How To Clean House When You're Moving To A Smaller Place

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How To Clean House When You're Moving To A Smaller Place

28 October 2016
 Categories: , Blog


One of the biggest challenges of moving to a smaller home is figuring out what to take with you and what to leave behind. If you are able to arrive at your new place with fewer belongings, it will help you avoid the clutter that comes with cramming a lot of extras into a smaller home. Here is one strategy for clearing out the clutter.

Sorting Items into Three Categories

As you pack for your new place, it's helpful to sort items into three categories. There are the items that you definitely don't need, the items you're unsure about, and the items that you can't live without. Once you know where each item in your home falls, you can proceed to deal with the groups using the strategies below.

Items to Leave Behind

The easiest category to deal with are the items that you definitely don't need. It's a good idea to get rid of these items well before your move so that you have more space to work with when packing. You might want to hold an event for friends where they can claim some of your old furniture and goods that you don't need at your new place. Another possibility is selling them, either locally or online. Donating is a third great option. Give yourself plenty of time to arrange for any of these options.

Items That Are On the Fence

The trickiest category is the items that you're not quite sure you want to part with. It's helpful if you can find a way to keep these items for a while without having them clutter up your new place. Climate controlled storage units are a great idea. Move all of these items to storage, so that they are still there without being in the way. If you end up missing some of these items within the first few months at your new home, you can still get them back. Otherwise, set a final date to clear out the storage unit and donate items that are still in there. Click here for more info.

Items to Keep

Hopefully, once you've dealt with the items above, you're left with a much sparser apartment that's much easier to pack up. It's okay if you've gotten rid of too much stuff even; it gives you the opportunity to put your mark on your new home by buying a few new pieces that fit with your new life.