Decluttering a house may seem like a time-consuming activity, especially right before a big move, but it’s well worth the effort. By cutting down on the number of things you have to move, you’ll save time and money during the process. Here are four helpful techniques to use when you declutter a house before moving.
1. Start at The Top
The best method to get the decluttering job done is to start at the top floor of your home and work your way down. If you live in a one-story house, start at the farthest end from the entrance. When you break up the project to complete one room at a time, it becomes more manageable. Leave the garage for last. Set that as your final area to declutter because you may have to store some boxes in there from the other rooms you’ve cleared.
2. Get Sorting Containers
As you start in each room, you will want three bags, boxes, or bins for sorting. One will be for items that you are going to keep. These are things that you use often for a specific purpose. The next box or bag will be things you no longer use, need, or they are broken or no longer fit. These items you will get rid of. The last box is for things that you use only occasionally but are valuable. These can be put in storage or boxed away for moving later. Try to keep this third category to a minimum. If you barely use something, consider if you really need it.
3. Getting Rid of Trash and Belongings
You now have boxes and bags of items you no longer need or use. Go through these, and decide what is trash. Recycle what you can and throw the rest in the trash. Renting a dumpster is a worthy expense when you are trying to declutter a house before moving. If you have some things that are in good condition, like clothing or extra kitchen items, drop those off at a local thrift store or charity.
If you have time, you can have a yard sale with all of the things that are in fair to good condition that you no longer want or need, but this is not the quickest way to declutter a house before moving. Be forewarned; it may be stressful to attempt a garage sale before or during a move.
4. Save The Garage For Last When You Declutter A House Before Moving
After you have thrown all the trash away, recycled what you could, and gotten rid of your other unused items, it is time to hit the garage. You will need boxes to sort things again. You will use the same concept and sort items by what you are going to keep, throw away, and donate. You will also need extra storage boxes. Sort the garage wall by wall until you have gone all the way through it. Group like items together. For example, you can store painting supplies in one container. Other ideas for storage bins are automotive supplies, sporting equipment, and holiday decorations.
It is hard work to sort, pack, and declutter a house before moving, but when the day comes, you’ll be thankful you tackled this task rather than wasting time and energy moving items that you do not need.
All Pro Property Inspections serves the Greater San Diego area with home inspection services for home buyers, home sellers, and homeowners. Contact us to book an appointment.