The reason I know this is because I have moved a decent amount in my life. At first, it never seems that bad. In your head, you are thinking that you should probably start packing early, that you should probably stay organized, and that you’ll have everything figured out before moving day gets here. But then before you know it, you've got boxes everywhere; you have stuff all over the floor, and somehow, you're even finding things you haven't seen in five years. These are things that you forgot you owned. Some of it is probably stuff you borrowed years ago and completely forgot to give back.
Ever since I started working at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, the one thing I've noticed is that almost everybody has more stuff than they think they do. I’ve been on a lot of moves, and I don't care if you live in a small apartment, a house, or even a shed. Most people start packing and realize pretty quickly that they have a lot more stuff than they even know what to do with. I know this ties into the last blog I wrote, but here are the reasons why I think decluttering before moving is one of the best things you can do.
You'll Have Less Stuff to Pack
I’m pretty sure everyone is going to think this one sounds obvious, but it's true. The less stuff you have, the less stuff you have to pack. In a way it is really simple but also not at the same time.
Personally, I like looking at it one item at a time. Every item you decide to get rid of is one less item that needs to be packed in a box, carried out the house, unloaded on the truck, and also unpacked later.
I think a lot of people underestimate how much time packing actually takes. It isn't usually the big furniture that slows people down. It's all the little things scattered throughout the house, like the small decorations sitting on the shelves, little random things in the kitchen drawers, and all of the other miscellaneous items you can’t even think of. Ultimately, I would say if you can get rid of some of that before moving day, you're already making your life easier.
It Can Save You Money
Who doesn’t like to save money? I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for ways to save a little money. I think most people are. So, if you've got stuff like furniture, boxes, or just some random items that you already know you're going to throw away after the move, why pay to move them?
I mean, maybe there's a reason, but a lot of times I know there isn’t. I've talked about this before in a previous blog, but if you've already decided you're replacing something, after the move, I just think it doesn’t really make much sense to move it. I think the same goes for stuff that's broken, outdated, or just collecting dust. It just makes sense that the less unnecessary stuff you move, the easier the entire moving process will become. At the end of the day, the less stuff you move, means the less time it takes to moves. And all of that can save you money during the move.
It Gives You a Fresh Start
To me, this is probably one of the biggest benefits of moving. There is no better feeling than having a fresh start. You are moving into a new place; you are setting everything up the way you want it and most importantly you are starting a new chapter in your life.
Is there a reason why you are bringing the clutter with you?
Personally, I like to think that moving gives people a really good opportunity to take a step back and ask themselves what they actually want in their new home. Whether its new furniture, décor, or overall, a whole new style. I think once you actually start getting rid of stuff, you’ll realize you have been just holding on to it simply because it has always been there.
I am a firm believer that moving gives you a chance to hit the reset button a little bit, and with that I feel like that is something more people should take advantage of.
Packing Becomes Way Less Stressful
One thing I noticed is that decluttering first, makes packing a lot easier. You're not standing there with a box in one hand trying to decide if you should keep something or not. It gives you that sense of relief, knowing you've already made that decision. It makes packing a lot easier. You’re not constantly stopping and asking yourself what stays or what goes.
You can focus on actually getting packed. I’ve talked to people who moved a handful of times throughout their lives, and one thing I heard super often is that decluttering beforehand really does make moving a lot less stressful. I'm not saying it takes all of the stress away, but it definitely takes a lot of it away.
You'll Probably Be Surprised by How Much Stuff You Own
I know I mention this all the time, but this is a real problem.
Once you start going through closets, basements, garages, storage rooms, and even spare bedrooms, then you will suddenly start finding things you completely forgot you had. I've seen it happen over and over again. And it's always funny because people will pull something out and immediately say, "Wow, I forgot I even owned this."
The thing is, if you forgot you owned it, I would like to think there is a pretty good chance you don't really need it. I’m not saying always, but a lot of the time you don’t need it.
Moving Day Is Already Stressful Enough
I think we all need to be honest for a second. No matter how organized we think we are, moving day is probably going to be a little chaotic.
This is when you have tons of people coming in and out of the house, you have boxes everywhere, you have furniture being moved, and probably about a hundred different things running through your head So in my opinion, the last thing you want is to be standing in the garage the night before your move, trying to decide whether you're keeping something or throwing it away.
I think if you want to save yourself some stress you would probably much rather want to make those decisions a few weeks ahead of time when there's no pressure.
Unpacking Gets Easier Too
I would say most people spend a lot of time thinking about packing, but not many people think about unpacking. It might be a little less stressful, but honestly, unpacking can be just as exhausting.
After moving day, the last thing you want to do is sort through a bunch of boxes filled with stuff they don't even use. But if you declutter like I suggest, you're only unpacking things you actually want in your new home, and that just makes getting settled in a whole lot easier, less stressful, and more enjoyable.
My Final Thoughts
I know I said this in my last blog, but I'm definitely not an expert... at least not yet. The thing is after spending time around movers and talking with customers, there are things I’ve noticed everyone repeats and one of them is that almost nobody regrets getting rid of stuff before they move, but they usually regret bringing things they never needed in the first place.
I'm not saying you need to get rid of half your house. That's not the point I am trying to get across. What I am saying is that I believe moving gives you a really good opportunity to go through your stuff and decide what's actually worth bringing with you.
If you can get rid of some of the things that you don't use anymore, that you don't want, or that you forgot you even had, you’ll probably make packing easier, unpacking easier, and honestly the whole moving process just a lot less stressful. Lastly, if there's one thing I think we can all agree on, it's that moving is stressful enough already.
Written by: DaShawn Williams
