate the value of our belongings. We might hold on to things because we think they’re worth a lot of money or because they have sentimental value. But the truth is the monetary value is probably not as high as we think. And if we’re not using these items, they’re just taking up space. 

Still not sure whether to keep an item or give it the heave-ho? Consider whether you would buy it again if you lost it. If the answer is no, then say goodbye.

Sell 

If you don’t have the time or resources to manage the advertising and selling process of your items, eliminate this pile. Hosting a garage sale, selling items online and/or taking them to resale shops can be very time-consuming and may be too distracting for someone in the middle of a move. 

However, if you do intend to sell some things through online marketplaces, make sure you have your camera on hand to take high-quality pictures of each item as you go. 

If you are taking items to resale or consignment shops, make sure you know which stores you’ll be taking them to ahead of time. For instance, some resale shops only take clothes, whereas consignment stores take a variety of furniture and household goods. Also keep in mind that many shops like these require appointments or limit how much you can bring in a single day. 

In addition to your local resale and consignment stores, these are other potential outlets for selling items: 

• Clothing resale websites 
• Classified ads websites 
• E-commerce websites 
• Social media marketplaces 
• Local online marketplaces 

Donate

If you haven’t used an item in the past year, consider donating it to someone who could use it. But remember to only donate items that are in good condition. Broken or damaged items cannot be donated. 

Some examples of items you can donate include: 

• Clothes 
• Costumes 
• Kitchenware 
• Appliances 
• Books 
• Linens 
• Toys 
• Games 
• Decor 
• Sporting goods 
• Furniture 

Trash 

Items that cannot be repaired, reused or donated should be tossed. What constitutes garbage? Items that are beyond their useful life, such as broken electronics, worn-out shoes and ripped clothing. Be sure to research how to properly dispose of these items in your area. Town, village or city websites often provide such advice. 

Go Room by Room

Start fresh in your least cluttered room. Gather your sorting materials: boxes, bags or labels for your “keep,” “donate,” “sell,” and “trash” piles. 

Tackle the big stuff first. Focus on major furniture pieces like sofas, tables, dressers and beds. If you can’t move them now, mark their future destination with a sticky note. Consider your new space’s layout when deciding what stays. 

Divide and conquer. Break down the room into smaller zones: Closets, cabinets, drawers, surfaces and floors. Work through each area systematically, sorting items into your designated piles. 

Kitchen

Dig into those cabinets and see what you have not been missing! Most kitchen gear tends to be under-utilized and is merely taking up space in the corners of your kitchen cabinets. And let’s be honest, when was the last time you used things like the asparagus peeler, snow cone maker or fondue pot? Consider disposing of: 

• Under-used china and kitchen gear 
• Mismatched dishes 
• Chipped cups and mugs 
• Duplicate plasticware and serving utensils 
• Small gadgets and appliances with missing parts 
• Large appliances that don’t function as they should 

Expired food and drinks from the refrigerator and/or expired perishables from the pantry (such as spices and cooking oil). 

Bedrooms 

This will be the last opportunity you have to go through your clothing to determine if things are worth keeping. Do you regularly wear certain clothes? Are you holding on to something on the slight chance you might wear it eventually? Only keep the clothes you love to wear and use. Be sure all non-clothes items are taken care of, too. Items to closely consider include: 

• Worn-out clothing, accessories and shoes 
• Never-worn clothing, accessories and shoes 
• Extra winter coats and off-season gear 
• Broken and/or outdated jewelry 
• Outgrown children’s clothing 
• Books and magazines 
• Mis-matched, outdated or worn-out linens 

Bathroom 

Although this may be one of your smaller rooms, you’ll be amazed at how much you might be able to purge from this space. Start with the medicine cabinet. Then, move on to the rest of the room, discarding: 

• Expired medicines, vitamins, supplements and homeopathic remedies. It’s important to research how to properly dispose of medications in your area. 
• Old lotions, soaps, bath products, perfumes, colognes and anti-aging/beauty products 
• Travel-size bath products (ones you’ve been collecting but will probably never use) 
• Unused or old makeup 
• Frayed or ripped washcloths, towels and bathmats 

Office

Home offices often accumulate clutter, including electronics, paperwork and miscellaneous items. Declutter your home office by getting rid of old and outdated documents, broken electronics, unused devices and unnecessary furniture. Don’t forget to recycle old batteries and manuals. 

Main Living/Dining/Family Room

Living rooms and family rooms often accumulate a mix of larger and smaller items that may no longer fit your lifestyle or your new home. Consider a fresh start with these questions in mind: “Does this item align with my new style and decor? Will it fit in my new space?” 

Items to Consider Downsizing: 

• Worn, torn or sagging couches and upholstered furniture 
• Wobbly, damaged or uncomfortable chairs 
• Outdated or unloved artwork 
• Broken or chipped picture frames 
• Toys that are broken, duplicated or outgrown 
• Seldom-used pianos or other musical instruments 
• Worn, stained or outdated area rugs 
• Accumulated knick-knacks 

Garage/Storage/Attic/Basement 

Storage areas, attics and garages often hold items with sentimental value or those that are tucked away for storage. If you’re struggling to let go of sentimental belongings, ask yourself, “Do I truly cherish this item, or am I attached to the memory?” Consider taking a photo as a digital keepsake. Remember, holding on to sentimental items can feel like carrying emotional baggage. 

Common Clutter Categories: 

• Sentimental items: Souvenirs, trophies and mementos 
• Home improvement leftovers: Paint and construction materials 
• Seasonal decor: Holiday decorations 
• Outdated technology: Antiquated electronics 
• Pet supplies: Cages and unused toys 
• Outdoor gear: Tools, lawn equipment and sports equipment 

United Can Help You Move

Decluttering before moving isn’t just about packing boxes; it’s about creating a fresh start. Let us help you shed the excess and embrace a new chapter. 

For more information about moving supplies and packing, take a look at our packing checklist, explore our moving tips and packing videos. 

Are you interested in having United Van Lines do the packing for you? Learn more about our packing and unpacking services and get a no-obligation quote today.