If you’ve lived under one roof for more than five years, then the chances are that you will be surrounded by many material things that are supposed to make your life easier and more fun. In most cases, owning stuff defines who you are and what you are passionate about – you wouldn’t own a massive book collection if you didn’t like reading books, and you wouldn’t own a guitar if you showed no interest in music whatsoever, right?
The accumulation of stuff is often inevitable – after all, what would a home look like without any pieces of furniture, furnishings, electric appliances, electronic equipment, and of course – your personal items that you prize so much? But when it’s time to move house, you just can’t take all your possessions with you. Or to put it better, maybe you shouldn’t.
Your moving cost is calculated on the basis of several important factors, as one of the most influential ones is the overall weight of the shipment. Therefore, in order to save some money, you simply have to take less stuff with you when you move.
Once you realize the clear benefits of relocating with fewer belongings, the next step is to identify the things to get rid of when moving in order to decide what to do with them.
Follow the next few steps to be able to complete the sorting process quickly so that you can get down with other equally important tasks. In short, what to get rid of before you move?
Step 1. Initiate the sorting process one room at a time, and make sure you begin from the rooms with the most items in them.
Step 2. Start sorting out the big items first (furniture, electric appliances, specialty household items, etc.) and then move on to the smaller ones (books, clothes, bathroom products, etc).
Step 3. Create a quick classification method to finish the sorting job faster. As a rule of thumb, you are encouraged to have at least the following 4 major categories: must-take items, valuables, unwanted/unneeded items, and useless items.
Step 4. Must-take items. While writing down all the things you own, mark down the possessions that you will definitely take with you. These are the no-brainers: your recently purchased flat-screen TV will come with you as will the set of expensive soft furniture pieces you bought for the living room. Also, your rare collection of first-edition books will look lovely on the bookcase in your new home. Whatever indispensable items fall into this group, they need to make it safe and sound to the new address.
Step 5. Valuables. Valuable items can mean so much for you for a number of reasons – monetary value, sentimental value, and so on: expensive electronic equipment, jewelry pieces, heirlooms, antiques, emotional gifts.
Step 6. Unwanted or unneeded stuff. So, what are the things you may no longer want or need?
Outdated or outgrown items such as shoes, clothes, children’s toys, and so on);
Duplicate items – do you really need 3 toasters and 2 microwave ovens?);
Forgotten items – when was the last time you used your tennis racket? Sports equipment, musical instruments, and whatever else you just don’t need anymore – and forgot you even still had.
Collector’s items you no longer care about. Maybe it’s time to cash out on a sizable collection that stopped giving you any joy a long time ago? Re-evaluate your options, and maybe put them up for sale.
Gifts you never really liked. No, you’re not supposed to sell or give away presents made by friends or family or relatives but these items may bring someone different a lot of joy.
Step 7. Useless stuff. Well, you know perfectly well what you should do with anything that is broken or damaged beyond repair or worn out beyond any further usage. Throw it away, or recycle it if at all possible.
Give these tips a try the next time you pack for a big move. You may find yourself enjoying your new home even more without all the old clutter!
