One Word - Declutter!
Are you thinking of moving? It's imperative to declutter, both to show your current home in its best light, and to make your move easier - and cheaper! Here are some steps to take to make your move go smoother.
1. Start throwing things out early. As soon as you make the decision to move, start throwing this away. Definitely start at least a month prior to your move. You can to the "3 Group" method to sort through your items. Group One is things you definitely want to toss out. Group Two is things you want to sell - you can sell online or bring items to a consignment shop to save yourself some time. Group Three is things you want to donate. If you spend just half an hour a day you'll get through the task, and you'll feel like you've accomplished something!
2. Consider space. Think about your new home and how much space it has before packing. If you're downsizing, you don't want to move extra items that won't fit or that will clutter your new home. Do you really need to keep all those vases or coffee mugs?
3. The top things to toss. Here are some of the most common items you can almost certainly do without.
- Still boxed: These items never made it out of the boxes: gifts you don't like or won't use, the holiday patterned socks you thought were cute 9 years ago, etc. Someone just might appreciate these things if you sell or donate them.
- Not used: If you haven’t worn or used something in a year, you probably never will again. If it’s in good shape, donate it to charity. If it’s stained or hopelessly out of date, toss it.
- Expired: Food way past its sell-by date and expired or unwanted medication shouldn’t be moved to your new place. Some pharmacies will take back unused medication, and cleaned plastic pill bottles are recyclable. Bag up your pills and take them to your local pharmacy for safe disposal. Don’t pour or flush medicine down the drain, which can contaminate drinking water with chemicals. Toss expired food.
- Old paperwork: If you file your tax returns online and report everything you should, the IRS says you only need to keep returns and documentation for three years after you file. You can toss ATM and bank deposit receipts after a year. Many cities and towns offer free shredding days, or places like Staples will shred for a fee. Keep “forever” documents (e.g., your birth and marriage certificates) in a separate box so you don’t mistakenly throw them away.
- Books and magazines are heavy and bulky to move. If you’ve read them, and don’t think you’ll ever read them again, donate them to a local library - or a "little library." Many senior residences maintain libraries and would love a fresh supply of reading material.
- Extras: Do you have a lot of extra towels, teacups, gift boxes and take out menus? If it hasn’t come in handy in the past year, it won’t come in handy in the future!
4. Get the right packing materials, including boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape and markers. It's also helpful to use different colored markers and post its to mark where boxes go. That will make moving into your new home easier. For instance, all the boxes with orange post-its go in the kitchen. Of course, you'll still want to mark each box with the room and the items packed inside! You also might want to consider using clear plastic bins for smaller items, like office supplies.
Then sit back and take a breather, knowing you'll be ready for the big move!
Categories
Recent Posts
MEET OUR TEAM
Our team of agents are ready to help you reach your real estate goals by making your needs our number one priority. We recognize you have a choice when it comes to working with a real estate professional. Our team of agents looks forward to earning your trust and helping you discover the smarter way to buy or sell a home.
