How to Declutter Before a House Move

Make a Plan

First of all, it’s best to be prepared. Taking the time to put together a detailed plan will help you get everything you need done before you get to moving house.

• Set a date to declutter - It’s better to start decluttering quite some time before you plan to move - around a month out would be good. Be aware that decluttering the house may take more than just one day, especially if you’ve got a lot of junk to sort through. Try and get through your grand sort-out without any distractions, and take your time to go through everything as you organise.
• Make a list - Make a list for each room in your house and note down the things that you would like to get rid of, and what you wish to keep. You can make it basic or as detailed as you want, as long as you can log the main items that need to be reckoned with one way or another.
• Be aware of space - Moving into a new house means having new space to think about, which is unlikely to be the same shape or size as your current home. Whether bigger or smaller, you’ll want to make sure you’ve given serious thought to how much you’re bringing, and try to avoid taking too much (or too little) with you. When trying to figure out how to organise your home, erring on the side of caution is your best bet, so try and aim to bring less with you than you expect.

Work Out What to Keep and What to Throw

Now we’re down to the important part: it’s time to figure out what to keep and what to throw out. This will take some thought, and there’s no doubt that you should actually give it some thought!

It’s easy to find yourself looking through your things, getting sentimental and wanting to keep as much as possible, even if you were initially contemplating getting rid of it.

First and foremost, consider whether you’ll actually use each item, or whether you just want to hold onto it for the sake of it.

On the other hand, you might find it easy to get rid of any clutter, especially if you’re planning on buying or receiving new items for your new home.

If you’re on the fence about an item, a general rule of thumb is to ask yourself whether you have used it within the last year. If you have, it’s probably worth keeping. If you haven’t, out it goes!
 

Consider Donating Unwanted Items

Instead of throwing stuff away, it’s always good to recycle or donate items where you can. Not only is it better for the environment, but you'll feel better knowing that someone else can put your unwanted things to good use.

It might not necessarily be your number one priority, but creating a pile full of “donatable items” is a good way to separate the clutter from really the handy items that are still in good shape.
 

Or maybe there are some things you’re not quite settled on, or things you’re not quite sure about donating yet.

To avoid having to worry about taking these items with you to your new home, you could consider renting short-term storage from a Stashbee Host until you’ve unpacked and are ready to get giving!

We hope you’ve found these quick and simple tips useful for decluttering your home before a house move. What is usually a stressful time can hopefully be made a whole lot easier, while also saving you time when you move in and start to organise your new home.

Find storage space to rent on Stashbee, or earn extra income from renting out your spare space to others decluttering their home.