You’re planning to move, but you understand that not everything under your roof can and should move with you. As much as you think you’ll restore that classic car in the garage, you probably won’t. Therefore getting rid of it and a bunch of other stuff is a smart idea. Here’s how to declutter your home the right way and to keep your sanity in the process.
Start With the Obvious: So, what should you start with first? That would be the obvious things or what are at least obvious to you. The unfinished project in your basement or garage is one thing. Broken tools on your work bench are other items. Anything clogging your shed that hasn’t been used in the past year or two should also be discarded.
But keep in mind that your “obvious” items may not be so to your spouse. Your wife may agree that your basement be decluttered, but she may take exception with you throwing out her prized collection of unfinished tapestries. Remember this mantra: happy wife, happy life.
Consider Your Excess: Maybe you have some good items that are in great shape. Why get rid of those? Well, for the simple reason you already have one, two or more of those and the excess stuff simply isn’t needed. Clutter begins by accumulating duplicates of things we already have.
These items may include: a second lawn mower, a collection of pots and pans, a library of books, furniture you have in storage, or anything else that simply isn’t what you need. In that case, hold on to what you will truly use again, but either sell or donate the excess.
Identify What You Aren’t Using: It is as plain as the silver goblets sitting before you. Or at least it should be. When decluttering, it is important to survey everything you own to determine what can stay and what should go. Something of value may be too difficult to give up, but then it may simply be taking up precious room.
A good rule of thumb is to *not* consider your seasonal items (you’ll use them again), while keeping everything else in mind. So, if you have something on hand you haven’t touched in six months, then that’s fair game to be discarded. Certainly, move out anything that has been on hand for a year or more and has not been used.
Consider Going Minimalist:
With your “obvious” and “excess” items already disposed, now what? Here, you may want to seriously consider a minimalist approach, by ridding yourself of those items you simply do not need.
And “need” can be based on even those things you currently use, but may not have room for, especially if you are downsizing. Here, the approach would be to consider anything that you can absolutely do without and work your way from there. For instance, that bread maker may be entirely usable, but you’re planning to cut back on carbs at the same time. If so, sell the bread maker and whenever a hankering for hot, fresh bread arises, then visit your local bakery to have that desire sated.
Getting it Done:
Other than discarding or donating your excess, how best should you declutter? That’s easy: hold a yard sale.
Set aside a Saturday morning or make it a two-day affair to move what you own. Be diligent to sell your excess, price everything wisely and when the sale is over, then and only then should you donate what didn’t sell. And by no means should you keep these items — you simply have no room for them in your home or in your Smart Moving Box.