Decluttering as you move

Spring is here, which means it’s peak moving season. In the U.S., 80% of moves are made from April to September. Moving is an exciting time, with all the new decor possibilities and the opportunity to start fresh. However, it can also be really stressful if you’re already bogged down by your stuff. De-cluttering as you go is the best way to ensure a successful move and make unpacking a breeze.

Measure your new space

By measuring your new rooms and doorways, you’ll be able to tell which items you own that will suit the new place (and which will need to go.) Most exterior doors are three feet wide. Measuring in advance will prevent you from having to ditch furniture on the curb when you get to the new place if it doesn’t fit. Also, if you have an item that won’t suit the new place, you can sell it and turn it into cash instead of being stuck with nowhere to store it.

Categorize

Create categories for your clutter. Sell, donate and ditch. You’ll probably have a good idea of what has resale value and what will be a hassle to sell. Ask yourself questions like, is this item in demand right now? Will I have time to sell an item like this? Can I sell this item along with others to make money on the lot? Remember while categorizing that moving is already a stressful event. Donating items that may take more hustle to sell isn’t a bad idea, but if you have an easy-to-use app like Curbza, it may not take as much effort as you think. As for the ditch pile, anything torn and tattered, or that you wouldn’t want to own or wear yourself can join this pile. These categories will help you think clearly about how you’re going to move your stuff out of the house but not have to worry about where they’ll go in the new space!

Throw out expired items (not just food!)

Check through your cupboards for expired or close to expired items. This can include skincare and makeup as well as dry and packaged foods. This also includes paperwork you no longer need. Check the dates on everything, and if you haven’t required its use over the past year or two, it’s probably time to junk it.

Heavy stuff that’s no longer in heavy rotation

If you have items like books, movies and games that end up on the shelf but never used, it may be a good time to sell. These items are heavy to move and take up lots of space. You’d be surprised at how many boxes these will fill! Decide which are important and which can be sold or donated based on condition they’re in.

These tips should get you started on your pre-moving de-clutter. Do you have any tips for spring movers? Share them down below!