When you’re preparing to move, the last thing you want to have to deal with is a closet full of items that you didn’t even realize you had or an overstuffed drawer full of junk you’ll probably never need or use at your new home. If you’re doing a DIY move, you have to pack and load all of those extra items. On the other hand, if you hire Eckert’s Moving and Storage to help with the relocation process, those extra items will add to your moving costs.
Evaluate your possessions
The reality is that it makes no sense to transport these items if they no longer have a purpose in your home. So, what are you going to do in order to eliminate that part of your already stressful project? If you want to alleviate your stress and keep your moving costs down, de-clutter your home before you start packing for the move. If you want to stay organized, start with each room:
Kitchen: You can throw away the expired food, plastic containers with no lids and lids with no matching containers. You can evaluate the kitchen tools and small appliances that you want and donate the rest.
Bedrooms: You might need to look through the closest for make-up/accessories, clothes, shoes and hangers. Donate or sell the things that you don’t really wear or need.
Living room: Look over your collection of books, toys, magazines, DVDs, game consoles and the multitude of cables that you have collected. Sort and discard whatever is superfluous.
Garage: This is the hub of the hoarded items that you might not need when you move. You will need to look at the assortment of tools, gardening supplies, appliance parts that you don’t use, broken things, camping gear and miscellaneous items that you have collected. You can put them into categories- donate, trash and sale.
Additionally, here are 8 helpful tips that will enable you to have a more pleasant moving experience:
Be practical – if you’re undecided about keeping something or getting rid of it, be honest with yourself and think about whether or not it’s something you’re going to use.
Check all expiration dates – this is especially true for food items and old make-up. All canned foods have expiration dates on them. If there are some items that haven’t gone that far beyond the date or others that are approaching the date, donate them to a charity or canned goods drive.
Donate or sell – gently used clothing and furniture items make great donation items for domestic violence and homeless shelters. Or if you’d like to recoup some of your moving costs, have a big yard sale before as part of your de-cluttering project.
Give yourself enough time to de-clutter – one of the biggest mistakes that people make is waiting to de-clutter their home at the last minute. This just adds more stress to the situation and will make things more difficult for the movers. Start two to three weeks in advance and devote 3 or 4 hours each day to tackle one room at a time
Save the mementos and sentimental items for last – it’s always easier to get rid of linens that you never really liked than struggle with what to do with those sentimental items. If you want to avoid frustration while de-cluttering your home, save those harder decisions for the tail end of your moving checklist.
Start packing a box of essential items – this includes everything you’ll need on the day of your move. Be sure to mark the box and keep it with you so you don’t have to dig through other boxes trying to find one of your necessities.
Use 3 boxes in every room when packing – label one box for the items you’re going to keep, another box for your throw-away items, and the third box for items you plan on donating or selling. When you’re going through your closets and drawers, drop each item into the applicable box.
Use up your extra items so you don’t have to pack them – if you’ve stockpiled some of those always needed household items like shampoo or toilet paper, start using up any excess you have so you don’t need to pack it.
Remember, the more de-cluttering you can do, the more stress you’ll alleviate. Plus, it will help you save a little on your overall moving costs. And if you need any assistance with packing, we’ll be glad to be of assistance. From bringing packing supplies, to safely packing and moving everything, you can rely on us.
For more information about this, visit the Eckert’s Moving and Storage website to send us a message or call us today at (888) 274-7230 and speak with a company representative.