National Van Lines has helped families plan long distance moves since 1929, and we know the smartest place to start is deciding what you won’t need at your new home. Decluttering before a long distance move is one of the easiest ways to save money and time on moving day. It’s a great time to streamline your life… plus the less you ship, the lower your final cost will be.
Common Questions We Hear About Decluttering Before a Move
We decided to ask our moving coordinators which decluttering questions they hear most often from our long distance moving customers. Interestingly, they shared a common theme. Take a peek at some of the most frequent questions we are asked, along with the answers.
1. How far in advance should I start decluttering before a long distance move?
Start as soon as you know your move date. Larger homes benefit from starting even earlier, since there is simply more to sort through, especially in storage areas like closets, garages, attics and basements.
2. Should I declutter before or after getting a moving estimate?
Decluttering first can help your estimate reflect what you are actually shipping, which may lower your quoted cost. It also gives your moving coordinator a clearer picture of your home right from the start.
3. What should I do with items I don’t want to keep or move?
Donating, selling or recycling are all good options. Many communities have donation centers that will pick up larger items for free, saving you time and keeping usable items out of the landfill.
Now, let’s dig in deeper on how to declutter using a plan that’s backed by real data on typical shipment weights for homes like yours.
Where to Start Decluttering Before a Long Distance Move
Long distance movers charge by weight and distance, so every box you do not pack and move is money in your pocket. To get started, take a look at items you haven’t used in the past year, beginning with these three simple categories.
- Old clothes that no longer fit, or that you no longer wear.
- Kitchen tools or gadgets you forgot you owned.
- Old electronics, DVDs, CDs and video games that are collecting dust.
By starting with things you don’t use, you’ll avoid paying for unnecessary items to be shipped across the country.
Once you make some satisfying progress, take a look at your furniture. If a piece will not fit your new home, or you’ve been meaning to replace it eventually, then the decluttering process can help you let it go. And it works the same way for unneeded items stored in a garage, attic or basement that have not been touched in years.
If it feels a little stressful to think of items individually, piece-by-piece, we recommend thinking room-by-room. For example, choose your office, set a timer and start sorting. Once the timer goes off, see what you’ve made progress on. This helps break your project into manageable chunks of time.
Why Home Size Matters When Decluttering Before a Move
With a larger home, you’ll probably be shipping a larger volume of items, so decluttering matters even more. The 2025 shipment data from National Van Lines shows how shipment weight can increase with home size.
- A studio or one-bedroom shipment is typically under 3,500 pounds.
- A three-bedroom shipment is between 5,000 and 9,000 pounds.
- A five-bedroom or larger home can ship over 13,000 pounds (nearly four times as much as a smaller home).
If you’re in a bigger home, starting your decluttering earlier gives you space to make thoughtful decisions rather than rushed ones. By starting the process as soon as you can, you can help reduce the overall shipment weight and keep your final cost lower.
This is also why a personalized moving estimate matters. When you use an accredited interstate moving company like National Van Lines, you’ll get a quote that’s unique to you and the possessions you want to move.
Simple Decluttering Timeline Before Moving
Do you want to know when to address each step? Use this timeline to keep your decluttering on the right track.
- As soon as you find out your move date, start with the easy decisions, like the items you already know you don’t want. This is the best time to tackle storage areas, since they usually take the longest to sort out.
- 3–4 weeks before your move, work through the rooms you use daily. If you live in a larger home, you should aim to finish this stage earlier, as you’ll likely have more stuff to sort through.
- 1–2 weeks before your move, do a final pass. At this point, anything you’re still unsure about is usually safe to let go of.
Finally, we recommend keeping a small “donate” pile and a small “sell” pile as you work through each room. It’s easier to make quick decisions in the moment when you have a clear place for each item.
The table below can help you decide what to keep, donate or sell.
| Keep | Donate | Sell |
|---|---|---|
| The Rule – You’ve used it or worn it in the past 12 months and it has a defined space in your new home layout. | The Rule – It’s still in good working condition, but you haven’t touched it in a year and don’t want to pay to ship it. | The Rule – It has high resale value, such as newer electronics or name-brand furniture, and you have the time to list it. |
| Examples – Daily kitchen tools, seasonal clothing that still fits and essential electronics. | Examples – Outgrown clothing, duplicates of kitchen gadgets and books or media collecting dust. | Examples – Quality pieces of furniture you plan to replace anyway, working-but-unused TVs, etc. |
After you decide what to declutter before a long distance move, you may be wondering about the packing process. Should you use dedicated packing services or do some of it yourself? Learn more in our article on what to expect from professional packing and unpacking services.
Declutter Before Moving for Lighter Loads and Efficient Moves
Families have been decluttering before long distance moves for generations, and the reason why has not changed—less to pack means less to worry about. Today, National Van Lines uses real shipment data to help customers understand how home size can affect shipment weight, so that decluttering decisions feel well-informed and calm, rather than stressful and rushed. Call 800-323-1962 or get a free quote from National Van Lines today, and let us help you move with more confidence and less stress.
