What should I get rid of before moving?
Old posters, appliances you never use, books you've never read, free promo items, crappy presents you've never touched, and so many unmentionables. If you can't justify a legitimate reason why you need to hold onto something, get rid of it. Junk is junk is junk and it takes up a lot of space.
Start Early
As soon as you know you'll be moving, it's a good time to start the decluttering process. Don't try to do it all in one day; start a few months in advance and take your time in each room. It's a lot less stressful if you give yourself plenty of time to get it done.
Shelters and support agencies: Most unwanted household items, in particular, clothing and bedding, can be given to local shelters and other support agencies that work with individuals to help them get back on their feet. Again, check your local directory for a community organization that could use the donation.
- Make an inventory of everything to be moved. ...
- Sort out and donate any unwanted clothing or furniture. ...
- Have a garage sale or list them online to get rid of unwanted items. ...
- Start collecting moving supplies like boxes and newspaper for wrapping. ...
- Submit a change of address form to your post office.
Then we tested our hypothesis: the 20/20 Rule. Anything we get rid of that we truly need, we can replace for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from our current location. Thus far, this hypothesis has become a theory that has held true 100% of the time.
- You Can't Do It At The Last Minute. One of the worst things about moving is that you can't throw it together at the last minute. ...
- Getting Too Attached. ...
- Where Do I Get Boxes? ...
- Getting Rid of Your Unused Stuff. ...
- Moving Large Furniture and Appliances. ...
- Weeding Through Moving Companies. ...
- Sorting Boxes.
Research shows that people use 20% of what they own 80% of the time. The rest takes up space, mostly untouched. Consider the things in your home, the clothes on your body, and even what you take in your luggage on vacation.
- Photos. ...
- Sentimental ltems. ...
- Paper. ...
- The Garage. ...
- Kids' Toys. ...
- Your Partner's Stuff. ...
- Drawers. ...
- Your Collections.
Giving your abode a proper deep-clean before you move your belongings in is a great way to clear the space of old dirt and energy and prepare it for new experiences and special memories.
During the move, just let the movers do things their way. You don't have to keep following them around as they move each box. This is why it's important that you properly label all the boxes to make it easier for the movers and to ensure that fragile things are handled well.
What do I do with all my stuff when I move?
- Inventory your belongings. Keeping an inventory of your stuff isn't as bad as it sounds, and it will benefit you in more ways than one. ...
- Sell or donate what you can. ...
- Throw away or recycle the rest. ...
- Clean everything you take with you.
Through research done by Retirement Move, we've learnt that the perfect age to downsize is 64. Downsizing at this age allows you to get the best out of your house, and means that you don't struggle with the stress and physical labour of moving house.

How Much to Tip Movers. A good rule of thumb is 15 to 20 percent of the total moving bill for both a typical long-haul or a local move.
Don't Leave Drawers Full of Belongings
If items like jewelry or clothing are left inside the dresser, they often shift around and can break, rip, or slide into the space behind the drawers.
- Clear out your fridge and freezer, defrosting the latter so it's ready to travel.
- Empty the cupboards in the kitchen, donate any food you don't want to take.
- Collect together your documents, keep them all in a safe, dry place for transporting.
- Remove the easiest things first. ...
- Discard larger items next. ...
- Donate items instead of selling them. ...
- Break your large space into smaller bite-size challenges. ...
- Work until your bite-size piece is completed.
- Step 1: Set a Goal for the Room. ...
- Step 2: Knock Out Some Logistics. ...
- Step 3: Pick a Strategic Starting Point. ...
- Step 4: Take Everything Out. ...
- Step 5: Sort and Declutter. ...
- Step 6: Clean Anything That's Dirty. ...
- Step 7: Find a Home for Every Item. ...
- Step 8: Snag Any Storage Items You Need.
Instant Regret: A Quarter of Americans Who Regretted Their Move Knew It Immediately. When you know, you know, as the old saying goes. As many as 26% of Americans who have regrets about their move developed that feeling straight away. An additional 9% developed regrets after a week.
So, can moving make you happier? Likely yes, if it comes with general improvements in your living environment, social network, and work-life balance. But it's far from a cure-all, and you're unlikely to notice a change in how you feel if your move doesn't offer more than just a superficial change in scenery.
Moving brings up a veritable smorgasbord of emotions. Our homes are attached to our wellbeing, and physically tearing ourselves away from them may cause feelings of sadness, regret, frustration, and anger.
How do you decide what clothes to get rid of?
- It Has Stains, Holes, or a Smell.
- You No Longer Love It.
- It's From an Outdated Trend.
- It Hasn't Fit in a Year.
- You Haven't Worn It in a Year.
- It No Longer Fits Your Style.
- It's Uncomfortable.
- Start with your “why” ...
- Make your decluttering plan. ...
- Do a quick decluttering sweep through your whole house. ...
- Clear key surface areas and work on keeping them clear. ...
- Declutter somewhere easy. ...
- Declutter each area of your home, starting with your highest priority area.
If you're looking for an easy way to reduce stress, decluttering your environment may be a good place to start. Getting rid of excess stuff can benefit your mental health by making you feel calmer, happier, and more in control. A tidier space can make for a more relaxed mind.
...
- Don't Panic-Declutter. ...
- Adopt a Minimalist Mindset First. ...
- Know You're Resourceful. ...
- Lean into Generosity.
Make sure to also disinfect all towel hangers, doorknobs, and light switches. You should also wipe all the ceiling and walls with a disinfectant. You can take the cover off of the ceiling vent and wipe the dust out of it too.
- Declutter Before Deep Cleaning. ...
- Start High, Go Low. ...
- Deep Clean Windows. ...
- Spruce Up Window Treatments. ...
- Remove Dust from Surfaces. ...
- Deep Clean the Floors.
The first four hours of the day are considered appropriate for sweeping the house, while the last four hours of a day i.e. at night are considered inappropriate for this work.
Remember that tipping movers is not mandatory. It may be customary and polite, but if you have a bad experience, there's nothing wrong with not tipping. You can consider adjusting how much to tip movers or not tipping if they: Show up late.
A general rule of thumb is to tip $4 to $5 per hour per mover or to tip between 5 and 10% of the total move cost. For example, if you are planning to spend $1,000 on your move, you might tip between $50 and $100 and divide it evenly between the team helping with your move.
Stay Out of Their Way! While you should definitely point out things like fragile items or tricky staircases, there's no need to hover over your crew telling them how to pack and move each box. Rely on their expertise and let them do things their way. You hired professional movers for a reason after all.
Is it cheaper to sell your furniture or move it?
Is it cost-efficient to move? If it's going to cost you more to pack and transport it than to just replace it, sell it.
Downsizing can increase your cash flow, lower your utility bills, and reduce the time you spend on maintenance and upkeep. The downsides to downsizing include having less room for guests and having to get rid of belongings to fit into a smaller space.
- Start As Soon As Possible And Pace Yourself. ...
- Focus On One Room At A Time. ...
- Measure Out Your New Space. ...
- Consider Your New Lifestyle. ...
- Set Clear Decluttering Ground Rules. ...
- Divvy And Offer Up Sentimental Items. ...
- Sell Or Donate Nonsentimental Items.
Being able to live mortgage-free gives you more freedom when you're retired, and will also allow you to decide in the future what happens to the house, as you'll own it in full. This means you can leave the house to someone as an inheritance, rather than it needing to be sold.
- Remove the easiest things first. ...
- Discard larger items next. ...
- Donate items instead of selling them. ...
- Break your large space into smaller bite-size challenges. ...
- Work until your bite-size piece is completed.
The 5 by 5 Rule
There's a saying that goes, “If it won't matter in five years, don't spend more than five minutes worrying about it.” If you're someone who gets stuck on what to declutter and what to keep, remind yourself of this rule to keep things in perspective.
Cleaning a house before you move in is the ideal way to go, since you won't have the added difficulty of needing to work around a bunch of furniture and boxes. But if you have to wait until after you move that's fine – just don't skip the clean entirely.
- Unplug the freezer. Moving home gives you the opportunity to defrost your freezer. ...
- Check the packing list. Go through your packing list the night before you move. ...
- Clean and tidy where you can. ...
- Leave clothes out for the next day.
- Use the right size boxes. ...
- Put heavier items on the bottoms of boxes, lighter items on top. ...
- Don't leave empty spaces in the boxes. ...
- Avoid mixing items from different rooms in the same box. ...
- Label each box with the room it's destined for and a description of its contents. ...
- Tape your moving boxes well.
A great way to encourage yourself to be more ruthless while decluttering is setting a clear goal when you begin decluttering a space. Do you want to get rid of half the items in the space? Or maybe you want to only keep what can fit easily on one shelf.
What happens to your brain when you declutter?
“Studies show that people experience a significant decrease in the stress hormone cortisol when items are removed,” helping you to feel more stable, clearheaded, and relaxed as you clean.
The benefits of decluttering
Decluttering reduces stress and anxiety. The clutter around us affects our mental health making us feel lost, overwhelmed, and burdened. It makes our brains cluttered as well. Decluttering helps you save time and space.
- Start with 5 minutes at a time. ...
- Give one item away each day. ...
- Fill an entire trash bag. ...
- Donate clothes you never wear. ...
- Create a decluttering checklist. ...
- Take the 12-12-12 challenge. ...
- View your home as a first-time visitor. ...
- Take before and after photos of a small area.
Recent surveys indicate that household decluttering takes on average 208 hours a year, at least. In a lifetime, this is 1 year and 3 months. Some will use up to 2 years based on their yearly average time decluttering.
Be mindful that you were there for the duration of the lease, mostly likely a year or more, so whether it was handed over clean or not, you will need to clean thoroughly as you were in occupation and enjoying the use of the property. GOLDEN RULE WHEN VACATING A PROPERTY… Leave it as you would like to find it!
Cleaning baseboards, doors, and window frames. Vacuuming carpeting. Mopping floors. Wiping down kitchen surfaces, like the sink, cooktop, countertops, cabinet exteriors.
- Declutter Before Deep Cleaning. ...
- Start High, Go Low. ...
- Deep Clean Windows. ...
- Spruce Up Window Treatments. ...
- Remove Dust from Surfaces. ...
- Deep Clean the Floors.
References
- https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/how-to-downsize-your-home
- https://getpocket.com/explore/item/this-is-what-happens-to-your-brain-when-you-declutter-your-home
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