Are you in need of some top tips on how to declutter before moving house?
Well, you’ve come to the right place!
Moving home ranks among life’s most enormous upheavals—on average, people in the UK move eight times in their lifetime, and up to eleven times in the US.
Decluttering before you pack is key to a smoother move, saving you hours of packing, cutting costs on removals and even earning you some extra cash by selling unwanted items.
Below are seven practical, room-by-room steps to help you declutter before moving house—and get you settled into your new home with ease.
1. Plan Your Declutter Strategy
Before diving in, draw up a simple schedule:
- Choose the rooms: Start with lofts, basements or garages—these tend to accumulate the most ‘stuff’.
- Set time blocks: Allocate one- or two-hour slots each weekend to work through a room.
- Gather supplies: Stock up on sturdy boxes, marker pens, labels and cleaning cloths.
Use a three-way sort: Keep, Sell/Donate, Discard. Labelling trays or bins for each category will keep you on track.
2. Declutter Room by Room
Working methodically will prevent overwhelm:
- Tackle bulky items first: If your wardrobe won’t fit your new bedroom dimensions, it’s time to say goodbye. Measure doorways and room sizes in your new home to avoid wasted effort disassembling items that won’t fit.
- Test every item: When was the last time you used it? Is it still in working order? Will you use it again?
- Check sentiment vs. sense: A CompareTheMarket survey found that 56% of women and 43% of men struggle to let go of sentimental items. Override emotions where you can, focusing on what you truly need.
3. Sell or Donate What You Don’t Need
For items in good condition:
- Online marketplaces: List on eBay or Gumtree for fast local sales.
- Charity collection: Many local shops offer free furniture donation collection services.
Pro tip: take clear photographs with descriptive titles—”Mid-century dresser in excellent condition“—to boost buyer interest.
4. Streamline Your Paperwork
Paper documents are heavy to move and easy to misplace:
- Cull out‑of‑date files: Shred policies for vehicles you sold years ago.
- Go digital: Scan essential documents and back them up to cloud storage (e.g., OneDrive or Google Drive).
- Organise the remaining papers in a labelled ring binder.
Consider switching to paperless billing for utilities to prevent future build-ups.
5. Use Up and Reuse Before You Acquire
As moving day nears:
- Finish perishables in your fridge; avoid buying new groceries.
- Use existing cleaning products and toiletries.
- Reallocate furniture and décor in advance if possible. Curtiss Moving & Storage offers short-term storage solutions if you need extra space (see Curtiss Removals storage).
6. Label, Pack and Prepare an Essentials Bag
Good labelling saves hours at the other end:
- Label sides and tops of every box with the room name and contents.
- Create an essentials bag: Pack a phone charger, a toothbrush, a change of clothes and bedding for your first night.
Keep a checklist of contacts handy—your estate agent, solicitor and removals team—so you can reach them in a flash.
7. Consider Professional Help
If your schedule is tight or you want peace of mind, enlist a professional removal company.
Curtiss Moving & Storage has over 140 years of experience in Portsmouth and beyond, complete with specialist vehicles, careful packing, and expert storage options.
Call us on 023 9298 5830 or fill out our quick and easy form for a quote.
