Moving to a new home is exciting, but how will you ever manage the task? There are plenty of things around the house that don’t need to make it to the new place. Now is a wonderful time to get rid of the clutter and make it easier to organize your new home. Here are several tips from the best moving companies in Portland that you can begin using today.
1. Get Prepared
Before tackling any area of the house, make sure you have the proper supplies on hand. Large but manageable boxes are a must. You want them on hand to sort belongings into three categories: things to keep, things to donate, and things to toss. Remember to keep a shredder on hand to properly dispose of papers you no longer need. Don’t forget a pair of gloves for the hands and something cool to drink while you work. It wouldn’t hurt to have a little music to play while you work.
2. Take It One Room or Space at a Time
Decluttering the house seems overwhelming because you are thinking of dealing with the entire home at one time. This type of task should be broken into a series of projects instead. Doing so will help you feel less overwhelmed.
Start with a space you rarely enter, like the basement or the attic. If you live in an apartment, begin with a storage closet that is hardly ever used. That space will be your focus for now. Sort through each item and decide if it stays or goes. Remember to be brutal. If it’s not been used in the last two years, you don’t need it.
3. Get Rid of Extra Small Kitchen Appliances
How many blenders do you own? Is there more than one hand mixer in the cabinet? Since all you need is one of each appliance, the rest can be donated or given to someone. Remember to test each appliance first to ensure they work. If not, that means they can be junked.
Along with getting rid of the duplicates, this is a good time to pass on any appliances you never used. If you received a toaster oven as a gift five years ago and it’s still in the box, it needs to go.
4. Tackle Your Clothes Closets
Clothes accumulate quickly, and it’s easy to lose track of what you own. Go through each clothes closet and remove anything you have not worn in the last two years. What should be left is the apparel you enjoy wearing and nothing more.
5. Say Goodbye to Books
You have shelves full of books that haven’t been touched in years. It’s true that you read all of them, and some will be nice to read again. Take the opportunity to set a limit on the number of books you will keep and pack them for the move now. You’ll be surprised at what a difference it makes when you go from over a thousand books to taking no more than a hundred with you.
6. Pare Down Furnishings and Artwork
If you have furniture that won’t fit easily in the new space, now is the time to sell, donate, or give those pieces away. The same is true with artwork. Anything that won’t fit easily in the new place should go now.
There are other areas where you can begin to declutter now and save a lot of packing time later. Start with these tips and apply them to other parts of the house. When you are at the new place and beginning to unpack, all your efforts to declutter will be worth it.
