A Guide to Decluttering Before You Move

Decluttering Your New Home Using A Bay Area Affordable Storage Unit

Decluttering your home is always a good idea, but it is especially important when you’re planning a move. After all, do you really want to move piles full of old papers and clothes that no longer fit to a new location? You may even find items you can sell online to make extra money or donate to a worthy charitable cause. The process may not be easy, but it will certainly feel rewarding once you finish. Consider renting Bay Area affordable storage to make the process easier and more organized.

Change Your Approach to Clutter Management

When deciding whether to keep an item, it can be difficult to think of throwing it away. Reframing the problem to consider whether the item is something you want to move rather than place in the garbage will help you feel more willing to part with things that you don’t necessarily need. If you’re someone who likes to hold onto things for a long time, recruit a family member or friend who has an easier time not becoming overwhelmed with stuff. You might also consider hiring a professional organizer.

Start with the Things Easiest to Pack

Heavier items, such as furniture and book collections, are typically easier to sort through and decide if you want to keep. Once you have done that, it’s a good idea to make a category list and use it to help the decluttering process. Many professional organizers and companies that offer Bay Area affordable storage units recommend this rather than a room-by-room approach. Don’t forget to hit every area of your home including bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, attic, garage, and other storage spaces you might not check every day.

Create Five Piles for Easy Organization

Now that you have completed cleaning and decluttering, it’s time to organize everything to make it easier to know what to do with it. We recommend creating the following five piles:

• Keep and pack
• Keep and display
• Donate to charity
• Sell
• Throw away

Be sure to gather garbage bags at the start of this process and remove full trash bags from your home immediately. If you’re donating items, write down a description and approximate value for tax purposes. For items you’re selling, take a picture now and either list it for sale right away or pack to sell later. Items in the keep and display category might include furniture for home staging or clothes and hygiene items that you still need access to until the day of the move. If you are selling your home and have inspections coming up, read these tips on decluttering your home to make it market ready.

Consider Professional Storage

At Your Step Storage offers affordable storage in the Bay Area for anyone who finds that they have more belongings they would like to keep than they have space to store them. Please contact us today to learn more about our various off-site storage options. Click HERE to learn more about our moving and storage solutions.