Decluttering before you move
Decluttering before you move house
It’s a well-researched fact that moving homes is one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. Anxiety can creep in just thinking about how to pack up all your belongings and where it will fit in your new home.
When the move is to another country, there is the added stress of making sure that only the absolute essentials go with you to the new home. To save yourself both time and money on what you choose to take with you, it’s advised that you have a plan of action to work through your belongings that doesn’t overwhelm you.
When packing up your home, start by decluttering all your belongings before you move, so that you move to your new home with only those items that you need and love. The decluttering process is a wonderful form of self-care, which is also important during a time of starting over and embracing a big change.
Decluttering can be overwhelming, but will make a world of difference to your house move. In doing so, you will not be wasting money on moving items you do not want or need. You will save time unpacking as you will have less to unpack, and will be not wasting time making decisions about what to keep or not (especially when you are already tired and stressed from the move).
Six steps to packing up your home after decluttering
If you know what your new home will look like, think about the zones you want to create in that home and pack with that in mind. Try to see the space for its full potential.
It is helpful to discuss the layout with friends and family, or even better, a professional organizer. They can ensure all spaces are used to their potential.
Here are some steps to take when packing:
Pack with zones in mind
By categorizing and sorting your things into specific areas of a room, you're halving the time spent unpacking, because these items belong together. For example, zones in a living room could be: sentimental items, home office, dining area, living area.
Use colour
Colour code and label boxes with rooms, zones and items so it is easy to unpack in your new home. If each room is assigned a colour, this guides you and your movers as to what goes where, making it easy to move into your new house.
Pack your least used items first
It’s likely that you’ll want to start packing a few weeks before you move, so this is a good one to keep in mind. You don’t want to have to re-open boxes to find things you still make use of. Keep an area aside for items that will be packed last so that these are accessible until the very last day.
Pack items within furniture items
If you are keeping items such as dressers, night stands or furniture with drawers - these can be taped closed with belongings inside. Not only do your items remain safe in the drawers while travelling, you’re also saving space and money.
Use hangers
If you like using hangers, you can leave your clothes on their hangers and box/bag them straight away, so they can be hung up quickly in your new home. This is another great time saver, and allows you to zone the clothes you pack too (hanging items, shelving items, etc).
Pack smart to save space
Use larger items to store the smaller items, as this will save space and reduce the amount of boxes used. For example, smaller kitchen items can go inside pots, and the pot then goes into your box. Keep this in mind as you zone the areas in your home for inspiration of what items can be grouped together or within each other.
To alleviate some of your stress, work through these steps and to take advantage of my resources that guide you through this process. Your next move doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think, and it all starts with having an approach you can work through step by step.
Decluttering before you move house
It’s a well-researched fact that moving homes is one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. Anxiety can creep in just thinking about how to pack up all your belongings and where it will fit in your new home.
When the move is to another country, there is the added stress of making sure that only the absolute essentials go with you to the new home. To save yourself both time and money on what you choose to take with you, it’s advised that you have a plan of action to work through your belongings that doesn’t overwhelm you.
When packing up your home, start by decluttering all your belongings before you move, so that you move to your new home with only those items that you need and love. The decluttering process is a wonderful form of self-care, which is also important during a time of starting over and embracing a big change.
Decluttering can be overwhelming, but will make a world of difference to your house move. In doing so, you will not be wasting money on moving items you do not want or need. You will save time unpacking as you will have less to unpack, and will be not wasting time making decisions about what to keep or not (especially when you are already tired and stressed from the move).
Six steps to packing up your home after decluttering
If you know what your new home will look like, think about the zones you want to create in that home and pack with that in mind. Try to see the space for its full potential.
It is helpful to discuss the layout with friends and family, or even better, a professional organizer. They can ensure all spaces are used to their potential.
Here are some steps to take when packing:
Pack with zones in mind
By categorizing and sorting your things into specific areas of a room, you're halving the time spent unpacking, because these items belong together. For example, zones in a living room could be: sentimental items, home office, dining area, living area.
Use colour
Colour code and label boxes with rooms, zones and items so it is easy to unpack in your new home. If each room is assigned a colour, this guides you and your movers as to what goes where, making it easy to move into your new house.
Pack your least used items first
It’s likely that you’ll want to start packing a few weeks before you move, so this is a good one to keep in mind. You don’t want to have to re-open boxes to find things you still make use of. Keep an area aside for items that will be packed last so that these are accessible until the very last day.
Pack items within furniture items
If you are keeping items such as dressers, night stands or furniture with drawers - these can be taped closed with belongings inside. Not only do your items remain safe in the drawers while travelling, you’re also saving space and money.
Use hangers
If you like using hangers, you can leave your clothes on their hangers and box/bag them straight away, so they can be hung up quickly in your new home. This is another great time saver, and allows you to zone the clothes you pack too (hanging items, shelving items, etc).
Pack smart to save space
Use larger items to store the smaller items, as this will save space and reduce the amount of boxes used. For example, smaller kitchen items can go inside pots, and the pot then goes into your box. Keep this in mind as you zone the areas in your home for inspiration of what items can be grouped together or within each other.
To alleviate some of your stress, work through these steps and to take advantage of my resources that guide you through this process. Your next move doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think, and it all starts with having an approach you can work through step by step.
