February 26th, 2024

How To Declutter Before Moving House

Moving home is one of the most stressful events in life, but there are ways to make the selling, buying and packing process a lot easier for yourself, starting with having a good declutter. 

When to start decluttering

If you really want to make an impact on the amount of belongings you have, it is a good idea to start getting rid of stuff even before you put your home on the market. 

This will give you a sense of how much space you will need in your next property, as you may not require as much storage as you currently have or you could use the extra space as an additional bedroom or hobby area. 

For instance, parents whose children have grown out of large plastic toys like ride-on diggers or play kitchens will be able to free up lots of room in their next residence. 

Another advantage of decluttering before selling your home is it makes your house look far more spacious, and therefore, makes it more appealing to prospective buyers. 

Removing items from window sills and worktops gives the illusion of more space, while at the same time viewers will not be worrying about storage as it’ll look as though there are plenty of cupboards and drawers to hide everyday belongings.

If you haven’t managed to declutter before selling your house, it is certainly worth doing so before you start packing for the move. That way you will have to put fewer items in the removal van and will not need to unpack as many things when you arrive in your new home. 

One room at a time

It can feel very overwhelming knowing you have to sort out everything in your house, which is why it is worth doing it one room at a time. 

When going through everything, divide them into five piles - things to keep, throw away, recycle, donate and sell. 

Choosing what to get rid of can be difficult, so it is important to ask whether you actually need an item or if you’re holding on to it for sentimental value. 

Lifestyle expert Catharina Bjorkman told Country Living: “If you’re struggling to decide what items should stay or go, think about whether they bring you joy or conjure up a happy memory. If the answer is no, then it needs to go.”

Clothes, toys, games and appliances that have been outgrown or discarded can be gotten rid of, as they are unlikely to be used in the new house if they haven’t been touched in months, or even years. 

Anything that hasn’t made the cut can either be sold, taken to the tip, recycled or donated. You could make some extra cash by selling items you no longer use, such as posting clothes on Vinted or toys on Facebook Marketplace, which could create an incentive for the family to get involved in decluttering. 

Alternatively, you could give some of the children’s belongings they no longer use to friends’ kids or charity, or advertise them for free on social media to anyone who could benefit from them. This will make you feel as though you are helping out other families by sorting through your own things. 

Once you have made progress with getting rid of items, you will feel a lot better about the move, knowing that everything you unpack will have a worthwhile place in your new home.