How to Get Rid of Items When you are Moving

The fewer items you have to move come moving day and then unpack when you settle down, the easier the move will be on your mind and body. Getting rid of items before you move can be tricky for a variety of reasons. Some of us get overly attached to materialistic items. Others don’t have the time or willpower to think about purging the house of items when we have one million other things to do with family and work. The following methods offer various approaches that you can take to clear out the stuff you no longer need.

Set Goals 

Setting exact goals as to how much stuff you want to get rid of can be a bit on the tricky side. You can’t really know exactly what you want to get rid of, but you can set some abstract goals as to how much you want to clear out. Your goal could be as small as purging five items or as large as purging a room’s worth of stuff. It helps before you get started knowing exactly what you are getting yourself into.

Motivational Quotes

Are you one of those people who needs constant reminders/motivation to get things done? Plastering motivational quotes, preferably about minimalism or something like that, will inspire you to start chucking items and serve as friendly reminders that you still need to complete this task. Put the quotes on the fridge, bathroom mirrors, bedroom doors, nightstands or anywhere else that you’ll definitely notice them.

Box/Bag Game 

This game is simple to play, but it can really help you clear out a lot of stuff for those of you who like games. The rules or simple: you start with a bag or box, then it must be filled with stuff you are getting rid of before you stop. You can choose to play this game once or several times until you feel as if you’ve cleared out a satisfactory amount of junk. It also gives you a convenient place to store this stuff until you decided what exactly to do with it.

Get the Kids Involved 

Of course, you do not want the kids making decisions as to what you should keep around most of the house, but they can be in charge of getting rid of old toys, clothes, etc. in their own rooms. Some children may be reluctant to part with old toys, but try to motivate them by donating the toys at the end of the process. If the kids know their toys will help other kids in need, it may make them feel more generous about parting with toys they no longer use.

Offer or Give Yourself Incentives 

There is nothing wrong with a little bit of positive reinforcement to help get things done. Motivate yourself and your family members by offering small rewards for starting to cleanse the house of items. A nice meal, ice cream, a movie, video games or whatever helps ease the process along.

Household Plants

It might be difficult to prepare and move plants since it calls for careful planning, close attention to detail, and experience working with living organisms. Getting plants in excellent enough health and condition to withstand the stress of relocation is one of the most challenging aspects of getting them ready for moving. This involves providing plants with the appropriate amount of water, sunlight, nutrients, and protection from pests and diseases.

Giving your plants to someone who can care for them and offer them a new home is a choice to think about before moving.

Craigslist 

Once you’ve picked out items that you want to get rid of, consider which of these items have any resale value. Although extra money is always nice, the time and labor involved in posting something for sale need to offer a good bit of money to make it worth your while. Craigslist is a simple way to sell a bunch of items that are free. We recommend putting up a picture on your ads to help make the sales.

Freecycle 

Free markets and the Free cycle website is a great way to give people the chance to turn their trash into their treasures. Research in your area these types of programs, so that you are offering a little bit of something back to the community. The Freecycle website is a great place to start offering items for free to people in your area.

Charity 

Obviously, giving unused items to a charity like Good Will lets your unused objects help someone in need. Just make sure that the quality of the items is high enough that you don’t just end up creating work for the people at the charities who will then have to chuck your items for garbage for you.

Trash/Recycle 

This is always an option. Sometimes we just run out of time to deal with getting rid of items. Throwing some things in the garbage isn’t the end of the world really, and it certainly is better than wasting the time and energy moving them from one place to the next.

Yard Sale

Yard sales are a lot of work, and sometimes they do not pay off. Not only do you have to spend the time hauling everything inside and outside, you then have to spend a day or two in your yard dealing with random strange Personally, but I also am not a huge fan of hosting yard sales, so this is why this goes at the bottom of the list. It may work for you though, so don’t let me hold you back!

Benefits of getting rid of items before the move

Getting rid of items can drastically lower the overall cost of moving. The weight of the load being moved, the distance traveled, and the level of service needed are all factors that affect how much a move will cost. Having less stuff to move could also help you bargain for a lesser price for the services of professional movers.

You can clear up space and minimize clutter in your new home by getting rid of things you no longer need or use. In your new location, this can help you feel less concerned and more at ease. Additionally, prioritizing your belongings might help you decide what is essential to you and what you can live without.

When you have a lot of things to relocate, packing and loading a moving truck can be difficult and time-consuming. Getting rid of anything that isn’t necessary will speed up and improve the efficiency of the work. This may also reduce the physical strain that comes with lifting and transporting big items onto a truck, which is a typical reason for injuries when moving. Note that moving companies cannot transport certain items like hazardous materials, perishable foods, and pets, so make sure to plan accordingly for these exceptions.

When you move undesired stuff to your new house, your moving truck becomes heavier than necessary, using more fuel and producing more carbon dioxide. You can cut down on waste and your environmental effect by recycling or donating unwanted products. You are not only making your relocation more environmentally friendly by choosing to donate or recycle unneeded items, but you are also helping a good cause.