Although moving is exciting, it can also be stressful. It’s not easy to pack a whole house.

It doesn’t have be this way. It’s possible to make packing easier by declutteringfirst. You will have less stuff to move. You can also start your new life in your new home with a clean slate.

Trust me, you’ll thank yourself for clearing out the clutter after I moved from the US to Australia. These are my top tips for decluttering before you move.

How do you begin decluttering for a move?

I understand that cluttering up can be overwhelming, especially if you’re moving into a new home. Your to-do list is growing by the minute.

Slow down is my best advice before you jump in. Although it might seem counterintuitive if you are eager to do things, planning can save you both time and energy over the long-term.

How do you decide what to keep when moving?

Let’s begin by considering what we should keep while moving. People don’t have a strategy and so instead go through everything one-by-one and make hundreds of decisions about what they want to get rid.

It can be exhausting and often people lose their steam. They give up and throw everything in random cardboard boxes. Do not do this.

Instead, think about how you would like your new home to feel and look. Every move is an opportunity to make a new start, so why not take advantage of it?

This is the best way to go about it. Now imagine that you have hired an interior designer to decorate the space. You will need to give a brief description. Consider the function and style of each room. Write it down.

Once you are done, you will have a clear vision of the new space. You can then use this to make simple rules about what you should keep. If you imagine a welcoming living room with clean lines, coastal vibes, then perhaps your souvenir shot glasses should be kept.

What do you do with the things you’re getting rid of?

Next, I recommend deciding what you will do with the items that have been decluttered. This is crucial because many people get stuck in this area. They obsess over every item (“Should this be sold? You might make some money from it. It might be worth it ?”). This is very time-consuming.

Sit down and make a plan if you don’t want it to happen. Here are some ideas to consider:

Are you pressed for time? It’s difficult to give up something that you paid a lot of money for. But, time is money. It can make your life easier if you are in a time crunch.

How do you sell products? This is what I recommend. It should include how you will sell them, how much time and how many times you will try before you pull the plug.

Here are some ways you can sell your unwanted items.

  • Garage sale – You can sell lots in a short time, but remember that most people are looking for bargains.
  • Facebook Marketplace/other online markets — These are a great way to sell larger items (like furniture) and can be more expensive than a yard sale. However, it takes a lot longer.
  • Consignment shop — These shops will sell your goods, but usually take a large portion of the profit in exchange. These shops only accept items in good condition.

If you don’t intend to sell items, listing things on Facebook Marketplace for free is a great way to quickly get rid of large items. I once got rid of a dining room table that was not needed in just a few hours. You can also ask your family members if they would like to take it or give it to a local thrift shop.

There is no one right or wrong way to dispose of stuff. It is important to make a decision and stick with it.

It’s time to start decluttering

Once you have a clear idea of the things you want to bring to your new home, and you have a plan to dispose of any unwanted items, it is time to begin decluttering.

These are some simple tips to help you.

Get rid of the garbage

Take a few bags of trash and put anything you find in the bin.

Look through your medicine cabinet for any items that have expired (pills or makeup, etc.). Check out this list of household items that are about to expire .

You can also get rid of old magazines, broken items that you don’t plan to fix, and random papers and sheets.

Follow your brief

Keep the copy of your interior decorating exercise that you completed earlier handy so that you can refer to it when decluttering. You might feel stuck on whether to keep or discard something. Ask yourself ” Does it follow the brief?“.

Everything at its best

Another tip is to consider where you will put your belongings in your new home. Take into account the dimensions of your home, how many storage spaces you have, and how much space there is.

If you don’t see exactly the place you want to put it, chances are you’re just adding clutter to your moving truck. It will eventually be dealt with, and you are only increasing your moving costs.

It can be difficult work but it is an opportunity to do more in a shorter time. Don’t double handle your items. Clear them immediately so you can enjoy the benefits that decluttering offers.

Consider your routines

When packing, whether it’s for a long trip or a big move, one thing I do is to go through my day and reflect on my daily activities.

As I pack my bags, I will do a mental walkthrough of the bedtime routines for my children. This ensures that I have everything I need and that it is all in order.

This is a great thing for two reasons. It means I have all the necessary items at my fingertips, so I can make dinner and put the kids to sleep without having to search through a million boxes.

Perhaps more important, this method helps you to declutter by highlighting what is essential. It’s easy to see what you use most often and what you can live without.

Don’t get stuck

Because you are racing the clock, decluttering before a move can be a little different than regular decluttering. It’s better to start earlier than waiting until the last minute. If you are short of time, it is important to not get stuck.

When you find something difficult, such as sentimental items, “stuck” is what happens. All your momentum is gone and you are left wondering what to do. It can be mentally exhausting and difficult to get motivated to clean again.

How can you avoid getting stuck? You can set a timer or use a may pile.

You can set a time limit, such as 5 minutes per item. If you are stuck with an item put it in your perhaps pile to deal with later. This may seem like double-handling, which it is. However, it will help you keep your momentum going even if you are in a rush. Just keep going!

After you have cleared out the room in its entirety, you can return to your “maybe pile”. These will be sentimental items that you keep “just in case”.

You can download a decluttering manual that I have written with detailed instructions on how you should handle these difficult items by subscribing to the below.

Stop buying more clutter

This tip is for everyone who needs it. Stop shopping if you are moving and want to bring new items into your home. First, declutter. Then, take stock of what you own and, if necessary, purchase it at your new home.