Decluttering Before (and Even After) You Move Matters
Hey there!
The year of 2021 seemed to have a lot of people moving to new homes, including myself! As I was going through the moving process myself, I realized that decluttering was a HUGE help in the moving process. Guy Fuchs from Oz Moving & Storage, a Connecticut moving company with over three decades of experience in the moving industry, explains in more detail about why this process is so important when moving.
Decluttering Before (and Even After) You Move Matters
By Guy Fuchs
Clutter is not only a nuisance but also a genuine issue that can affect both mind and body. And it’s especially a problem during a major life change, such as moving. In fact, some of the most prominent movers in Connecticut will tell you that you’ll need to declutter before planning a move. After all, it makes both their and your job easier.
But there are plenty of other benefits to decluttering. In this article, you’ll find out why exactly you need to get rid of all those extra items in your home. However, you’ll also learn why it’s important to declutter after the move is done.
Why Declutter Before the Move?
Cost Reduction
Typically, the cost of moving in Connecticut, whether you moved from a different state or are simply going to another town or city, can range between $500 and $5000. And that’s just the estimated average. Your cost will definitely go up the more stuff you have with you to carry. Furthermore, you will need additional boxes and other packing material, which adds up to all of the expenses. Not to mention that the moving company will charge by the kilogram (or pound), so the more weight you carry with you, the more you’ll have to pay.
By decluttering, you’re getting rid of that ‘dead weight’. Not only are there fewer things to transport to your new place, but you also end up saving money for any additional expenses. Moving is a powerful financial burden, and you will need every dollar you can spare.
Keep Track Of Everything
It’s impossible to know just how many items an average modern homeowner has. One number that is thrown around often is 300,000. And while that seems like an exaggerated statistic, even the thirtieth part of that amount is impressive. Your 10,000 items will definitely require more than a few moving trucks, and that all adds up to extra costs. But more importantly, you can’t exactly know what you lost in the move, just because of the sheer number of items you own. So, by decluttering, you make your move a lot more manageable. You can actually double-check all of the items you have with you without getting lost in the count.
Earning A Little Extra
Nearly everyone who moves decides to donate a huge chunk of their belongings to charity. Organizations like the Salvation Army and Goodwill take everything from old clothing items to large furniture and distribute them to the needy. You can greatly help a family out by donating your excess stuff.
However, if you have items that you can’t donate or that have a decent value on the open market, why not sell them off? Nowadays, websites like eBay, craigslist, BetterWorldBooks, and Decluttr can help you resell some of the items you don’t need or can’t take with you to your new home in Connecticut. But make sure to do that more than a few months before moving. Otherwise, dealing with sales on top of handling the move will become incredibly stressful. In addition, by selling these things in advance, you’ll earn additional funds which you can spend on the move itself.
Saving Your Health
It might be a drag to some people, but cleaning is incredibly vital to our daily lives. By not cleaning regularly, we allow dust, dirt, grime, and debris to pile up. In addition, mold and mildew can grow in critical areas around the house, and you can’t exactly get rid of that smell. Naturally, moldy and mildewy walls are the last thing you want if you’re trying to sell your home while moving.
The biggest issue with dust and dirt accumulation is that you can suffer from a whole host of health problems. So, by decluttering your home, you actually get rid of many harmful elements through cleaning. That way, you can pack up without having to worry about allergies, coughs, colds, and other potential health risks.
Breathing Room
Decluttering your home leaves you with everything you need to start a new life. So, when you strip down the perishables (food, drinks, pet food, etc.) the trash, the items you intend to donate, the stuff you decide to sell, and the things you want to give away, take a moment and look around. Bask in your newfound space. You will need that feeling after all that hard decluttering work. It will be your psychological boost for the far harder task of actually moving to a new home.
Closure
By removing all of the extra items that you don’t need, you leave your home as intended. In other words, you leave it surrounded by the nearest and dearest items that have sentimental value to you. And more importantly, the home will be clean for the next occupant. You will be moving on without any lingering negative thoughts, and you’ll start your new life fresh and burden-free.
Are There Benefits to Decluttering After the Move?
Interestingly enough, you can also do some decluttering after you move. In fact, this second round of decluttering is just as important as the first one because here, you will entirely focus on the essentials. It will be much harder to give away some of your remaining items but much more rewarding in the long run.
One way to declutter your new home is to give away all of the items you don’t need to a local charity. That way, you will leave an excellent first impression on your new neighbors. The next step can be a small garage sale or even a small social event with a giveaway included. That will help you get to know the neighborhood and even make a few friends early on. In addition, you can earn a bit of money and start your new life off with a bang.
Finally, that declutter after the move can help you ‘cleanse’ yourself, in a sense. After all, you’ve just finished going through a huge change, and making everything clean and clutter-free will be your final triumph. You’ll spend your first few days in your home a relaxed, energized resident, and you’ll love every second of it.
Decluttering During the Move: Final Thoughts
Going through a move, even a minor one, is never easy. That’s why, to some, decluttering can feel like an extra chore that they simply don’t have time for. However, if you go through it right before the move and you do it right, the rest of the process will go far more smoothly than it would if you kept all that clutter in your home.