Ways to Lighten Your Load Before Moving

When people are in the same place for an extended period of time, they tend to accumulate a lot of items. When looking this collection of stuff, they may realize that they never use these items or have no need for them in current times, but they still hold on to them. This can cause difficulty when trying to move, as you may not have as much space as you think you do. Plus, many long-distance movers charge by weight for shipments, so it literally pays to let go of things!

If you’re unsure of how to start decluttering, here’s a few suggestions: 

Start Early

In order to avoid stress, starting to clean out your home sooner, rather than later, is key. This way, you won’t be stuck with all of your stuff spread out everywhere just a few days before the big move. 

Be sure to have a set moving date and plan around that, especially if using moving services. It’s best to start lightening your load at least a month in advance so you can designate time each week to decluttering. Doing this will allow you to successfully reduce your load as time goes on, instead of working last minute. 

Go Room by Room

People tend to become more stressed if they see a large number of items that they need to sort through at once. Seeing the bigger picture may not be best when decluttering. Instead, going room by room and dividing each area into sections can help relieve stress. 

When you work with a smaller number of items at once, it allows you to pay more attention to the task at hand, rather than getting distracted by all of the work you have cut out for you. 

Follow the Rules of Decluttering

When you’re ready to start decluttering your home, there are a few rules that you should follow. After all, just because you’ve had something for an extended period of time doesn’t mean it has value!

First, don’t keep something that you haven’t used or don’t plan to use again. Sometimes, people have sentimental value associated with items, and that’s okay, but try to be practical. 

To help with this, use the 5 second rule. Pick up an object, and within five seconds tell yourself whether you see yourself using the item again. This time limit will encourage your brain to make the most logical decision. Avoid feeling guilty as well, especially when deciding on a gifted item. For example, if a loved one gave you a piece of jewelry that you’ve never worn—and won’t in the future—it may not be worth keeping. Ultimately, try to be as logical and practical as possible. 

Sort into Piles

One of the best methods of deciding what happens with the items in your home is by sorting them into four piles. Call them ‘Keep,’ ‘Trash,’ ‘Recycle,’ and ‘Donate’. 

In the keep pile, place everything you want to bring with you to your new home. In trash, only put items that are extensively worn, broken, or unworthy of donation. In the recycle pile, assign items like plastic, paper, and other recyclable items. Lastly, in the donate pile, put all items that are in good or decent quality, including clothes, furniture, or appliances, that you wish to donate to charity. 

Using these piles will show you that many of your items won’t go to waste and can continue to be enjoyed by others. 

Need a Moving Service? We Can Help

We all know that moving is a stress-inducing time. It’s important to remember that you’re not alone during your Portland OR move. If you realize that you have too many things to move yourself, or if you’re moving to a far-away location, long-distance movers can help. 

One of the most trustworthy and reliable moving companies, Prestige Moving & Storage, is here for you.