The Importance of the Pre Move Declutter

Moving to a new home gives you an opportunity to start over — in more than one way. Aside from a new neighborhood and new job possibilities, you also get a chance to go through everything you own and decide what goes with you and what stays behind. Broken items, mementos that you don’t care for anymore, and clothes that don’t fit all take so much space and might make you feel frustrated. But packing gives you a great chance to get rid of everything you don’t need or want to take with you to your new home.

So, let’s take a look at why you should never skip decluttering and organizing your stuff before or after the move.

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You’ll Save Money

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Moving to a new place has many costs like buying moving supplies or paying for a transportation service. Also, the more stuff you have, the higher the bill may be. As Nancy Zafrani, General Manager at Oz Moving & Storage points out in her interview for The Moving Mom page: “Cost is calculated, essentially, by volume and services. The more you move, the more it will cost. The more services the movers provide, the more it will cost. The more you do before they get there, the less it will cost.”

So, if you can reduce the amount of stuff you have to pack and move, you will save some cash. That is why decluttering before the move is a smart choice.

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You’ll Save Time

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Although you are probably not aware of it, you certainly have many things you no longer need in your house, tucked away in closets or in the back of your drawers. Packing and unpacking each and every one of those items will take a lot of time. To make things even worse, you will probably just end up stashing them away again, never to be used. So, getting rid of all the stuff you haven’t utilized in a while will save you time and effort.  

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You’ll End Up with More Space

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Clutter builds up over time as our hectic modern lives take over. There are probably some items or pieces of furniture you never use but can’t make yourself part with. Still, they take up the space you could put to much better use.

So, start afresh at your new place and throw away the clutter that’s been weighing you down. For example, it can be an old appliance that doesn’t work half of the time, or clothes you keep hoping you’ll wear one day (but never actually do).

Decluttering is especially important if you are moving to a smaller apartment. It will prevent your new place from looking way too cramped. In the worst-case scenario, you will end up with more closet space or maybe even with an empty room. Who knows, the extra space might even inspire some creative ideas!

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You’ll Keep Track of Your Belongings More Easily

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Decluttering leaves you only with things that hold some value, whether it is emotional, monetary, or practical. That means, everything you bring with you to your new house will be significant and you will have no problem finding a place for it. So, it’ll be much easier to keep track of your belongings.

Also, there will be no more panic buying the items you know you have but can’t find in a critical moment. Instead, you will know where everything is and save money on repeat purchases.

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You May Even Earn Some Money

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Getting rid of things that no longer work for you can be an extensive and overwhelming process. But while you are at it, why not make some extra cash? Simply organize a yard sale or put your stuff on eBay, and you might be able to earn enough to cover some moving expenses.

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You’ll Get a Chance to Change Your Lifestyle

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Parting with things you’ve had for years can be hard. But when you finally gather enough strength to let go, it will be liberating. Without unused and unwanted items cramping up your home and your mind, you will gain more space and energy to welcome new ideas into your life.

For instance, your half-empty wardrobe can inspire you to try out a new fashion style. Or fewer pieces of furniture can lead to a whole new living room decor.

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You’ll Reduce Stress and Improve Your Health

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Even though it sounds unbelievable, decluttering can improve your health and well-being. For many people, overcrowded and untidy homes increase stress. Also, clutter usually makes it harder to find the items you need, distracting you from your tasks and even leading to frustration.

Also, while you try to keep your home clean, it’s hard to do so around so many belongings. Those heaps of stuff increase the chances of mold, pests, and dust appearing, which can trigger allergies and asthma.

On the other hand, if you clean out and organize your living space, you will have more than just a healthy environment. Throwing away all the excess stuff will make you feel calmer, happier, and more in control. You will gain more confidence, which can lead to higher self-esteem too.

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You Can Help Others

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Donating possessions you don’t care for anymore is a nice way to say goodbye to your old community or start your life in a new one. Clothes, books, furniture, shoes, old children’s toys — something useless to you, can mean so much to another family. You can also ask your friends and relatives if they want anything from your donation pile.

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Final Thoughts

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Decluttering your home and packing or unpacking your things at the same time can be overwhelming. For this reason, it would be best to plan ahead and leave enough time to sort through your stuff before the moving day approaches. But in the end, it will pay off. You will be more organized and ready for a fresh start.