Moving is a great opportunity to evaluate everything you’ve gathered through time, think about your relationship to your stuff, and either let go of things you don’t need or want any longer or update how your goods are arranged and displayed in your home.
Moving is seen as “the perfect opportunity to think about how you will be living in this new period of your life,” and according to this, the process of editing and arranging is made simpler once you have clarity on how you want to exist in your new home. You may use the advice provided by an expert from Van and Man in Essex to help you select what to get rid of and how to organise the things you eventually decide to keep and move with you.
When preparing to downsize and declutter in preparation for a move, you might want to look at your definition of those two phrases (which can be overwhelming and scary, to say the least) and give them a fresh interpretation. If the idea of decluttering makes you feel anxious and overwhelmed, try redefining the term or coming up with other names for the procedure that will make you feel less pressured. It is crucial to give the work a name that more accurately captures your attitude about your possessions, which should be satisfying and good.
Why You Should Downsize and Declutter
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Less Stress and Mess
You have less to pack and unpack the less you have. Moving to your new place with less belongings can help you avoid the stress of packing and unpacking as well as save you money and valuable time.
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By Taking Stock, You Can Save
How often have you bought something you thought you needed only to discover later that you already have it but had forgotten about it because it got buried in sauce? Going through your belongings in advance will help you rediscover the items you already have and prevent you from making the error of having to buy them again.
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Get Rid of It if It Won’t Fit.
You should be wise and deliberate about the possessions you bring to your new home because moving may be both time- and money-consuming. You can avoid the hassle of bringing furniture that you have paid to move into a space that cannot accommodate it by planning how you want to set up the new space before the actual move and taking the time to consider if and how your things will actually fit in your new home.
Think about this now to avoid any headaches later. You’ll need to get rid of any items that don’t operate in the new space or suit your actual demands in the new location.
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Cleanliness Is Vital
The accumulation of goods may serve as a breeding ground for undesirable house visitors as well as issues like mould and mildew. Pest infestations can result from items being left unattended for an extended period of time while being concealed in basements and closets. This is definitely not something you would want to introduce to a new environment. It’s crucial to thoroughly inspect all of your belongings to make sure they are free of unwanted contaminants and pests in order to ensure a clean move and a fresh start.
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How to Downsize and Declutter
In this article, we are providing some practical advice for carrying out the actual task now that we have clarified what decluttering means to you and have a better understanding of the advantages of editing or decluttering your possessions before your actual move date.
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Keep Function and Lifestyle in Mind
Consider and list the activities you want the new space to accommodate, such as cooking and hosting a certain number of guests for proper dining, providing a space for exercise or stretching, a place to meditate and pray, housing overnight visitors, relaxing and watching movies, providing a space for children’s theatrical performances and arts and crafts, etc.
Consider how your lifestyle will alter as well in your new home. Going out, travelling, visiting kids, going to work, being outdoors, etc., may or may not be more or less of what you do. Think about what you want to do there, how you want to move about there, and how dynamic, motivating, tranquil, or soothing you want the room to seem.
The instructions for creating the floor plan and outlining the placement of objects (putting them where you’ll use them) are provided in this phase. With that knowledge, you will be in a better position to organise your space and, if necessary, downsize it.
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Invent a List
Make a list of all of your current furnishings, their dimensions, and the various categories for all of your possessions. You should start the process of determining not only what can fit in your space but also how your things will live in the new space by making a note of anything that is larger in size and may be difficult to store, such as a lot of luggage, sporting equipment, large collections of books, etc. You might need to restructure or get rid of something if you are having trouble finding a place for it in your new house.
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Make a plan
Map out the furniture layout in the new room using a decent tape measure (25 feet). You can use this to see whether you own any items that would not fit so you can sell, donate, or give them away before moving. This phase gives you the chance to take measurements so you can buy the proper size for the new room and also helps you determine what else you might need for the new space.
Smaller objects, such as side tables, lamps, and other similar items, can be marked as keepers and packed first for your relocation because you can typically find a place for them even if you aren’t sure where they will go when you make your floor plan.
Make a note of any built-in or closet storage that the new area has so that you can later plan where your belongings will go. This is a perfect time to assess which closets require remodelling or additional shelves, bins, etc. Always remember to measure before you buy.
Although you don’t have to plan everything out completely in advance, eventually all of your possessions will need to find a new place in your house. The objective is to have a clear understanding of how the new space will be organized; typically, you can figure out about 80% of the details before moving in.
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Utilize the four-box approach
Label four boxes with the following headings: trash, give away, keep, or relocate. Place each item in one of the following boxes as you enter any area of your house. No matter how insignificant you may think a particular item is, don’t skip it. It might take a few days, weeks, or even months, but once you do it, you’ll be able to see how many things you actually have and will be aware of what to do with each one.
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Purge Your Property
Once you start the editing and downsizing process, you might find that you want to get rid of some items that no longer support your home’s vision that you no longer require, or that just don’t fit in the new space. Here are some fantastic options for getting rid of the things that you’ve decided are off limits in your new home.
Consider employing removal firms like Van and Man Hackney and 1-800-got-junk if you find yourself in need of assistance because they can handle the hard lifting of taking unwanted rubbish, recycling, donations, etc. It is more important to maintain your peace of mind and your time than to assume the work of finding the ideal place for everything. Relocation specialists may assist with managing the entire process. Think about reducing your workload by:
- local religious organisations
- Consignment shops online
- organise a garage sale
- Give to a neighbourhood trash pickup
- Simple Places to Begin
You can save time and money by performing a thorough edit before you move, but it’s also a great chance to organise your belongings into useful categories that will make packing and unpacking much simpler. If you don’t have time to look through everything, concentrate on the categories that will help you downsize and clear out clutter in the following areas:
- Discard expired things: Throw away everything that is expired or nearly done in the refrigerator and freezer (especially oils).
- Medicines: Discard any outdated medication (liquids and gels should be tossed when expired, hard pills can be used up to two years after their expiration date).
- Clothes for children: If you aren’t saving for another child, there is no reason to carry clothing that is too tiny.
- Old magazines and newspapers: They are cumbersome and difficult to transport and unpack.
- Towels and bedding: If your towels and sheets are looking worn out, improve or replace them. Older things can be donated to a local animal clinic or vet.
- Garbage drawer: Discard old, useless rubber bands, drained batteries, etc.
- If you don’t have time to pick through all of your clothing, at least go through the drawers for your undergarments, socks, and pyjamas. You can find that you don’t require as many certain types of clothing as you formerly did if your lifestyle is changing.
- We frequently have a surplus of cords and cables from outdated technology and appliances.
- Get rid of outdated technology, such as old phones and computers.
Bottom Line
The following is some last advice that could help you complete the task at hand while managing your stress:
Take It Apart
Large jobs should be broken down into smaller action steps that may be completed one step at a time throughout the day. If you are aware that your linen closet contains a lot of stuff that need to be sorted and packed, for instance, work on one shelf per day for an hour at a time until the closet is empty.
Start out easy
First, get rid of the things you already know you don’t need or want because doing so will save you time and energy and give you a sense of achievement that may motivate you to continue and accomplish more.
Funnel it out
Consider throwing a moving party at your house for family and friends, and prepare some pizza or order some drinks for your helpers to enjoy while they work on their assigned tasks. Make your move enjoyable by playing some music.
Begin early
Don’t put off starting your task until the last minute. Give yourself enough time to thoroughly organise and pack your belongings so that moving day won’t be rushed and you won’t be under pressure to finish everything. You can meet your moving deadline and stay organised by setting up a schedule for working through the various rooms in your house and sorting your belongings.
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Final Remarks
So these were some of the finest and most idealistic tips that you can opt while downsizing your stuff before your house or office relocation. Still if you are having trouble in the organization of items you can use the empty boxes to store things until a better plan is made out.
If you are moving to or from London or nearby and are having trouble packing or unpacking your belongings, you can always use the Van and Man in Essex services for a simple moving process. The man and van services are provided by skilled movers with years of expertise in this industry and rigorous training in how to provide their finest services. So without further ado, remember to follow the aforementioned advice if you are intending to move soon or in the near future if you want to have a memorable experience.
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