What Should I Get Rid of Before Making a Move?

How and What to Downsize Before Moving

It is important to take stock of everything you have and absolutely need to take with when you move. Having an accurate accounting of needed kitchen appliances, or clothing you wear everyday, or miscellaneous items that are important to you will help you greatly when determining what you want to keep and what you can get rid of. Also - don't wait to start your decluttering project! Start early in the moving process, and if you need additional storage, Zippy Shell has storage options that can fit your budget and schedule.

Below are 15 things you can start taking a look at to see what should stay and what should go for your upcoming move to make things easier on you and your family!

1) Clothes:
I know for a fact that you don’t wear every single thing that is in your closet, don’t even try to lie to me. Don’t move ANYTHING you don’t need. Clean out your closet and only bring what you like (and actually wear) to your new home.

2) JUNK JUNK JUNK:
Oh, you know what is junk in your home, even if you won’t admit it. Old posters, appliances you never use, books you’ve never read, free promo items, crappy presents you’ve never touched, and so many unmentionables. If you can’t justify a legitimate reason why you need to hold onto something, get rid of it. Junk is junk is junk and it takes up a lot of space.

3) Seeing Double?
This should go without saying, but we won’t judge. If there is anything in your home that you have more than one of (i.e. two blenders), get rid of one. There is no reason you need two, so just do yourself a favor and make your life easier. P.s. this rule doesn’t apply to things that are a pair, like couches.

4) Borrowed Items:
If you borrowed something from your Mom’s house three years ago, GIVE IT BACK. Anything that doesn’t belong to you that is in your house, give it back to its rightful owner. You don’t need it anymore and they might have been missing it.

5) The untouchables:
More like the untouched, if you have items in your home you’ve never used. Get rid of them, ALL OF THEM. You registered for that pasta maker 4 years ago and have never even opened the box. Chances are, you never will. Mamma Mia.

6) Kitchen Utensils:
Oh yeah, we’re talking forks, knives, the whole nine yards. Go through your utensils and get rid of every bent, broken, or ugly piece that you never use. Utensil clutter is crazy common, so don’t feel too much like a hoarder.

7) Vases:
So you get flowers every anniversary, Valentine’s Day, and mother’s day. You have more vases in your house than your local florist from all kinds of arrangements. Well, just because it was free and nice looking- doesn’t mean you need to keep it. Time to sort through and get rid of them. I highly suggest bringing them back to the florist they came from. Recycling is great.

8) Food and Spices:
Most food won’t survive a move. Under no circumstances does that mean you should just throw it out! Donate the food to your local food bank!

9) Paper Goods:
Do you still have all receipts/bills from the last few years tucked away somewhere in your home? Well, now is the time to get rid of them. You don’t need them anymore and they are just taking up space. You don’t want to move all that clutter into your new home anyway. Time to say goodbye!

10) Magazines:
Speaking of paper goods, all those cooking and design magazines you are holding on too. It’s time for them to go. It’s okay to hold onto your favorites, but you don’t need them all. So into the recycling they go!

11) Kids Clothes:
It is just as important to monitor your kid’s clutter just as closely as your own clutter. It might even be more important. Kids grow out of their clothes fast, so every few months you should be going through their clothes and getting rid of what doesn’t fit anymore. Toss out things they don’t need and rejoice at how much less stuff you now have to worry about.

12) Kids Artwork:
We know it is very difficult - you can’t bear to part with all of your child’s artwork. We get it, and you shouldn’t. With that being said, you don’t have to hold onto every single piece of art they have ever created. Let’s be honest - not all of it needs to be saved. Macaroni eventually breaks apart and glitter, no matter how many years its aged, still gets everywhere. It’s okay, I promise. There is nothing wrong with keeping a few mementos, but try to declutter as much as possible in this area!

13) Old Electronics:
Remember that computer you had in the early 90s? In technological terms - all of this stuff is as old as the dinosaurs. Just like the dinosaurs, it’s time for that stuff to go extinct. Get it out of the attic and don’t you dare try and bring that blast from the past to your new house.

14) Medicine:
If you didn’t know, medicine has expiration dates and I bet there is stuff in your medicine cabinet that has long since expired. Go through your collection and get rid of what you don’t need anymore. You’ll feel a lot better after that and you will be saving yourself and even your family from any unwanted and unsafe use of old medicine.

15) Stuffed Animals:
Stuffed animals are great and we all collect them. The sad truth is- we don’t 100 percent need them. If you have an excess of stuffed animals just hanging around your house, it’s in your best interest to get rid of them. Still upset about it? Donate them to a local charity or daycare. That way you know they will still get the love they deserve.

Now that you’ve gotten rid of all the clutter. It’s time to get packing. Zippy Shell can get you the moving and storage solutions you need for a simple move. Just give us a call or get you free moving and storage quote today to see how easy it is to downsize, move, and make your next big life jump with Zippy Shell moving and storage!