Decluttering is a word that can make you cringe but could also make you feel relieved after you’ve done it. When you think about decluttering, how much time do you think you’d spend doing that activity? We understand if you simply don’t want to think about it for now.
However, there will come a time when you really need to declutter. All those times of procrastinating and giving yourself excuses because you are too busy with other things will eventually come to an end. That is especially true when you are about to move.
Moving involves a lot of packing and unpacking. But what do you pack and unpack to your new home? What stuff do you really need and what stuff could you simply donate, sell or put to storage?
Believe it or not, moving would be much easier if you declutter first. It will also save you money because you don’t have to move as much stuff as you originally thought you should.
As gargantuan a task as it may seem, you have to start somewhere and preferably soon. We know decluttering can be stressful so we’ve gathered a few tips to help you finally organize your stuff and declutter before you move to your new place.
Find Motivation
The reason why not all people declutter or are excited to declutter is that it can be an overwhelming and emotional task. Letting go of the things you have and thinning out your belongings can strike various emotions. That’s why you have to prepare yourself.
You have to look forward to that awesome feeling you will get after letting go of the things that you don’t actually need. The feeling you get by helping others simply by giving them the things you don’t need. Plus, you may even make money out of them. Finally, there is something that feels rewarding when you start fresh in your new home.
Start Today
The best time to start decluttering is today. Even if your move isn’t in weeks or months, you have to start early on. You can even declutter even if you are not moving at all. That will still be beneficial to you and everyone else in your home.
One mistake most people make when they move is underestimating the move. They simply don’t realize how much stuff they have to move. Decluttering helps deal with that too. In that way, you’ll see a clearer picture of what you need to move.
However, you should start as soon as possible. Start with your decluttering journey today because you can’t really tell how long you’ll need to spend on decluttering. It is better to start and finish early than rush and stress yourself even more.
The Rooms You Don’t Use Are First On The List
When decluttering, do it by going through each of your rooms. The rooms that you don’t use the most are the first to start. The items in these rooms would be rarely used so you are more likely to let go of them.
Your attic or the basement is the best place to start. Usually, the items here are already boxed so you can just decide what to bring and they have already been packed.
If your new place has limited space or if it is still under construction, you may also choose to store some of these things. You can get them once you have a designated storage space food them in your new place.
Remembering Old Memories Is Great But Not While Decluttering
While decluttering, you are likely to go through a box that will bring you to memory lane. It’s great to remember them but now is not the time to linger in them. If you do, you’ll just end up spending hours on a single box.
Fight the nostalgia and the urge to remember all those old things and memories. You can go back to that some other time. The most important thing to do now is to declutter.
Organize Into Piles
To effectively declutter, you have to group your things into piles. There is a pile for items you keep, throw away, donate, store or recycle. You don’t need to immediately box them up. Putting them into piles helps you better organize them, then you can keep them in labeled boxes later and dispose of those needed respectively.
Ask Help From Kids
Kids should also be involved in decluttering, especially of their belongings. You need to be patient with them because it can take time. However, it can be done. Try asking them if they still play with a specific toy to get them to realize that they don’t really use it.
You can also tell them that by donating them, they give a chance to other kids to enjoy the toys as much as they did. In that way, you help them better prepare to let go of their things. This is a valuable lesson that they can use even in their adult lives.
Give Yourself Time To Declutter
Decluttering takes time and you should give it time. You should even schedule it and don’t do it just because you feel like it at the time or you have time to spare. You have to make time to declutter or else you won’t start with it or finish with it.