October 25, 2022 / by FMP
Filed Under: Uncategorized
Things to purge during a move! Moving houses is a chance to start fresh, purge your life of clutter, and embrace a new, minimal lifestyle. Getting rid of unnecessary stuff is no walk in the park, especially if you have the whole house to pack and move. What do you need to take with you? What should you leave behind? How will everything fit in the truck?
If you want to manage your moving clutter strategically and take only the things you’ll need, we hear you. Today, we’re here with the list of items to get rid of during a move so you know how to make space for the needed stuff. So, let’s get to work and purge the endless items you’ve gathered in the house over time!
Sentimental Items
We all have them—those sentimental items that we can’t bear to part with, even though we know we’ll never use them again. If you’re struggling to let go of sentimental items, ask yourself: will keeping this item make me happy? If the answer is no, it’s time to let it go. Examples of sentimental items you can leave behind while moving include:
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Old school books and projects
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Old letters and cards
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Photo albums
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Childhood toys
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Baby clothes
Now, from sentimental items, we don’t mean tossing everything that’s old. Instead, it’s about carefully sorting through those cardboard boxes and caddies to see which items you absolutely cannot let go of. Set them aside, and clear the clutter to move in a minimal way.
Purge The Clothes You Don’t Wear During a Move
Do a quick inventory of your closet. How many items in there do you wear? Chances are, it’s a small percentage. Most of us hang on to clothes we don’t wear because we think we might wear them again “someday.” But most probably, you’ll never wear that dress from 10 years ago again. So why keep it? Go through your closet and remove anything you haven’t worn in the last year. This includes clothes that are too big or too small for you—you’re never going to fit into that size 2 dress again, so get rid of this clutter and enjoy your minimal closet.
Outdated Electronics
Got an old tube TV collecting dust in the basement? Time to get rid of it! Technology moves so quickly that electronics become outdated within just a few years. If you’ve got any electronics that are more than 5 years old, they take up valuable space that you could better use for something else. So, before you move, go through your house and get rid of outdated electronics. Examples include:
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Tube TVs
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VHS players
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Landline phones
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First generation iPods
Keeping your range of accessories clean gets easier when you go through all cupboards/cabinets days in advance. This way, you’ll know exactly how much moving clutter you have to deal with and devise a smart moving plan more easily. Here is a recent blog we published called, Can Landfill Waste Be Recycled? Please use the tips in the blog to help you with old electronics that begin to pile up, so you can purge them during your move.
Ragged Bath Mats, Towels, and Rugs
If your bath mats, towels, and rugs look a little worse for wear, it might be time to get rid of them. Check for rips, tears, or fraying and donate any that are still in good condition to a local charity. Also, since these items are heavily used in the house, it’s quite unsanitary to stick to them during a move. Sometimes it’s better to start with fresh everyday supplies and save yourself a bit of moving hassle. But if your mats and towels are clean or hardly used, no need to purge these during a move.
Purge Old Holiday Decor During A Move
Do you need that dusty old box of holiday decor that you never use? If it’s taking up valuable space in your home, it’s time to say goodbye. Sell or donate anything that’s still in good condition and toss the rest, so you don’t have to pack a whole lot of things. You can always make/purchase new decor items, so burdening your moving process with unneeded stuff is not smart. Just go ahead and purge before you move.
Kitchen Supplies
When will you use those extra pots and pans or the Tupperware containers with the missing lids? If you’re confused about the answer, go through your kitchen supplies and donate anything you don’t use regularly. Your kitchen will likely have clutter in the form of extra spices, half-used items, scratched utensils, and several mugs. If so, this is the time to adopt a minimal lifestyle and make your moving process easier, just purge these things during a move.
Purge Expired Food
Expired food is most likely taking up valuable space in your pantry or fridge. If you have a deep shelf pantry, do a detailed inventory check to shortlist the expired food items. Even if you don’t have any expired things in the pantry, you’ll know which items must be used ASAP. Toss anything past its expiration date and donate non-perishable food items to a local food bank. Do you hate to toss expired foods? We understand. There is a great channel on YouTube called Alaska Granny, she teaches you how to prep for emergencies and disasters, how to rotate the food items you prep and store. She also teaches what to do when your food expires! We have no affiliation with her, but we love her courageous channel. It’s not easy to live in rural Alaska, congrats to her!
Duplicate Items During A Move
Do you have two identical coffee mugs or three sets of sheets? You’ll probably never get the chance to use both of them, so it’s better to lessen your moving clutter instead of clinging on to everything. Carefully check your linen closet, range of cleaning supplies, and other miscellaneous storage drawers to know if you have duplicate items. If that’s the case, keep the better-quality ones and toss or donate the others.
Purge Toys Your Kids Have Outgrown
Kids grow up fast! If your kids have outgrown their toys, donate them to a local daycare center or children’s hospital. Sure these items have sentimental value, and you’ll like to keep them while moving, but if you feel it’s not worth the extra effort, no sweat. Donating toys and fun accessories is a good deed you must indulge in. Also, your kids’ old school books, notebooks, diaries, etc. will result in unnecessary clutter, these are things to purge during a move. So, it’s better to sift through everything and keep only the essentials while moving.
Rounding Up
Moving means you have to purge clutter from your home, pack everything, and take your belongings to a new place. But getting rid of all your stuff can be daunting, especially if you’re attached to sentimental items. We hope this guide has given you tips on what you can get rid of before your next big move, including sentimental items, clothes you don’t wear, and outdated electronics. By decluttering your life before a move, you’ll make the moving process easier and be able to start fresh in your new home. Need more help with clutter in your new place? Read our blog titled, Top 5 YouTubers To Help You Organize! You can’t go wrong with help like that.
