Declutter your home before moving and purge it of anything you don’t want or need. While these tasks may feel like extra steps in the relocation process, they’ll pare down your belongings, so you have less to clean, box up, and unpack. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, here’s how you can make it more manageable and get started.

How Do I Declutter My Home Before Moving?

1. Pick a Room

Working in a small area makes the project feel less daunting, and you’ll be able to see your progress once the room is complete. The order of rooms you tackle is up to you. You can start with a small linen closet and work your way up to the large master bedroom, or begin at one end of the hall and clean the next adjacent room.

2. Create a System

Find three storage bins, bags, or boxes, and use them to facilitate sorting. To determine the size of the bins you need, look into all the storage containers, drawers, cabinets, closets, and shelves to give yourself an idea of how many items are in the room. Designate a different bin for items you want to donate, sell, and discard. Pack what’s left in the room to take with you or put it into storage.

3. Inspect Each Item Carefully

When figuring out which bin to put an item into, think about how often you use it and how useful it is. If you want to keep a sentimental item that you don’t use regularly, find a way to display it or place it in storage. Set the item aside if you can’t decide what to do and return to it later. You may need to get a fourth bin to temporarily keep your undecided items.

4. Sell & Donate

When the room is empty, go into your bin of items to sell and clean them up for a garage sale or post ads for them on Craigslist and Facebook Market. The items in the donation bin should be folded, dusted, and straightened up as a courtesy to the next owners. Take your belongings to the nearest charitable donation site or have a moving company deliver them for you if they’re bulky.

 

If you can’t drop off your donated items before moving, contact the team at S & S Delivery in Honolulu, HI. These professionals understand how hectic relocating your home can be, so they’ll deliver your unwanted household goods to Goodwill or The Salvation Army. Get more information about their services online, or call (808) 833-1857 to request a quote.