How to Declutter Your Home Before a Move

Clutter. We all have it. It hides in a junk drawer, the back of a closet, or under the bed, out of sight and out of mind. On moving day, all that forgotten stuff has a way of catching up with you, and suddenly you are staring at piles of things you did not even remember owning.

Deciding what makes the cut in a hurry is stressful. Taking everything with you just moves the problem to your new home, where you have to find a place for all of it again. The smarter approach is to declutter well before moving day. When you pare down ahead of time, packing and unpacking both get a whole lot simpler, and your fresh start actually feels fresh.

Why Declutter Before You Move?

It is tempting to put this off, but a little effort up front pays off in a big way.

• It makes your move less stressful. The less you own, the less you have to pack and unpack. You will also know exactly what you are bringing and where it is, so you can find what you need quickly once you arrive.
• It saves you time and money. Hauling everything means more hours packing, more boxes and supplies to buy, and a bigger bill if you hire full-service movers. Lighten the load and all of those costs shrink.
• It helps your new place feel like home faster. Nobody wants to dig through box after box hunting for daily essentials. Fewer boxes means you get settled sooner.
• It helps you get organized. Clearing out what you do not use leaves you with only the things you need, plus a little headspace to enjoy the change instead of dreading it.

Even if you are only moving a few streets over, decluttering first is worth it. Whatever you pack will be waiting for you on the other end. Why make life harder by dragging it all along?

A Simple System for Getting Started

Plan Ahead of Time

It is never too early to start. In many ways, the earlier you begin, the easier it is.

• Get rid of anything you do not use or need, whether that is clothes, furniture, appliances, or odds and ends.
• Donate what is still good. Plenty of charities will happily take your items, and many will even pick up larger pieces. Keep your receipts, since many donations are tax deductible.
• Make a plan for each item so you know what is being packed, donated, or tossed. A clear plan keeps things from getting damaged or lost in the shuffle.
• Stay organized. Keep an inventory of what you are packing and make sure there is room for it at the new place. If there is no spot for something, find it a new home now.

Sort Your Belongings Into Three Piles

Not sure where to begin? Organize things into three piles: keep, donate, and toss. When you are torn on an item, ask yourself:

• Do I use this often?
• Does this bring me joy?
• Is this necessary?

If the answer to any of those is no, the item probably belongs in the donate or toss pile. Once you have sorted a space, start packing the keepers right away so you do not second-guess yourself later.

Tackle One Room at a Time

Decluttering a whole house at once is overwhelming. Break it into manageable chunks and work through one room at a time. Start with whatever room is the most cluttered or the one you use the most, and focus on clearing out what is just taking up space.

Room-by-Room Decluttering

Kitchen

Kitchen gadgets and small appliances multiply fast, and it is tempting to keep them all. A few rules of thumb:

• If you have not used it in six months, it can probably go.
• If you use it daily, it stays.
• If it is a once-in-a-while or specialty item, weigh how likely you are to use it in the new place and how much room it will take up.

Keep the size of your new kitchen in mind. If you are downsizing on storage, you may need to part with more than you expect.

Bedroom

Now is the time to go through your wardrobe piece by piece and honestly ask, “Do I really need this?” Anything you have not worn in the past six months is a strong candidate to donate. Clothes in good condition are easy to pass along to a local charity.

If your bedroom holds a lot of different things, declutter one category at a time. Start with clothes, then move to accessories, then books, and so on. It keeps the job from feeling endless.

Bathroom

Begin by tossing anything expired or unused. Like the bedroom, it helps to go category by category: toiletries first, then cleaning supplies, then towels and linens.

One word of caution for packing day. Opened shampoo bottles, soap, and cleaning products can leak in transit. Check with your moving company about the rules for what you can safely pack, since many liquids and chemicals are restricted.

Clearing Out the Fridge and Pantry

Food deserves its own game plan, because it is one of the most commonly mishandled parts of a move. Most professional moving companies will not transport perishable food at all, whether you are moving across town or across the country. That means the goal is to run down your supply, not pack it.

A good habit is to stop grocery shopping a couple of weeks before moving day and eat through what you already have. For a very short move, you can throw some food in a cooler. For longer moves, plan to pack only non-perishables and say goodbye to anything that can spoil. More often than not, a neighbor, friend, or family member will gladly take frozen and refrigerated food off your hands.

Take Inventory

Start by figuring out what you actually have. Go through the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry and write everything down, sorting it into categories like:

• Perishables (anything in the fridge or freezer)
• Canned goods (vegetables, fruit, beans, soups)
• Non-perishables (chips, snacks, cereal, bottled drinks)
• Baking and cooking staples (sugar, flour, and the like)
• Glass bottles (dressings, oil, alcohol)

Jot down the expiration date or shelf life next to each item so you know what needs to go first.

Make a Plan and Eat It Down

With your list in hand, highlight the high-priority perishables you have to use up. Decide which ones you will eat before moving day and which you will donate or toss. Then get creative in the kitchen. Calories do not count when you are planning a move, and using up odds and ends is the perfect excuse to indulge while saving money on takeout.

Loop the whole family in and make the meal planning fun during an otherwise hectic stretch. Flexible, clean-out-the-fridge meals include:

• A pot of chili
• Pasta dishes
• Stir fry
• Chicken and rice
• Soups and casseroles
• Frittatas or breakfast for dinner

Do Not Forget the Top Cupboards

Consider this a public service announcement: check those high, hard-to-reach cupboards where you stash backup flour, sugar, and other dry goods. It is easy to leave perfectly good food behind when you are rushed and have a hundred other things on your mind. Clean those out early to get them off your plate.

Donate, Then Toss the Rest

Do something good with the non-perishables you cannot finish. Local charities, food pantries, and the Utah Food Bank all welcome donations, and the need is real. According to the Utah Food Bank, 1 in 10 Utah kids are unsure where their next meal will come from.

Be honest about the rest. You are not going to finish five pounds of almost-expired yogurt in three days, so accept the loss and toss it. Get rid of anything expired or close to it rather than passing it along, and recycle the glass and cardboard while you are at it.

Pack Snacks and the Last of the Pantry

What is a long moving day without snacks? Bring non-perishable snacks for the road, and if you have little ones, pack a few special treats they do not usually get. A small surprise goes a long way toward smoothing out a stressful transition, so balance the fun stuff with a few healthier options.

When you box up the non-perishables that are coming with you, a few reminders:

• Put canned food in small boxes so they do not get too heavy.
• Never pack frozen food.
• Cushion glass containers well. Sealing them in waterproof bags surrounded by bubble wrap keeps leaks and breaks at bay.
• Label every box, food boxes included, so unpacking is painless.

A Clean Slate Awaits

Moving is a whirlwind of stress, excitement, and exhaustion all at once. Decluttering before you go will not erase that, but it will make every step lighter, from packing the truck to opening boxes in your new kitchen. Take the time now to clear out what you do not need, donate what you can, and run down your fridge and pantry. You will give yourself a genuine fresh start, and isn’t that what a move is for?