
Finally, springtime is on the horizon and we can almost imagine skipping through daffodil strewn meadows.
Leaving that thought aside, when was the last time you decluttered your home?
Moving homes is a daunting enough task as it is, so save yourself the headache on moving day by only taking the things you need. Follow these 11 spring cleaning tips to make your move less overwhelming and clear out the junk and cobwebs.
1. Start the process as soon as possible
Give yourself time to go through absolutely everything you own. Right now, everything is tightly packed away in closets and drawers. But once the decluttering process starts, it will feel like your belongings have multiplied.
It’s hard to get motivated to declutter. The whole process can seem overwhelming, unless you love this kind of thing. But remember, you’re doing this for a reason.
Decluttering will
- Make packing much more manageable.
- Make your home look more beautiful (and much larger) when you’re trying to sell it. Just think of how great those marketing photos will be!
- Help you save money on your move. The less you have, the less you will pay for a van and movers.
2. Make a Plan
Make a plan to declutter every item in your home. Always start clearing out the things you use the least. It will be much easier to start with items you don’t regularly use. Do you have old shoes that don’t fit anymore? CDs that haven’t been played in over a decade? Start with those. It’ll help you get your feet wet before you move on to items that may have more value to you.
A plan is 100% necessary if you’re a procrastinator. Start by making a schedule. If you know you want to have, your space decluttered in three months, make sure you have smaller deadlines along the way.
For example:
- Week 1: Books & CDs
- Week 2: Cleaning supplies
- Week 3: Guest room
and so on…
3. Consider the needs of your new home.
Are you moving to a home with more space or less? For example, if you’re gaining a bedroom, it wouldn’t be wise to throw away your extra mattress. But, if you are losing closet space, it may be an excellent time to clean out your clothes.
Also, try to keep in mind the layout of your new space. This way, you’ll be sure that everything you’re bringing will fit perfectly on moving day!
4. Stop buying; use what you have
Do you have 32 cans of beans in your kitchen? Then it might be best to eat beans on toast for the next few months. While that’s not necessary (or recommended), it illustrates the idea of getting rid of stuff ahead of time. Everything you purchase is something else that you will have to move eventually. Use what you have before going out and buying new items.
Also, remember to check expiration dates, so you don’t move things you can’t eat!
5. Does it spark joy?
Your laundry soap might not spark joy, but clean clothes probably do. Make sure everything you keep is either something you love, something useful (that you have used in the past 18 months), or something sentimental.
If you pick something up and it doesn’t immediately fit into one of these categories, it is probably time to part with it.
6. Try purging items by category
This can be difficult if you live in a large home, but it will help the decluttering process. For example, if you have decorative candles throughout your home, you may not know that you own over 45 different candles. It would be hard to declutter those objects without knowing how many you have, and it would be hard to decide which ones you prefer if they were scattered throughout the home.
7. Create a designated “spring cleaning” area
Instead of uprooting your entire house, make one area dedicated to the decluttering process. Keep three boxes or piles in this area: keep, bin, and donate.
If you keep these to one area, you will also leave piles overnight. This way, if you change your mind about an object after a good night’s rest, you can quickly come back to it.
8. Arrange donation pick-ups
Arranging for a donation pick-up saves you time and energy when it’s time to move. It also provides a deadline for you to complete your spring clean.
9. Sentimental items
This is the most challenging part of a spring clean. Make sure you don’t try and conquer this category first. Get a few easy choices under your belt before moving on to this.
If there are a lot of sentimental items throughout your home, make a third pile in your designated “spring cleaning” area for these items. This way, you can leave them aside to declutter later.
It’s important to remember that you don’t “have” to get rid of anything. If the item brings you joy, keep it.
10. One last check
As you pack the belongings you decided to keep, double-check to make sure you made the right choice. These are your belongings, and if you later decide you want to keep something from the toss pile or get rid of something in the keep pile, know you can.
11. Make an essentials box
Although this isn’t a decluttering tip, it will be essential as you start packing your items.
Create one box for everything you will need during your first few days in your new space. This could include a hammer, scissors, toilet paper, etc. Put anything you might need in this box to ensure there is one thing less to think about as you move homes.
Whether you decide to do a big spring clean before your move or keep everything you own, we’ll be here to help you move when you’re ready.
When you’re ready for our packing and removal service, get in touch. We’d love to chat through your options.