Getting Rid of Unwanted Stuff During a Move – Five Steps
Even if you’re actually upgrading your home with a upcoming move, downsizing your stuff can be a good idea. It’s a great time to tackle this project! Plus, the best Newport Coast movers charge by weight, so this step can save you money. Downsizing on the amount of stuff you have can save you money and time when it comes to taking care of your goods. Plus, it can free your home of clutter! It’s a great way to start life in a new home!
Wondering how to go about this magical process? Here are five steps:
1.Start with your mover
The best Newport Coast moving company may offer services to streamline this process. For instance, some movers will take items to a nonprofit for you, to make donation easier. Not all movers do this. However, if you don’t know about local nonprofits who offer free pickup, you can also ask your mover who might offer this service. If you do opt to have the nonprofit pick up your donations, be sure to schedule this well in advance of moving day.
2. Make a room by room schedule
The best way to tackle a huge project like downsizing all of your household goods is to take it in small steps. For this project, room by room is the best option. Make a schedule ahead of your move, and aim to tackle one or two rooms a week.
You may want to start with the room that will be most difficult for you, or you may want to end with the most difficult room. Some people are exhausted by the end of this process. Others are envigorated and gain momentum for getting rid of even more stuff.
3. Divide things into piles
As you tackle this project, the goal isn’t to get rid of as much stuff as possible. The goal is to whittle down your collection of clothes, personal items, household goods, decorations, sentimental things, etc. to items that are truly meaningful, useful, or helpful to you in some way.
With this in mind, begin the process with the three pile method. Sort items on instinct into three piles – one for keeping, one for getting rid of, and one for undecided. The undecided pile will likely be the largest, and you’ll have to go back through it to ultimately decide whether to keep or toss the items in that pile.
4. Take some time
When you sort back through the “maybe” pile, you’ll need to take your time. This is full of items that may or may not actually enhance your life. It’s tough to make these calls! The best way to decide, ultimately, is to ask yourself a few questions about the items in the pile. Ask yourself when the last time you used or wore each item was. Ask yourself if this item really enhances your life, or if you could live without it. And ask yourself if you can picture this item in your life and in your new home.
These are deep questions when we’re just talking about hosting a garage sale or donating some stuff to charity. But giving this process time will ensure that you’re ultimately happy with the choices that you make. Remember, the goal isn’t just to get rid of as many items as possible, but to wind up with a home full of things you regularly use and really love.
5. Keep it going
Even after the best Newport Coast movers have settled you into your new home, you’ll want to keep this process going. You may decide to donate even more items when you unpack in your new home. At minimum you may want to pursue a stasis with the level of “stuff” you have in your new home.
Make a rule that when you buy something new, you have to get rid of something else. This makes you a more thoughtful consumer, which makes it less likely that you’ll wind up overwhelmed with stuff you’ll never use again.
Even the best Newport Coast movers won’t be much help in this process. But going through this process can make your move cheaper, and more streamlined. And it’ll make your new home less prone to clutter, which is a great way to begin.