Ditch Before You Switch

Declutter BEFORE Moving

Who wants to make moving more unpleasant than it sometimes can be? The answer is obviously “no one,” but many people make this mistake unintentionally.

​Although some people hire a moving company to also pack their belongings, most people keep the packing task to themselves. If this is you, why pack more belongings than necessary? Use these tips to know what items to ditch before you make a home switch, whether it’s a local or long distance move.

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THE TWO BIG QUESTIONS:  WHAT? and HOW?

What are you going to eliminate?  And how will you eliminate?  Those are the questions!

What to Ditch

Most of us cling to our stuff because we’re sure something will come in handy sometime; or, of course, there are always those items that carry sentimental value.  Our stuff is personal; your stuff is personal.  And because it’s personal, only you can assign value in the end. Use these tips as simply guidelines to help you decide what to ditch and what to keep.

CLOTHES

Determine the clothes that you don’t wear.  It sounds simple enough, but too often we simply keep wearing the same clothes and yet our closets continue to feel like they’re bursting at the seams…because they are.  Realize that your unworn clothes are taking up space and could be with someone else who really loves them.

A general rule of thumb for ditching clothes is this:  

• If you haven’t worn it in more than two years (and has no intrinsic value).
• If it’s 2 sizes too small or 2 sizes too big.

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MEDIA

​Consider ditching everything except special books or collector’s edition DVDs and move to digital copies. If you are committed to keeping your physical discs (audio, video), switch to a disc binder and ditch the cases. Some one else or another organization might appreciate the extra books and media.

MAKEUP and EXTRA TOILETRIES

Your stash of extra soaps and shampoos are generally easy and inexpensive to replace. Regarding your makeup, keep the essentials and toss any expired or undesired products. 

TOWELS and LINENS

​Keep in mind that towels and extra linens (sheets and blankets) take up a lot of space. Seriously consider how many back-up towels and extra linens you really need.

KITCHEN UTENSILS

Place all of your kitchen utensils in a container. Then think back over the last month to the items that you used, and place only those items back in your drawer.  Aside from seasonal kitchen utensils, you can likely ditch the rest. 

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TOYS

Encourage your kids to donate what they don’t play with anymore. Moving forward, consider storing some toys in different boxes, switching out toys on a regular basis. This will possibly lessen the desire to continue to purchase new toys if “old” toys become “new again” toys every now and again.

How to Ditch

​Aside from actually throwing away your stuff (and there will be likely be stuff that simply needs to find the trash), here are some other ways to ditch your items.

SELL ONLINE

The cheapest way to sell is to use free online classifieds and social media.

• Online classified like Craigslist, ebay, or your local area newspaper.
• Local area Facebook exchange groups
• Your own personal Facebook page

Regardless of the online method you use, take the time to include clear photos and complete descriptions (size, dimensions, and condition) to eliminate long email or messaging exchanges. 
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Keep the items that you have listed in your garage to avoid having strangers enter your home. It’ll also be easier for buyers to pick up larger items.

ONE-SIDED "STUFF" SWAP WITH FRIENDS

Most of us dread the thought of a garage sale complete with organizing, pricing, managing the sale, price haggling, and the like.  

However, it's always fun to have an excuse to get together with friends, so consider inviting your friends over for a one-sided clothing/furniture/kitchen swap. Have friends come over to look through the items you've set aside to ditch.  Your friends will be grateful, and you'll have less items to move.

​And the good news:  you don't need to set up and price any items!

DONATIONS

​Even if you choose to sell some items first, take whatever is left to a donation center.  You could also consider marking down certain sale items to FREE, especially to avoid hauling larger items to a donation center. 

We Can Help

​Most people consider the packing and unpacking to be the worst parts of moving. Cluttered boxes can be discouraging, so use these tips to move fewer things and to reduce your stress.  

Kearney Moving Service is a full-service moving company.  Hire us to do your packing for you!

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Article adapted from the article "Packing for Your Move: Eliminating the Clutter" from wheatonworldwide.com.