Decluttering for a move is a great opportunity to clean up and simplify your life for an easier move as well as being able to earn some extra money. It might seem like a mammoth task, but you can save on time and money in ways that might surprise you. Firstly, you will save on cost and effort moving things you actually don’t need or want, and secondly, you can benefit from a bit of income.
Create an Inventory and Action Plan
The best approach to declutter before moving is to start with creating an inventory and action plan. By making an inventory, you can go through all your belongings and decide what goes with you and what you no longer need. Going through your cupboards, you will probably stumble on items of clothing that you haven’t used in years, and now is a good time to let go.
Your action plan should list how to get rid of stuff before moving. You can create different categories of what must be packed, sold, donated, or discarded, depending on the condition of the items.
How To Get Rid Of Clutter Before Moving
Once you’ve established what’s going and what isn’t, you can start planning how to get rid of clutter before moving. For items in a reasonable condition that you no longer need, you can put aside for selling and there are many ways to go about this.
Selling Online
Websites such as Craigslist, Amazon, or eBay are popular sites for selling second-hand goods. Get the items cleaned up and take a good quality photograph of each one that will be used in your online advert. Be descriptive and honest when describing their condition and be fair in the price you ask for. Expect that people might want to come and view before purchasing, in which case, always have another person with you to ensure personal safety.
Garage Sale
The old, traditional way of selling is just as effective when doing a moving purge. You can get all your things together in one place and advertise your sale in the local paper or on social media. Add price tags to every item and again, have another person around for safety.
Second-hand Stores
Another method of earning a bit of cash is through second-hand stores. You may want to consider this with things you couldn’t sell otherwise as these shops may not give you a good price and may only pay you once they manage to sell the items.
Benefits of Donating
If you have belongings that have little value, are not in a great condition, or are broken, you can decide whether to donate or discard. Donating to a tax-certified charity brings the added advantage of being able to claim a tax deduction when submitting your tax return.
When you declutter while moving, you will find it’s a liberating and beneficial experience to get rid of stuff that takes up unnecessary space in your life and cupboards.