4 Reasons You Need to Declutter When You’re Moving
As much as you love your old home and neighborhood, you finally feel ready to start fresh somewhere new. You’ve already found a perfect place, decided on the moving date, and started looking into moving companies. All that’s left to do now is to begin packing.
Before you do, though, it might be a good idea to take a closer look at your belongings. Do you own anything you no longer use? Are there any items you expect to replace after the move? Packing gives you an excellent opportunity to declutter and get rid of things you no longer need, allowing you to start fresh at your new home.
While some of us find decluttering to be easy and therapeutic, some people may struggle with it. Our belongings often have sentimental value and can’t be so easily replaced. In such case, we might feel we want to bring everything we own along with us.
That’s why we decided to ask Oz Moving & Storage why decluttering is a necessary step in the moving process. Keep reading to find out what their answer was.
1. You’ll Have an Easier Time Packing and Moving
The first thing on our list goes without saying — the fewer items you own, the easier it will be for you to move. You won’t need as many boxes, nor will you need as much time to sort and label everything. In fact, instead of taking months to pack, you’ll be done in a few weeks!
But it’s not just packing and organizing that will go smoothly. The moving process itself will be so much easier. With fewer boxes to store in the van, your movers will finish their job quickly. Then, once you’re at your new home, it won’t take as much time to unpack and arrange everything as it would otherwise.
Still, that doesn’t mean you’ll have absolutely no work to do. Decluttering by itself can be a lengthy process, as you’ll need to go through all your belongings and decide what to do with them. It’s usually a good idea to sort everything in two piles — the things you’re keeping and those you’re discarding. Then, further divide the pile with discarded items into those you want to sell, donate, or throw away. That should help keep everything neatly organized and clear.
2. You Won’t Start Your New Life in a Cluttered Home
People tend to gravitate towards roomier, more comfortable homes where they can feel freer and less cramped. That’s probably what you want, too — a space where you’ll have room to breathe. If your home hasn’t provided it to you so far, you must be hoping that the new one will. But no matter how spacious it may be, filling it with all your clutter is sure to make it seem small.
So, keep that in mind before moving and choose what you’ll bring accordingly. Even after you finally settle into your new home, you can get rid of a few things if you feel they’re just taking up space. Don’t be afraid to throw out even those belongings you’ve had for decades. Remember — buying new items is always an option!
3. Decluttering Puts You in a Better Mindset
When you’re starting fresh in a new place, the last thing you need is things from your past weighing you down. That includes your belongings too. Too many items from your old home won’t allow you to get into the proper mindset and will constantly remind you of the life you’ve left behind.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you should leave everything you own behind. Things of sentimental value, heirlooms, and basic necessities will find their place in your new home. What matters is not to overdo it. For instance, don’t waste your time, energy, and money on transporting that old, worn-down sofa to your new flat. Leave enough space in your new home and your heart for new belongings. It might feel strange at first, but you’ll quickly see why the change is good!
4. You Won’t Need an Additional Storage Unit
If you’re moving into a house without decluttering, you’ll still likely find enough space. Houses frequently have basements and attics where you can leave the belongings you don’t use regularly. That way, they won’t necessarily be in the way.
That’s not really the case in a flat, though. Your storage space there would be pretty limited, so you’ll likely end up renting a storage unit. And unfortunately, that comes with a price tag — usually around $100 a month.
On the one hand, that might not be too high of a fee to pay. But on the other, why would you pay it at all when you can simply declutter? The more items you get rid of before moving, the less storage space you’ll need. In the best-case scenario, everything will fit neatly into your cupboards and closets, so you won’t have to rent a unit at all.
In Conclusion
Even if it’s a little stressful at first, decluttering will make you happier in the long run, allowing you to start fresh at your new home. The fewer belongings cluttering your rooms, the freer you’ll feel, but that’s not the only benefit. You’ll also find that the moving process is much quicker and smoother when you’re not bringing along every single item you own.
Ultimately, we believe decluttering should be the first step in preparations for every move. Once you’re done with it, the rest will come easy — so, don’t hesitate!
Happy moving!
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