Moving to a new home is a good thing since it provides you with the opportunity to evaluate your possessions and identify the items that you no longer need or use – things that you should get rid of. Whether you are trying to declutter or downsize to a smaller home, getting rid of items when moving will help you stay organized and lighten your load.
It can be hard to know where to begin sometimes. If you believe that you have far too much extra stuff in your home, but are unable to decide what to get rid of and what to leave behind, you should follow the list below of the top 10 things to get rid of when moving either moving your self or hiring a long-distance moving company or local.
Here are some things you should get rid of when moving
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Clothes That No Longer Fit
Everybody has an old T-shirt or a cool pair of jeans that they are sure they will fit into once more someday. While it is perfectly fine to keep 1 or 2 such items of clothing either for fun or as motivation, it is not worth moving an entire closet of old clothes that don’t fit anymore. Give them away and lighten your load. Clothes tend to be one of the things you should get rid of.
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Posters and Cheap Art
The problem with outdated wall hangings and posters is that it is almost impossible to keep them in good condition when you are moving. Unless you are attached to a poster of your favorite musician when you were 15, it is probably advisable to take an amazing selfie in front of it and then get rid of it.
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Extra Books
People sometimes use books for decorating their homes while others get attached to all kinds of literature that they have trouble parting with them. Before the move, select the top 10 favorite books that you see yourself reading someday then donate the rest. On moving day, you will congratulate yourself for doing this.
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CD and DVD Cases
Opinions out there are divided regarding the benefits and drawbacks of keeping CD and DVD cases. The fact is that you don’t need the cases unless you are a die-hard collector. They can be hard to pack and take up far too much space. Throw out the cases and welcome yourself into the digital era.
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Stuffed Animals
For some people, this can be quite a touchy subject since they are very attached to their stuffed animals. However, you should take the time to think about where they will end up if you move with them to the new home. Will most of them end up under the bed or on the top shelf in your closet? If this is the case, you better cut ties and get rid of them now before figuring out how you will pack them up.
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Kitchen Appliances That Are No Longer in Use
Everyone has kitchen appliances that they no longer use such as the nifty bread maker that you received as a wedding present ages ago that sits in your bottom cupboard doing nothing else besides collecting dust. The move provides the perfect opportunity to get rid of such appliances. While at it, you should find other kitchen appliances that you never use then take them to your nearest Goodwill before the move.
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Items in the Garage
Garages are often half-filled with boxes with items that people believe they will use someday. When preparing for the upcoming move, you need to take a good look at those items filling up your garage and then decide whether it is worth moving with them. It might be the right time to sell or donate the items and free up more space at the new home.
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Old Mugs
The fewer the boxes labeled “FRAGILE” on moving day the better. Moving dishes can be rather tricky since they have to be wrapped and loaded carefully so that they reach their intended destination without breaking. When you are packing your dishes, pick out any old dishes and mugs that you hardly ever use for a special trip to the second-hand store.
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Old Electronics
People usually keep old electronics around for one of two reasons – they hope to get them fixed and use them again someday or they just have no idea of how to dispose of them. Such items are usually quite heavy and hard to move. Chances are they will eventually take up space at the new house just as they do in the current one. Now is the perfect opportunity for you to get rid of old computers, stereos, and televisions before the day of the move comes – some great things to get rid of.
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Stuff That You Completely Forgot About
Here is a common scenario that unfolds. You buy a house. You are packing up in preparation for the move and come across an old suitcase filled with memorabilia, recipe books, and magazines that you completely forgot about. It might be hard for you, but here is exactly what you need to do – don’t waste even a minute looking through its contents. Simply close it up and throw it in the garbage can. If you hardly remembered that you had such stuff, it is highly unlikely that you will ever miss any of it.
If you want more ideas and tips on things you should get rid of when you are moving or to find out how we can be of help in your move, call Moving Day today.
