Moving to a new home is exciting, but it can also feel stressful, particularly when you start to realize just how much stuff you’ve collected over the years. Your old concert t-shirt collection, the luggage set you forgot you bought two years ago, that entire area of the garage you’ve been avoiding cleaning… it all needs to go when you go. And, the longer you’ve been in your home or apartment, the more likely it is you’ve got a lot of stuff to move. At this point, you’re probably wondering, “How do I declutter before a move? Where do I even start?”
Here at National Van Lines, our 95+ years of experience has taught us a valuable lesson: Decluttering your items before you move can save you a lot of stress on moving day. We’ve helped countless families with their long distance moves, and know that with a little planning and elbow grease, you can save a lot of time, space, and energy down the road. Here, we’ll explore exactly how to approach your own decluttering process for the most stress-free move possible.
When Should You Start Decluttering?
It might be a little tempting to procrastinate on this part of the moving process and understandably so. After all, you’ve got plenty of other tasks on your plate as you plan your move. But, we challenge you to jump on your cleaning and organizing as soon as you know you’re moving. A good rule of thumb is to start at least six to eight weeks before moving day. Starting early gives you time to:
- Sort through each room without feeling rushed.
- Sell items online or at a yard sale.
- Arrange for donations or pickups from local charities.
If you’re planning a long distance move, early decluttering is especially important. The fewer items you bring, the easier and less expensive it is to pack, load, and transport everything to your new home.
How to Approach Decluttering
Feeling overwhelmed by the amount you have to do? That’s why we highly recommend breaking your overall decluttering process into manageable sections. The easiest way to start is by working room by room. Set aside a little time each day to focus on just one area so you don’t get burned out.
Here are some spaces to tackle first:
- Closets: Clothing, shoes, accessories, and seasonal items.
- Kitchen: Duplicate gadgets, pantry items, and cookware you rarely use.
- Bathroom: Expired toiletries, old or expired medications, and half-used products.
- Living room: Décor, books, DVDs, and unused electronics.
- Bedrooms: Old bedding, furniture, and personal items you no longer need.
Fewer boxes mean less to carry, less to unpack and a much faster load-in at your new home.
Items You Can Leave Behind
When deciding what to pack, ask yourself three questions: Do I use this regularly? Can I replace it easily? Will it fit my new space? If the answer to all three is “no,” it’s probably time to let it go.
Here are some of the most common items to leave behind, donate, or dispose:
- Clothing: If you haven’t worn it in the past year, donate or sell it.
- Bulky items: Old electronics, DVDs, and large stacks of books take up space and can often be replaced digitally.
- Papers: Keep essential documents but recycle outdated files. Consider scanning items you want to keep as digital copies.
- Old furniture: If it’s damaged or won’t fit your new space, donate or sell it. Many charities pick up furniture for free.
- Garage, basement and/or attic clutter: Sort through tools, paint, fertilizer, and other stored items. Dispose of hazardous materials safely.
- Appliances: If you plan to upgrade, don’t waste money or truck space moving outdated ones.
- Household items: Duplicate kitchen gadgets or décor that no longer matches your style can be donated or sold.
- Bedding: Moving is the perfect chance to replace worn-out mattresses or blankets.
PRO-TIP: Unsure if you need to ditch your mattress? WebMD recommends that if it’s eight years or older, it’s time to let it go.
- Extra vehicles: Selling an unused car or truck can provide cash for the move and reduce transportation costs.
What’s Worth Keeping
While downsizing is helpful, some things are worth the space and effort to move. Keep items that have sentimental value, are costly to replace, or are essential to daily life.
- Important documents: Keep legal, financial, and medical records with you in a personal bag or container, and not in a moving truck. As an extra precaution, you may want to make extra copies or upload your documents to something like Google Drive or iCloud.
- Specialty items: One-of-a-kind furniture, valuable artwork, or rare collectibles are generally a must-bring for most long distance moves. To make sure that your beloved possessions safely make it from Point A to Point B, we recommend researching how to pack and transport whatever specialty items you own. This includes putting a portion of your budget towards any kind of unique packing or shipping materials you will need to keep it safe.
- First-night essentials: Pack a bag or small box with clothes, toiletries, medications, and basic household items so you’re comfortable as soon as you arrive
PRO-TIP: If you’re curious to know more about how to build this kind of box or bag, check out our article on moving day necessities!
- Pet favorites: Moving can be stressful for pets, but smart planning can help reduce that stress. Is your dog in love with a specific squeak toy? Do your cats feel safer when they’ve got a bed in their crate? Bringing their toys, bedding, and normal food bowls helps them adjust faster.
A Fresh Start for Your New Home
Decluttering might seem like a tall task, especially in the midst of packing and preparing for the rest of your move. Make a game plan for how you’ll tackle each room, take your time, and be honest with yourself about what you really need to keep from that mystery corner in the garage… or anywhere else in your house. When all is said and done, you’ll have a much cleaner, simpler start at your new home.
You’ve got the facts you need to build a decluttering plan that works for your move. As you downsize, you’re probably wondering how to approach packing the things you do keep. Our guide on moving boxes and packing supplies will fill in the rest of the details you need to know!
