HUD Articles

Credit goes to Brian Carey from Carey Moving & Storage

If you’re thinking about moving in 2021, you can never start preparing too soon. A substantial part of planning this move is knowing what you’ll bring with you and what items you need to sell, give away or throw out because they have no place your new home. Even if you’re not moving until spring or summer, that doesn’t mean you can’t begin the decluttering process now.

Are you spending more time at home now than you used to? If you’ve exhausted everything on your Netflix queue, why not start cleaning, organizing and clearing the clutter for a more comfortable living environment?

Decluttering Tips: What Stays and What Goes?

When decluttering your home, start by asking yourself several questions.

1. Have you used or worn this in the past year? If the answer is no, you can let it go without regrets. Many experts call this principle the One-Year Rule.
2. Is the item critical to save? If yes, why?
3. Do you love it unconditionally?
4. Do you have duplicates? If so, get rid of the extras.

How to Declutter

The decluttering process can feel overwhelming. You might not have a sense of how extensive this project will be until you start working on it. The good news is, you don’t have to do every room in your house at once – indeed, you shouldn’t! It’s best to start with one area of your home and work your way through it, doing one room per day or per week. You’ll find the process feels more manageable when you’re not rushing to get it all done in a few hours.

We recommend using a process in which you designate three collection areas:

1. Things you want to keep
2. Things you’ll throw out
3. Things you plan to donate or sell

Once you have these piles, organize them for a neat, tidy home. Put away everything you’ve decided to keep. Bag up items you’ve chosen to toss for trash pickup. For things you plan to donate, find your nearest Goodwill, Salvation Army or another nonprofit that takes donated items. Don’t forget to ask for a donation receipt for your taxes!

Decluttering is an excellent way to prepare for a move. Even if you have no future move in mind, it relieves stress to clear some space and feel more at peace in your home!