The average American household contains around 300,000 items. Knowing this fact, it becomes pretty clear that taking all the stuff from your home when relocating is not necessary. Knowing what to get rid of when moving and having fewer possessions listed in the inventory list will not only make the process easier but will also cut your expenses. Here is how to downsize your household and what the first thing to do when moving is to help you organize everything perfectly.
Sorting out the possessions to take to your new household is the first step to take when organizing a relocation
How to Decide What to Get Rid of When Moving?
If minimalism is not your lifestyle, and you’re aware that the household contains too many belongings, then you’ll definitely need to know how to get rid of stuff before moving and minimize the number of items to be packed. The essential step of relocation preparations is to have a packing strategy for relocating. This will help you pack for a cross-country move more easily, which is considered one of the most demanding and time-consuming tasks. And the first preparatory step of packing is decluttering the house.
Not only can downsizing reduce the costs significantly since the total cost of relocation is based on an inventory list, but it will also help you organize your move effortlessly. The fewer objects you have on your list, the lower will the costs of relocation be.
How Do You Minimize When Moving?
Decluttering implies you should have a developed decision-making system on what stuff you will keep and which belongings will not find their place on your inventory list. Starting to sort out the possessions room by room is the best way to pack for a move. Just ensure that all decisions are based on choosing objects that will have use-value in your next home.
For example, if you’re relocating to a warmer climate, snow plowing equipment is something you will definitely not need, as well as some seasonal clothes, like coats, sweaters, and similar. Some questions that could help you determine which possessions to take and what to exclude from the list are:
- Have I used it in the last year?
- Is it still in good condition?
- Do I genuinely need it?
- Will it fit into the new place?
Once you take each item in your hands, answer the above-mentioned questions, and decide what to do, the ultimate checklist for relocating to a new state will start to take shape, and you’ll be ready to get down to work.
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Organize Decluttering Room-by-Room Starting With Storage Areas and Get Rid of All Old Stuff
The best way to do a home inventory, get ready for a long-distance move, and move efficiently to your new home is to start sorting out room-by-room. This way, you’ll avoid one of the most common relocation mistakes associated with starting too many projects at the same time and making a mess of your house.
One of the best tips when it comes to decluttering is – always have four boxes near when sorting out things into categories like throw away, donate, recycle, or sell. This way, you will accelerate the decluttering process, and you’ll be able to check all boxes once again if you want to.
What Items Are Not Worth Moving And What to Do With Old Things That Are Cluttering Your Home
Starting from storage areas you use most rarely is another effective way to organize the decluttering process efficiently. Garages, basements, and attics hide too many belongings without any use-value, so find a way to dispose of them properly. Old ski equipment, rusty gardening tools, your kids’ old toys, old-fashioned clothes, and all other possessions you’ve put in the storage “temporarily” now have to go away. Here is what you can do with them!
Donate All the Stuff You Don’t Need, and You Will Easily Purge the House
Donating unwanted items is definitely the most effective way to purge the house of all the unnecessary things. Since there are numerous charities that collect everything from clothes to unwanted appliances, check which charity will accept your clothes donation and where you can donate old appliances, whether it’s your PC, stove, or TV. If you have any linens you don’t want to use anymore, don’t hesitate to contact local homeless shelters and ask if they would be willing to accept your donation.
Organize a Garage Sale and Sell Everything That Takes Up Room
There is no better way to improve your relocation budget than selling all the stuff you won’t take to your next home. Depending on the type of things you are trying to sell, your profits can exceed $1,000, which is a considerable amount. Items that could bring the most money at garage sales are:
- Old games – like Super Mario, Lite Brite, and similar.
- Picture frames,
- Furniture pieces,
- Wooden or porcelain vintage or antique dishes,
- Fishing rods,
- Camping gear,
- Jackets and coats,
- Tools,
- Exercise equipment,
- Small appliances such as coffee makers and similar.
If you want to have a successful garage sale, try to inspire potential buyers by organizing a few boxes full of sundries at a special price and put all those tiny decorations, souvenirs, or anything else that you find suitable there. Also, don’t forget to take advantage of social media networks and let people know you’re organizing a garage sale. You can also explore locally based groups on social media and post belongings you plan to sell there and possibly get an even better price!
Decide what you will do with your possessions before boxing up the household
Clothes and Shoes Are the First Things to Get Rid of When Moving
The average woman has more than 19 pairs of shoes in her closet. So there will definitely be some time to dedicate to deciding which pairs of shoes will find a place on the relocation list.
When it comes to clothes, the situation is even more complicated. Set aside a couple of days until you sort out all the pieces from your wardrobe and walk-in closets before you start to pack clothes for relocation. Since there will be many pieces that don’t fit you or you simply don’t want to wear anymore, find a way to pass these clothes to people who are in need.
Explore local charities and ask whether they’ll accept the donation and if you should prepare those pieces in some special way, like dry cleaning. Still, if you have designer pieces you have worn once, consider selling them on specialized websites for used clothes, and you will eventually earn some money. Whatever you choose, just make sure to dispose of all unnecessary pieces before you start to pack for a move because we are sure you’d want to move away and start over in a neat house.
Sorting out your clothes and footwear and donating them to people in need is the best way to downsize the household
How to Get Rid of Furniture When Moving?
If you’re looking for the cheapest way to move out of state, then one of the best tips would be to leave out furniture pieces from the packing list. Once you identify all the furniture pieces you’ll sell with the house, like kitchen appliances, bathroom cupboards, or any other bulky piece of furniture, the next step is to decide what to do with the rest of the pieces.
The best way to dispose of furniture is to check if there are any furniture bank charity organizations near your city. Furniture Banks are locally run charities that accept donations of furniture in good condition and pass it further to citizens who can’t afford to furnish their homes. The volunteers of Furniture Banks will come to pick up the furniture if you go for this option, so not only will you reduce your relocation costs, but you will also support other people and do a good deed.
Decide whether you'll move furniture to your new home
Make Sure Your Checklist Doesn’t Contain Expired Items
One of the most common things you forget to do before you move is to check all the items like medicines, supplements, or cosmetics. If they have expired, then it’s apparent that they should not take place on your checklist for a move, so ensure to get through all those products and see if they are still usable.
If expired, medicines and other supplements could become dangerous to use. So purging out your medicine cabinet is another task on your to-do list to be added. Still, keep in mind that there is a particular procedure for medicine disposal. You can return the medications to your local pharmacy, hospital, or clinic or try to find an authorized facility using the DisposeMyMeds online locator.
it’s of tremendous importance to check the medicine cabinet and dispose of all expired meds
What Should I Throw Away Before I Move? Essential Tips
There are many items movers won’t move since they are limited by strict regulations. Throwing away those possessions or finding an alternative way to transport them is the only solution left. Perishable food, all kinds of chemicals, fuels, oils, household batteries, even nail polish and remover, and all potentially hazardous and flammable liquids and substances will not be accepted on the truck.
Cross-country movers will also not accept to load on the truck any pets or plants, so relocating with pets will call for finding a way to transport your pet or booking a pet-friendly air carrier service. Also, if you want to move plants, finding a solution on how to ship live plants are details you should resolve before long-distance movers knock on your door. If you want to learn everything about how to ship and pack your plants safely, check the video below and find out how others have solved this issue!
A Long-Distance Moving Company Will Simplify the Whole Relocation Experience
Whatever your reasons to move are, choosing long-distance moving services from a reliable cross-country moving company will undoubtedly facilitate the whole relocation experience, providing you with impeccable service. Cross-country services can include all packing services you could possibly need, as well as auto transport services. A reliable long-distance mover can organize and cover any aspect of your relocation. Explore the prices and special conditions provided by various companies and let the right one move you seamlessly and easily to your next destination.
