Even the most frugal, organized, and discerning people can fall victim to clutter in their homes. The hectic nature of everyday life allows things to come into our spaces and end up in a drawer or cabinet, never to be seen again. That is, until moving time. There are many reasons people dread moving – cost, time, finding moving boxes, stress, etc. – but perhaps the most unpleasant task is going through the thousands of items hidden away in every nook and cranny of your house. It can be easy to open a closet and become paralyzed at the amount of stuff staring down at you, and often the actual act of making the decision to keep an item or to get rid of it is actually more difficult than physically packing the item. Before getting bogged down in an endless decision-making process, consider the following tips to help you determine whether to pack an item or not.
Gut reaction. In most aspects of life, the initial gut reaction tends to be the safest or wisest choice. Before your heart has a chance to let emotions get in the way, or your brain has a chance to argue why you should or should not keep the item, consider what your very first reaction was when confronted with the item. If your first reaction was stress and discomfort at having to find a place for the item in your new home, or you completely forgot you had the item, it’s probably time to let it go. Sometimes people hold on to things that are associated with an unpleasant memory – a stressful time in your life, or an unpleasant breakup. If you encounter something that immediately brings up negative feelings, you do not want to bring that item into your new home. There is no sense in wasting time or valuable moving box space (especially if you’ve decided not to rent moving boxes) on an item that will not bring you joy.
Frequency of use. The clothes that have been hanging in the back of your closet for over a year gathering dust have no place in your new closet, no matter how big it might be. Kitchen gadgets that have never been out of the packaging will only take up valuable cupboard space. These items can be difficult to get rid of, as we often try to convince ourselves (or maybe our spouses) that we will “start to use this item in the new home.” It can be helpful to picture your new space and try to imagine exactly where you plan to put these items. Will they truly add value to your life in your new home? Or will they go back into a cupboard until the next time you move? If you are truly honest with yourself, it can be much easier to let that item go. It is also extremely rewarding to donate items to nearby shelters, thrift stores, or other services for people in need. Consider this: while that item has been gathering dust in your house, another person could have been using it that truly needed it.
Where will this go? Whether you are upgrading or downsizing, your new home is not going to be identical to your old home. The shape, layout, floorplan, and storage space will at least be somewhat different, if not vastly different. Before you take the time to pack anything, you should at least have some idea of how it will fit into your new space. This includes physically (do you really have room for that piano?) as well as decoratively (is it time to retire those dorm room posters?). When it’s finally time to unpack those moving boxes in your new home, you don’t want to be faced with “what on earth am I going to do with this?” over and over. Bigger pieces like couches, beds, and tables are usually a safe bet to keep, unless you plan on purchasing all new furniture.
Sentimental value. While many possessions are replaceable, sometimes the most important items are not. Photographs, heirlooms, and special gifts need to be treated with extra care, and it can be difficult to determine what to keep. For some people, almost any item can have sentimental value, while others have only a handful of items they consider special. If you find yourself struggling with sentimental items, try putting them to the test against the first three tips: if your gut reaction is positive AND you use the item somewhat regularly AND you have a definite home for it in your new space, you will want to take that item with you. If you find yourself hesitating about any of these questions, you can see if a family member or close friend could use the item. That ensures that it is still appreciated by someone close to you without simply taking up space. And for special items, be sure to always use quality boxes to protect your treasured belongings, such as our sturdy plastic boxes available for rent in multiple sizes!
Condition. Items that are broken, missing pieces, torn, or otherwise damaged are not items that should be packed, moved, and brought out into your new home. Unless the item has a high sentimental value and truly cannot be replaced, the best choice for you and your new space would be to get rid of it. Chances are, you haven’t been using it because it is broken. Rather than spend money to move the broken item, use the money you save to replace it!
Going through items to determine what to pack and what to pass will help you more accurately determine how many moving boxes you will need, as well as what type of boxes to get. Rather than buying a large quantity of cheap moving boxes and hoping you have the right amount (or worse, trying to find moving boxes for free), you will be able to have a better estimate of what you will be packing, how many boxes you will need, and what type of box to get. It is best to start this practice early on, and to always remember that more stuff means more packing, more boxes, more heavy lifting, and likely more cost.
If you’re moving in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can rent moving boxes made from 100% recycled plastic from ZippGo. ZippGo moving boxes and moving supplies are delivered right to your door and we’ll pick them up from your new home after you’ve unpacked.