How to Declutter Before Moving Home – 8 Tips From the Experts

It’s much more difficult to move out when you have an untidy home. You’re more likely to forget
what you own and lose things that need packing. Luckily, with help from the experts,
 this guide will help you to organize and declutter before moving.

The last time you moved home, you may remember boxes piled up high and box after box of useless stuff that you’d accumulated. Moving to a new house, whether it be across the country, to another continent, or two streets away can be stressful. As soon as you have a date for the move, ensure that you follow these decluttering tips and tricks to prepare for your big move.

1. Plan to declutter room by room
Preparation is key to ensuring you make the transition as easy as possible. Try not to declutter the whole home in a weekend. Depending on how easily you get distracted, try a cupboard or room at a time. This will help you to stay on track. Starting with downstairs in the kitchen and working up could keep you focused. Group similar items together so you can see if you have double-ups or just too many of the same item.

2. Organise stuff into boxes
Separate items from each storage space into colour-coded or labelled boxes. This will make it easier to unpack your items. Declutter experts at allsortedout.com.au and finerdetails.com.au both recommend organizing items from each room into individual boxes. Find a system that suits your belongings, but just throwing it all into packing boxes the day of the move is not recommended. If you have already decluttered your home or you have called in the professionals to help, you will have the chance to pre-pack and sort before the move has even started.

3. Find a system to suit you
When moving day comes having an organized system makes it easy for the removalists to see where items go, making the process seamless. If you are struggling for the time or patience to arrange your things into boxes, you might want to recruit professional organizers. They can help reorganize each box whilst unpacking to find a way that works for you. They can also make up a colour code legend for the removalists to take with them.

4. Colour code boxes
When packing, sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. The professional organisers can help you stick to a system. Experts at Finer Details suggest a colour code for packing boxes for each room – pink is for all the bathroom items etc. and place the same colour on a door or cupboard to the related room of the new house, for you or the removalists to know where items go. All Sorted Out’s Declutter Experts are also in favour of a boxing system. Prior to moving, a team member goes with you from room to room, to declutter, pre-pack and sort before it leaves the house.

5. Get rid of unwanted, outgrown, unused or broken items
You will be simply moving your mess from your old home to your new home. This will be a waste of space which you can use to put furniture and appliances. Boxes not previously unpacked from other moves need to be dealt with – are they outgrown toys and clothing or photos and memorabilia?

6. Do you need everything you’re hoarding?
Keeping for the sake of keeping might not be a good enough reason to hold onto things. Ask yourself whether you use it and what value the item plays in your life. Does it deserve to take up valuable space in your new home? You might have really enjoyed watching those DVDs, but will you watch them again? Do you wear all of your clothes? Be especially ruthless if you’re downsizing.

7. Can you get cash for unneeded items?
Weigh up the sentimental value with monetary value with your expensive items before you decide to sell treasured items but selling items online or hosting a garage sale that won’t fit your new place will declutter as well as give you some disposable income. You probably won’t realise you had hidden items of any value until you minimize before a move.

8. Manage your trash 
Broken or worn items will not be in a saleable condition. Unwanted items might take up too much space in your waste bin and you can be left with rubbish outside your house. In this case, you might need to arrange a council clean-up. Remember that not all trash needs to be sold or thrown away bags of old clothes can be donated to charity shops. Worn furniture can be donated to care homes or given away for free on social media.

Decluttering is not about getting rid of everything and moving, but about taking only what you need to feel settled into your new surroundings. Being more minimalist will help you to feel at home in no time.

Guest authors:
For this post, we brought in two experts:
Jo Carmichael from All sorted out is a Decluttering specialist that can organise & style your home whether you are moving or staying!
Heather Gibson from Finer Details a Concierge & Lifestyle Organiser that can handle all your pre-moving with trades and service providers.