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It happens to almost everyone — you’re a few days into packing for your move and suddenly you’re surrounded by items you haven’t seen in years or maybe didn’t even realize you still had.
Even the most organized home has a junk drawer, crowded attic, or closet that’s filled with things that are no longer needed. Fortunately, the best time to declutter is right before a move. By getting rid of furniture or other items you no longer need, you can save yourself time, money, and future headaches.
Declutter Your Home Before You Move
The key to a successful move is time — the earlier you start planning the easier it will be to organize your entire move.
Toss, Keep, or Donate?
Every one of your items should fall into three categories:
Keep
This will be your biggest “pile.” When deciding whether or not to keep something, think about how often you use it. If you can’t remember when the last time you needed it was, it probably doesn’t have to come with you to the new house.
Donate
If you have gently used clothing, furniture, books, and household items that you’re not planning to bring with you, throwing them out isn’t the only option. Many schools, libraries, and community centers have a need for these items and would welcome the donation.
Throw Out/Recycle
Unfortunately, some items just no longer serve a purpose and need to be thrown out. Clothing that's ripped or stained and broken items that no longer serve a purpose should be the first to go well before you start packing. While it can be tough to let go of things you’ve owned for years, now is the perfect time to start fresh.
Did you know that over 100 million pounds of electronic materials are recycled each year? If you have old computers, cell phones, and TVs sitting in your home, give them a new life by recycling them. Most cities across the country have an e-waste recycling center and some even offer at-home pick-ups.
Focus on One Room at a Time
When you’re standing in the middle of your house, thinking of everything that needs to be done, it can be difficult to find a place to start. Typically, we suggest picking one room and starting there.
Professional Packing Services Can Help Relieve Stress
You’ve likely heard of professional movers, but how about professional packers? Here at Murphy Moving & Storage, our goal is to help you at every step of the moving process, and that includes the packing stage. From full to partial packing services, let it be our job to take the stress out of packing all your home’s collectibles, dishes, electronics, mirrors, mattresses, and more.
Invest in a Storage Unit
Some items can’t be thrown out or donated, but also don’t need to come to the new house, so what’s a homeowner to do? Self-storage units are a great way to keep your home free of clutter while still hanging on to your most valuable possessions.
While any number of items can be kept in our storage units, we’ve found that people traditionally call on us when they need to store furniture, seasonal clothing, books and documents, toys, holiday decorations, and outdoor equipment.
For more than 100 years, we’ve provided household storage services designed to keep your property safe for the short or long term. We currently offer two storage options:
- Climate-controlled storage. Artwork, pictures, and items that are sensitive to hot or cold require a controlled climate.
- Household portable storage. We offer standard storage units in our warehouse for items that need a temporary home.
Are you ready to make your next move the easiest one yet? Reach out to our team today at (866) 719-4209 to schedule a service! We lead the nation in quality scores for customer service. Plan your next move with us and discover why.