How to declutter before moving house

Not many of us are natural minimalists. Plenty of us are more, let’s say, maximalists. Clutter seems to be magnetically attracted to us, and honestly, we're secretly waiting for a knock on the door from the producers of the show Hoarders.  

That's why moving house can sometimes be a relief; you are forced to go through all your possessions with a fine tooth comb and clean up your whole household. The golden rule is to keep only the things you love or are helpful and get rid of whatever you no longer need or want. But how do you create a more streamlined life?

Read on for some beneficial tips and processes for how to declutter before moving house.

Why decluttering before moving house is essential for your big move

Every item you pack costs time and money to transport, so why waste effort hauling broken appliances, outgrown clothes, or that exercise bike gathering dust? Remember that the fewer items you move, the less you’ll spend on boxes, packing materials, and truck space.

In fact, decluttering before moving offers three major benefits:

• Faster packing and unpacking: You’ll spend less time wrapping and labelling items you don’t actually want in your new home.

• Easier settling in: Unpacking becomes simple when every box contains items you’re genuinely excited to place in your new space.

• Fresh start mindset: Moving only your favourite and most useful belongings helps you create the lifestyle you want in your new location.

If decluttering feels overwhelming, hiring a professional decluttering service through Airtasker can actually save you money compared to moving everything. 

Professional decluttering services costs may vary. If you only need one person to help, the rate could be around $45 to $65 per hour. For two people to organise and move heavy furniture, that could run about $100 to $120 per hour, which may require you to add the cost of rubbish removal. 

Decluttering methods you can try

Things can be easier and more efficient when sticking to the tried and tested processes of reformed hoarders who have come before you. Here are some of the popular ones:

The Four Box method 

There are many ways to purge successfully. Some decluttering experts advocate the Four Box Method, where the idea is to go through each room in your home armed with separate boxes, one for each of the following: 

1. Things you want to keep

2. Items to sell or give to charity

3. Things to chuck away 

4. Anything you're still undecided about

The KonMari method

Devotees of the Japanese KonMari method swear by its use. The goal is to pick up each item you own and decide to keep it only if it “sparks joy” or if it is useful.  

Swedish death cleaning

The most metal method, Swedish death cleaning, is a new decluttering technique where you downsize your belongings in recognition of the stark fact that one day, you won't be able to take anything with you and that your junk will only be a burden for your loved ones.  

Too dark and not for you? You've always got the Four Box Method...

9 tips to help you declutter for your move

So, the task of decluttering before a move is upon you; we recommend considering the following to make the whole thing as stress-free (maybe even as fun?) as possible.

Tip #1: Get motivated and do not procrastinate

The hardest part of decluttering is starting, so create a realistic schedule based on your moving timeline. If you have 4-6 weeks before moving, dedicate one full day each weekend to decluttering, plus 1-2 hours on weekday evenings for smaller tasks. For shorter timelines, block out specific time slots in your day, like 7 to 9 am before work or 6 to 8 pm after dinner, to go through one room or category at a time. 

The biggest rookie mistake is leaving decluttering until the week before moving, when you’re already juggling packing, removalists, and paperwork. In fact, last-minute decluttering creates unnecessary stress and leads to poor decisions:

• You pack everything: No time to sort properly, so broken and unwanted items get moved to your new home

• You hastily discard useful items: Quick decisions often mean throwing away things you’ll need later

• You miss money-making opportunities: No time to sell valuable items or organise charity pickups properly

Tip #2: Tackle one room at a time

Whatever method you use, most decluttering experts advise tackling only one room at a time rather than attempting to declutter your whole house in one go. Be sure to give yourself enough time, so you don't stress out and become overwhelmed with the magnitude of the job.  

If, however, you are moving soon and want to declutter before moving quickly, don't be afraid to call in help from a professional decluttering service (which can be surprisingly affordable).

Tip #3: Get an assistant

Decluttering doesn’t have to be a solo mission, and having an extra pair of hands can make the process much faster and less overwhelming. An assistant’s role is to help you physically sort through items, hold things up for you to decide on, and keep you motivated when decision fatigue sets in. 

You can also assign your assistant to handle the physical work, such as boxing donated items, loading your car for charity runs, or even taking photos of items you want to sell online. They can also help tick off completed areas on your moving checklist, ensuring you stay on track with your timeline.

Tip #4: Hire a decluttering service

Go the whole hog and engage someone to assist you with a full decluttering service by completely reorganising all your belongings room by room, sorting and tidying, and removing excess clutter – with your approval.

Your helper can undertake all kinds of decluttering tasks, like organising your DVD and CD libraries, rearranging your kitchen cupboards and pantry, or reorganising your clothes. They can also make repeated trips to dispose of junk or take clothes to Vinnies for you!

Tip #5: Don't let old memories get the better of you

Sentimental items are the hardest category to declutter because every photo, letter, or keepsake triggers a memory and emotional attachment. However, keeping everything “just in case” or because it reminds you of someone can significantly increase your moving costs when you’re paying by weight or truck size. 

The best tip here is to create a realistic limit for keepsakes by designating one memory box per family member or setting a shelf space in your new home. For truly precious items, consider digitising documents, letters, and photos so you can access these memories anytime. 

Tip #6: Utilise the power of piles

Another decluttering hack is separating sorted items into different piles that you can see. This will help determine their fate! For example, you can have piles for:

• Keep

• Trash

• Donate or sell 

• Recycle 

Customise your piles to suit your needs (you may have a storage one, for example), but this visual process can sometimes be very helpful!

Tip #7: Involve your kids

If you have children, involve them, especially if you are decluttering their belongings. Ask them questions like "do you still play with this toy, or would you like to let another kid enjoy this?" Teaching the emotional skills and know-how to declutter now will help them when they are facing a move as an adult!

Tip #8: Schedule some dedicated decluttering time

Not everyone likes to declutter, so putting it on your schedule increases the chance of it actually happening. Lock in one to three hours of dedicated decluttering time weekly, on a specific day to create a routine. Pop on your headphones, relax your mind, and tune everything out so you can focus on the task at hand. Who knows, it may even be meditative.

Tip # 9: Make sure you cover everything

Decluttering can be a long process, but you'll reap the benefits, especially if you go through everything. Search the darkest corners of your cabinets, pick apart the junk drawers, and really think about every piece of clothing. If you leave no stone unturned, your move will become much simpler. 

A fresh start, one box at a time

Think about this; whatever you don’t go through to declutter now, you’ll have to move it and go through it at some point later on. It may as well be now so that when you get to your new home, you are starting fresh with the items you want and need (or make you happy).

Decluttering is a beneficial exercise. If you need a little help, there are plenty of experts on Airtasker that can help you sort, pack, throw away, and move house. Re-design your surroundings today!