Australians are spending $10.5 billion every year on goods they’ll never use. This means you’re probably guilty of purchasing heaps of items, stuffing them in your closet or into storage for them to be forgotten about. While you’re still living in your current house, this is an ok process – out of sight, out of mind. But when it comes time to move house, you’re in trouble. Suddenly, you’re overwhelmed with overflowing items that you’ll never get packed away.
If you have no idea where to start, then read on. We’ll give you a room-by-room run-through of how you can declutter your home before moving.
Kitchen
Take a look at all your appliances; chances are, there are some that have been collecting dust. Do you really need that bread maker or convection oven? Probably not, especially if you’ve been sticking to buying bread at the store and baking or frying your food. You should box up these dusty appliances and either sell or donate them.
Next, check out your utensil drawer. If it’s chockas, then it’s time to downsize and whittle your selection down to 4 to 6 sets each. If you like to entertain, then you can keep a few sets more or purchase disposable utensils for parties. It’s also a good idea to look at your crockery too. This can eliminate a lot of packing work, especially since these are fragile and you’ll need extra packing material and care.
Now take a look at your pots and pans. These don’t last forever and need to be replaced if they’re damaged, so you might as well take this as an opportunity to throw some of them out now.
Lastly, peek into your refrigerator. You’ll need to give it a good clean before you move out, so get a head start now by throwing away expired and rotting food.
Bathroom
You’ll be surprised how many towels and bathmats you’ve accumulated. If they’re a bit worse for wear, then it’s best to throw them away. You might not realise it, but these things can quickly add up and take up a lot of space in boxes.
Next up are your toiletries, such as shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, and lotions. If you’ve amassed a collection but there are some bottles you’ve barely used, then these need to go. Otherwise, try to use up entire bottles before you move so you have fewer to haul around.
Now take a look inside your medicine cabinet. Dispose of expired medications properly and keep everything else.
If you store cleaning supplies in your bathroom, then give these a once-over as well. Some cleaning products can be used up before you move when you’re doing your move-out clean, but otherwise, toss the ones you haven’t or don’t plan on using.
Other bathroom items you should just throw away include your toilet plunger, toilet brush, and drain stoppers. These are unsanitary, no matter how much you clean them, so it’s best to start fresh in your new home.
Living Room
You spend a lot of time in your living room, so your gut instinct is to bring your favourite recliner, coffee table or sofa with you. But take a good look at these pieces. Are they worn down, damaged, and even broken? If so, you’ve guessed it – donate, upcycle or throw away.
Your next move is a good excuse to say goodbye to these things and hello to beautiful new furniture. If your next property is smaller than your current home, this can actually save you money since you don’t need to store everything. For everything you do want to keep, it may be helpful to organise a secure and clean storage unit.
Tidy and gather up everything that’s scattered about, such as books, magazines, CDs, and DVDs. Sort through them and if they’re old or unused, it’s best to throw away or donate these items.
Look at your electronics too. Particularly if you no longer use them. DVD or CD players may now be redundant thanks to streaming services. Even though they are outdated, you can still consider selling or donating these items.
If you’ve got wall art or pictures hanging up, it’s time to re-evaluate your tastes. What are the chances that your wall art will fit in your new home anyway?
Bedroom
A lot of the advice we’ve given you for the living room can be applied to your bedrooms. The furniture and electronics in this room may be old and outdated, so it may be best for you to start over with new ones. This can save you some money if you use a home removals service.
Check out your quilts, doonas, and pillowcases as well. If they’re discoloured, torn, or no longer suit your tastes, then toss these items too.
There may be items you will no longer need. If you’re moving away from the tropics, consider whether you need to keep that dehumidifier, and if not, think about donating or selling this.
Closet
Whilst this may be the scariest area to declutter, doing a deep dive in your closet will not only help reduce the items you need to move, but you may also find a few forgotten gems as well!
Take stock of what you haven’t worn in over a year; do you really plan on adding these garments, jewellery, shoes, and accessories to your rotation anytime soon? If not, then it’s to the garage sale or op-shop they go!
In your children’s closets, round up toys they don’t play with anymore or are in bad condition. Depending on the shape they’re in, you can either try to sell or donate them.
Office
If you take your work home with you, then it’s likely that your office is cluttered. It’s time for a huge purge so you have less to worry about for your move!
Throw away old calendars and planners, as well as worn-down pens and pencils. Sort through your papers and either shred them immediately or scan and shred them afterward if they’re important. Depending on your occupation you may need to keep some files and folders for a minimum period. If this affects you, consider storage solutions so your new home office is clutter free.
Think about having a garage sale for your old computer equipment, file cabinets, and furniture you won’t bring with you. You’ll earn some extra fun money in the process and declutter at the same time! Just remember to clear your hard drives 😉
Garden
What was once great-looking patio furniture has now become sun-faded, thanks to the harsh Australian sun. Not to mention, there’s noticeable wear and tear on these pieces, as they’re well-loved and used by your family. If this sounds like yours, then it’s time to let your patio furniture go and treat yourself to a new set. This can save you a world of trouble, as you’ve already got plenty of inside furniture to move!
Think about which plants hold value to you and if they’ll do well in your new garden. If not, then give them away to family and friends. You can also try giving them away or selling some in online groups.
Evaluate all your gardening tools and equipment too. Will you have a shed that’ll accommodate everything? Even if the answer’s “yes”, it’s worth downsizing your collection if many things are worse for wear.
Garage
The garage is one of the top places where clutter builds up.
Set aside a day or two where you can sort through everything and put them into labelled boxes. Make sure you throw away or donate anything you haven’t used in the last year, including sports equipment and tools. Large bulky items such as kayaks or unused camping equipment may have been great for a few trips up to Lake Tinaroo, but if you’re not going to use them anymore, it’s time to say “sayonara”.
Living in Cairns and Townsville, you may have relied heavily on your power generator to get you through power cuts. Depending on where you are moving to, this may no longer be required.
Declutter Your Home and Make Your Move Easier
When you take the time to declutter your home, it’ll save you money, time and effort! It will also provide you with a realistic idea of what you need for your new home, avoiding unnecessary purchases.
If you’re interested in furniture removals, then request a free, no-obligation quote from us now. We’ll be in touch with you shortly with an estimate!
