Everywhere you look, moving from place to place seems to have become a part of everyday life for many Americans. Whether moving from the hustle and bustle of the big city to the country, moving to provide better opportunities for their family or moving for a new job, it’s estimated that about 35.5 million (or 11%) of the United States population moves every year.
It’s estimated that the average American moves at least a dozen times during their lifetime and this is especially true of younger people who may seek different experiences by moving. Regardless of where you’re moving to and what you’re moving for, hiring a local moving company can help get all your belongings from Point A to Point B without getting damaged.
Making the decision to move can be difficult, but so can moving itself. The average home is estimated to have at least 300,000 items in it and boxing up all that stuff can be a job in and of itself.
So what can you do? The answer is simple: remove your junk.
If you’re looking to declutter before a big move, here are some easy tips on how to do it:
- Make time: The absolute last thing you want to do is wait a week or a few days before a big move to decide what you’re keeping and what you’re not keeping. Let’s be honest, packing should be done well in advance of your move. This can be done by setting aside time out of every day to pack things up. It can’t and shouldn’t be done in a few days, but you can make it easier if you tackle it one closet at a time or one room at a time. This will help you focus better on decluttering, rather than giving up and just chucking your stuff in boxes.
- Donate: Chances are you’ve got plenty of clothes in your closest that you don’t wear and plenty of other stuff that you bought with good intentions but don’t use. Rather than pitching it, if it’s useable condition you can make better use of it by donating it to Goodwill, Salvation Army or any other number of places that accept donations.
- Be practical: If you consider yourself a packrat and are trying to declutter, the best thing to ask yourself is whether you really need it. Think about the clothes you wear; if you haven’t worn something in a year, donate it. Look at what you have a bunch of (towels, sheets, kitchen utensils), keep one or two of everything and get rid of the rest.
- Eliminate excess: If you tend to buy in bulk and you’re sitting on a pile of toilet paper or various toiletries, start using those up. The more you use now, the less you’ll have to move.
- Focus on necessities: If you’re moving in stages before a local moving company moves all your big items, it’s a good idea to pack a box that has essentials you’re going to need once you move in. We’re talking about things like a box cutter to open boxes, toilet paper for the bathroom, hammer and nails to hang things and other things you’re going to need right away.
- Leave the hard stuff for last: When it comes to saving sentimental things, leave those for last. Some things like family pictures, heirlooms and other personal items are easy things to keep. But chances are you’ve got some sentimental things you don’t use. Best to get all of the easy stuff packed up and out of the way before making the harder decisions.
Leaving enough time to pack up your belongings and deciding what you really need to take with you and eliminate a lot of clutter before a move. As an added bonus, it means a local moving company or moving services will have less of your stuff to move when the big day comes. In 2016, the economic impact of the moving industry was more than $85 billion and a local moving company will help you get all of your belongings where they needed to be and get them there safely.
