4 Surefire Ways to Manage Clutter During Relocation

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Relocation can be immensely challenging, whether you’re shifting to the neighborhood across yours or interstate. It’s an exciting process for sure, and you get the opportunity to start afresh in a new house, in a new town, all over again. However, it can simultaneously be an incredibly stressful period if you aren’t ready. House relocation comes with a range of responsibilities and tasks. If you can’t do these well, you’re likely to be incredibly confused, with your house turning into a mess. 

Dealing with clutter can be one of the most pressing issues during this period. As you start going through each room, you’ll notice the sheer amount of things you have but don’t use. These may include furniture, clothes, and various small trinkets, which can occupy a lot of space. When you’re packing, dealing with this unnecessary clutter can be pretty annoying. If you’re looking for better ways to deal with the mess than tossing everything in the trash, keep reading below. 

#1. Use a storage unit 

Most of the time, the clutter you encounter isn’t entirely useless. It might be things you don’t need immediately, but you might need them at a later date. You might need to get them repaired or make space for them at your new house. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t need to sort through this clutter either. Without making room for these belongings, they can end up clogging your home and making it hard for you to pack. 

Renting a storage unit is a viable way to deal with this clutter while you relocate. Storage units are cost-effective, convenient options to store items you don’t immediately need. You can get storage units in various sizes and locations depending on your needs and store anything there. You can keep old clothes, furniture, crockery, books, and just about anything that you need out of the way as you move out. Renting storage can thus make it easy to clear out your home and settle into the new one without congesting the area. 

#2. Start early and create an inventory

Homeowners often make the grave mistake of waiting until moving day is looming nearby before starting to pack and deal with clutter. However, the later you start, the less opportunity you’ll have to deal with piling stuff proactively. Furthermore, you’ll have a much more haphazard packing experience, and you won’t be able to sort through your belongings in an organized manner. Instead, have a timeline of two months minimum and start with a checklist. 

An efficient way to declutter is to go through each room one at a time. This way, you can create an inventory of clutter that you need to throw away and clutter you to store for each room. Logging all of the stuff you find can make it easy to reduce the chances of packing the clutter with the rest of your belongings. Once you’ve gone through each room and cupboard, you’ll have much more space to plan and remove the clutter accordingly. 

#3. Host a yard sale or donate 

Once you’ve put together an inventory of all the clutter you have, divide it into what you need and what you can toss away. You’ll have a fair bunch of things you need to throw out, such as expired pantry items, makeup, and the like. Nonetheless, there will also be plenty of products you can either donate or sell. Unutilized crockery and cutlery, furniture, décor, sheets, and clothes still in a wearable condition are all perfect for selling or donating. 

If you want to sell the items, you can host a yard sale and invite neighbors. However, if you choose to donate, various shelters are always in dire need of household goods. Bedsheets, pillows, toys, and clothes can help immensely at homeless shelters and even animal rescue centers. With winter coming around, even small donations can be just as helpful as financial help. These items can help the lesser privileged stay warm and comfortable in the colder months. Before donating, ensure that all the things are clean and functional. Getting any laundry dry-cleaned can make it much more presentable before you give it away. 

#4. Toss away anything replaceable 

Moving into a new home is all about a fresh start, and you can’t do so unless you’re carrying around literal unnecessary baggage. When you’re going through your belongings, you’ll encounter many items that make you pause and think twice. There are several reasons you might debate whether something is worth throwing out. You might have an emotional attachment to some items, or they may have been around for so long that you feel you shouldn’t throw them away. 

An easy way to test whether you can throw away the item or not is by checking whether they’re replaceable or not. If you wouldn’t buy them now, or if they’ve been sitting unused for a while, it’s better to put them with the rest of the clutter. Similarly, if you have other products that can do the same job or buy products that can do the same task better, you can toss it away. Getting rid of all these unnecessary items can make your move much more stress-free. 

Conclusion 

Managing clutter is easily the most challenging part of the relocation process. However, you can efficiently deal with the items you don’t need and ensure they’re put up to better use with these tips. Storage units can help you store things you don’t immediately need. At the same time, you can donate other items that you aren’t likely going to use. With all the clutter and mess out of the way, you can have a much easier time setting up the new home.