I’m not sure if you have ever moved before but, moving is a pain.
Don't get me wrong, I think moving into a new place is really exciting. Whether you are moving into a new apartment, buying your first house, downsizing a little bit, or just starting fresh somewhere new, it is all stressful in some type of way. But it’s all great at the same time. The one thing I think we can all agree on is that the actual process of packing everything up and moving it is not fun at all.
Ever since I started working at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® the one thing I've noticed is that most people don't realize how much stuff they have until they actually have to move. It completely blows my how much stuff people can fit into a house, apartment, garage, basement, or storage unit. I’ve seen people think they are ahead of the curve when it comes to packing, but then they start cleaning out closets, basements, and even garages and then they realize what they've really gotten themselves into.
It’s like, people start finding things they forget they had. So, with that, if I were moving tomorrow, these are probably the first things I'd look at getting rid of before I started packing.
1. Furniture You're Already Planning on Replacing
To me this one is probably the easiest one on the list. I know there are probably a lot of people who have been thinking about getting rid of their couch for the past year or so. Maybe it's old. Maybe it's worn out. Maybe it doesn't match anything anymore. Whatever the reason is, now is the time to get rid of it. There is no reason to bring it to your new home. I mean, maybe there is a reason, but most of the time there isn’t.
I know there are people who already plan on replacing their furniture maybe a couple weeks after they are settled in. If that is the case, I personally think at that point you're paying to move something that you don't even want any more. I just think that money could be better spent going toward the new furniture you're planning on buying anyways.
I would also say the same thing goes for old dressers, broken entertainment centers, tables with wobbly legs, or really anything that's on its last leg. If you've already made up your mind that it's going in the trash or getting donated after you settle in, then moving is probably the perfect time to just let it go instead of moving them.
2. Clothes You Never Wear
I am even guilty of this. Everybody has clothes sitting in their closet that they swear they're going to wear again someday. I'm talking about the shirt you've been meaning to wear for two years. The jeans that don't fit anymore. The sweatshirt sitting in the back corner of the closet that you completely forgot about up until now.
I think this is where the magic of moving happens. For a lot of people, it forces them to pick up every single item they own and decide whether it's worth bringing with them or not. Just stop and think about it right now, if you haven't worn something in over a year, there's a pretty good chance you're not suddenly going to start wearing it after you move. Donating a few bags of clothes can free up a surprising amount of space and make packing a whole lot easier.
3. Old Electronics
I don't know why this happens, but everybody has a box of random electronics somewhere. There's usually an old printer, a handful of chargers, random cords, batteries, old remotes, maybe even a laptop that hasn't turned on since 2013. The thing I am so surprised about is somehow that box still survives every move for most families.
The reason I think it survives is because people convince themselves they'll need them someday. Then someday never comes. So, I suggest before you pack all of that stuff up again, take five minutes and go through it. You might be surprised by how much of it you don't actually need anymore.
4. The Stuff You're Going to Use "Someday"
Trust me, I'm guilty of this too. I would like to think everybody has a few things sitting around that they're definitely going to use someday. Maybe it's a workout machine, a project you started that you never have time to get to, or maybe it's some hobby you were excited about for two weeks.
Whatever it is, if it's been sitting in the exact same spot for a couple of years, then it is probably a good time to have an honest conversation with yourself. Because let's be real, if it hasn't been touched in three years, there's probably a reason.
5. Duplicate Kitchen Stuff
For some reason I’ve noticed kitchens collects stuff faster than any room in the house. I’m not really sure how it happens, but one day you have three coffee mugs and then the next thing you know you've got fifteen. You’ll also notice you got extra spatulas, extra pans, random cups, water bottles, and kitchen gadgets that sounded like a great idea when you bought them but only have used them once.
I'm not saying you need to get rid of everything, but moving is a great opportunity to go through it all and figure out what you actually use. Chances are you'll find plenty of things that can be donated, thrown away, or left behind.
6. Stuff Sitting in Storage
This one can actually save people money too. Over the past year, I've talked to plenty of people who pay for a storage unit every month but haven't actually looked inside it in forever. Before moving day comes around, I think it's worth taking a walk through and seeing what's really in there. A lot of times people realize they don't even want half of the stuff anymore. I'm not saying get rid of everything in storage, but I do think moving is a good excuse to finally go through it and decide what's actually worth keeping.
7. Anything That Makes You Say "Maybe", Get Rid of it
This is probably one of my biggest rules. When packing if you pick something up and immediately say: "Maybe I'll use it.", "Maybe I'll fix it.", "Maybe I'll need it." You most likely already know the answer. I would say most of the time we talk ourselves into keeping things because it's easier than making a decision. In one short year, I have noticed moving has a funny way of forcing those decisions. and honestly, that's one of the good things about moving. I think it gives you a chance to start fresh and only bring the things that actually matter to you.
Those are just the seven things I would personally look at getting rid of before moving. I'm definitely no expert... at least not yet. But I have been around a lot of people who have moved, and I've had plenty of conversations with customers and movers about things they wish they would've done differently. I'm not saying you need to throw away half your house before moving. But I do think most people have more stuff than they realize.
If you've got stuff you don't use, don't want, or forgot you even owned it, I think moving is probably the perfect time to do something about it. Whether you are donating it, selling it, or throwing it away. At the end of the day, every item you keep is something that has to be packed, loaded, unloaded, and unpacked. If you go through everything and follow the 7 things I would get rid of before moving you will have less unnecessary stuff you bring with you, and that just makes the entire process easier.
Like I said, I am no expert, but if there's one thing I've learned from being around movers, it's that most people finish unpacking and realize there were a bunch of things they never needed to bring in the first place. You might as well save yourself the time, effort, and headache before moving day even gets here.
Written By: DaShawn Williams
