The Declutter Guide

Congratulations on your new home! We are sure you're are excited as we envision you to be, so if we may, can we offer a little bit of advice? Have you gotten rid of everything you don't really need? We're looking at you, hoarders. When you're moving into a new place, you should be very conscious of what you bring and what you leave behind. The average cost for a local move totals $1,170 and long distance a whopping $5,630. That cost can be significantly reduced per box that you have to transport. The financial aspect should not only deter you from over packing, but think of your new home? I personally have not heard of someone desiring a 'cluttered' look for their space. But hey, if you do, this might not be the blog for you. Otherwise, check out this guideline on how to organize and declutter before you move.

Throw things out early

It is best to throw away things at least a month in advance. This will give you the opportunity to sell items or trash them as necessary. By tackling one room, or section of a room at a time, you're spreading the amount of work that needs to be done over an extended period of time, making it feel like less work over the long run. When it comes to figuring out what to do with items, designate different boxes for tossing, donating, selling, and keeping. Once you label something for a particular box, don't go back to it again; you'll avoid complicating and over packing this way. 

Gather the right packing materials

Organization during your move should be one of your top priorities. You will want to spend less time actually packing and more time transporting. To help streamline the process, gather all tools you need to pack your boxes. Place them in a centralized location. Once you get to your new home, you may need them again, so keep them close. Clear plastic bins allow you to see what's inside of them for an additional convenience.  

Consider the size of your new home

Before you start to pack all your things, consider how much space your new home has. While in consideration, look at what you have now and think whether you really need that extra set of pots and pans. You will definitely want to avoid cluttering and stuffing up your new home with unnecessary items. Even if your new home has equal or more space to the one you have now, it is not an excuse to keep extraneous items.

Target these things to toss

1. Still boxed: No, we're not referring to the collectibles you have stashed; what we're referring to is that gift from two Christmases ago gathering dust. Let's be honest -- you're not going to wear it anytime soon. Consider donating or selling these item before you let them collect even more dust at your new home. 
2. Unused: Clothes come in and out style more quickly than the seasons. If you still have those sequined jeans you haven't worn in years, consider giving them to charity. No need to bring those over with you, trust us. 
3. Expired: This one, we hope, is clear as to the reason why. Expired food or medication has no place in your new home. Trash all expired products when you begin the decluttering process. 
4. Old paperwork: Documents seem to be one of the more overwhelming clutter items due to the amount of time spent sifting through them. When it comes to tax returns, the IRS suggests you keep returns and documentation for three years after you file. You can discard ATM and bank receipts after a year. Few documents, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and social security papers, can be kept forever.
5. Books and magazines: If you have plenty of article clippings that no longer have relevancy to your life, consider donating them to local libraries. Many senior citizen residences have libraries and are always looking for new content.