The last days of December are made for a fresh start. The gifts are unwrapped, work is quiet and the new year is right there. It is also the best time of the year to declutter, especially if a move is coming in the new year.
Here is why it matters, and a simple plan to do it without losing a whole weekend.
Why decluttering saves you money
Movers who charge by the hour charge for time, and every box and piece of furniture takes time to pack, carry, load, unload and unpack. The old treadmill, the broken recliner and the boxes you never opened after your last move all cost you money to move again.
Ask yourself one question
Would I pay to move this? If the answer is no, it should not get on the truck.
The four-pile method
- Keep: you use it, love it and have room for it in the new place.
- Donate: it is in good shape, but it no longer fits your life.
- Sell: furniture and electronics worth the effort of listing them.
- Haul away: broken, worn out or not worth selling.
Set a deadline for the "sell" pile. Anything not sold in two weeks moves to "donate."
Where to start
Start with the places where clutter hides, not the rooms you care most about. You will build momentum fast:
Easy wins
- The garage and the shed
- Closets: anything not worn in a year
- Kitchen gadgets and duplicate pans
- Old paperwork (shred what you don't need)
- Kids' outgrown toys and clothes
- Holiday decorations you didn't put up
Handle the tricky items
- Paint, chemicals and batteries can't go in the regular trash and movers usually can't transport them. Check your county's household hazardous waste drop-off program.
- Old electronics often have their own recycling drop-off through the county too.
- Mattresses and large furniture are hard to get rid of on your own. That is where junk removal helps.
- Sentimental items: keep the best one or two, take photos of the rest and let them go.
Let the haul-away happen in one trip
The hardest part of decluttering is often the last step: the pile in the garage that sits there for months. Our junk removal service hauls away furniture, appliances and debris in one visit, so the space is clear the same day.
Moving soon? Clear things out before you get a moving quote. A lighter move is a faster move, and a faster move keeps your hourly cost down.
Start the new year lighter
Planning a move too? Book junk removal and your move at the same time, scheduled for different days, so the extra stuff is gone before moving day. Our 2-mover moving crew is $129/hr with no travel fee. Request a free quote and tell us what needs to go.
Frequently asked questions
Should I declutter before or after moving?
Before. Movers who charge by the hour charge for the time it takes to pack, carry and load everything, so every item you get rid of first makes the move faster and cheaper.
What can't movers take?
Movers usually can't transport flammable or hazardous items like paint, gasoline, propane, chemicals and some batteries. Use them up or take them to your county's household hazardous waste drop-off.