Thinking of moving home in 2024?
Take a look at my 8 top tips to help you plan your move and get your home ready for sale.
Decluttering before moving may seem like an additional task during an already busy time, but I promise you that being organised and making a plan of action will always save you time and stress in the long run.
In this blog - top tips for moving house
- Unpacking in your new home
The benefits of getting organised and decluttering before moving house
Moving home is the perfect opportunity to declutter and sort through your belongings.
It will help you organise your home and prepare your house for sale – a clutter-free home will be more attractive to prospective buyers.
You’ll only be taking things that you love, need and use to your new home. This will save time and money, reducing packing and removal costs.
It will be easier to unpack in your new home and find a place for everything as the things you take will already be organised.
Plan your move
Create a detailed, step-by-step plan outlining weekly tasks leading up to your moving day. This will monitor your progress and will help to prevent any last-minute stress as your move date approaches.
Consider bringing in a professional to help with moving house. A professional organiser can stage your home for sale, manage your move, assist with decluttering, and help you unpack and set up your new home.
Start thinking about how you’ll live in your new home
One of the first things I ask my clients who are moving to a new home is how they want their new place to look and feel, and how they're going to live in it. This is like thinking about your Ideal Lifestyle, which is the first step in the KonMari Method.
Here are some helpful questions to think about:
What attracted you to your new home? Think about this when you decide what to bring with you and how to optimise the space.
How do you want to arrange and use each room?
Do you need a space to work from home?
Will you be entertaining or having guests stay?
Don’t overlook this step as it’s your guide for deciding what things to take to your new home. It will help you choose what furniture or items (like toys the children have outgrown, linens you don’t use, dishes, glasses and clothes) you can declutter before the move.
Take videos or pictures of each room from different angles in your new home. This will help you as you plan the layout of each room and remind you of the location of things you need to consider like electrical sockets.
Ask the estate agent for a property floorplan and measure your own furniture so you can confidently decide how things will fit in the living room and bedrooms. This will help you decide whether you need to buy or get rid of any furniture before the move. There’s nothing worse than turning up at your new home and having too much furniture that it feels crowded (or equally too little).
Create an Inventory of all your furniture
It’s useful to make a room-by-room list of everything that you know you’ll be moving with. You can share this with removal firms when they provide a quote, and it will highlight the items that need to be discarded (given to family, sold or recycled) before the move.
How to declutter before moving home
Begin decluttering as soon as you decide to move home. This will free up space in your current home, making it look more spacious and attractive to potential buyers. It also saves you time and money when it comes to packing up and moving, as you won’t be moving things you no longer need. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve helped people unpack in their new home and they’ve said “Oh I don’t need that anymore” or, even worse, we’ve discovered an empty box of cornflakes that was packed by the removals team.
Think about the big stuff and little stuff separately.
Often, when you’re moving, you focus on how you declutter larger items of furniture, but it’s important not to forget all the other things in wardrobes, cupboards and drawers around your home. These little things will fill up packing boxes, and you’ll have to find homes for them.
What to do with items you no longer need when you are moving home?
Things you no longer need can be;
Offered to family and friends first
Sold on eBay, Facebook or through an auction house
Offered to charity – many like British Heart Foundation or local hospice charities will collect furniture and electrical items from your home.
Declutter by category
If you it difficult to decide what to keep or discard try doing it by category (meaning looking at similar items all at the same time). For example, looking at all your crockery at once, then your linens or types of clothes. Doing this allows you to see how many similar items you own and if you have duplicates, which makes it easier to confidently decide what to keep or let go.
If you have shelves of books and DVDs or lots of ovenware that you haven’t used in a long time, I encourage you to keep your favourite items, the ones that Spark Joy for you and let the other things go. The same applies to bedding and linens; it’s easy to forget what’s stored in different cupboards around the home. Looking at everything together and thinking about the number of beds in the new home and what’s needed makes decisions easier.
Use a declutter checklist to guide you through each category one step at a time. It will help you see your progress and stay on track. Download your checklist here.
Questions to ask yourself as you declutter
· Do I love it or use it?
· When did I last use it?
· Would I buy it again?
Shop from your stock & book a grocery shop
Don’t forget about your food cupboards, toiletries and other consumables. It’s always easier to move in with low stocks and then buy your staple items as you need them. Use the last few weeks in your current home to work your way through the freezer and kitchen cupboards and then check to see whether there’s anything out of date or no longer needed that can be given away.
Once you know your moving date book an online grocery shop for the following morning.
Removal Companies and Packing
If you are using a removal company, contact a few once your chain is complete. Once they provide a quote, you’ll be in their system, and it’s easier to book a removal date once it’s agreed upon. I recommend using a professional packing service, as it’s done on the day before the move and means you don’t need to worry about boxing up anything until your move.
Pack as you go
If you’re packing yourself invest in good quality packing materials and bubble wrap to safely transport your possessions. The IKEA moving box range (DUNDERGUBBE) is a reasonably priced option.
Start early by packing items you definitely won’t need, like Christmas decorations or out-of-season clothes. As you get closer to moving day pack similar items together and label the boxes with their main contents and their destination in your new homes. Label both the top and side of each box (as boxes are often stacked on top of each other) – this will make it easier to unpack and get settled into your new home.
If any boxes are going into storage create an inventory of what goes in and make sure that any boxes you may need access to are at the front of the storage unit.
Pack a moving day box
It’s always handy to have a box filled with essentials for moving day. Keep a kettle, mugs, tea and biscuits, phone chargers and car keys close to hand.
If you are using a removal firm, you should still transport your laptop, valuables, important financial and personal documents in your own car, so you know they are safely transported.
Unpacking in your new home
It can be overwhelming as all the boxes and furniture are unloaded into your new home, so having a floor plan of where the furniture will be going will make decisions easier as items are brought into the house.
Focus on getting the beds made and unpacking kitchen boxes once you get into your new home. This means you’ll be able to have a takeaway at the end of the day, get a good first night's sleep in your new home and then make breakfast the following morning.
As you start unpacking boxes you’ll really appreciate the decluttering you’ve done before the move. Everything you unpack will be something you love or need, which will make it easier for you to find a home for it.
Updated January 2024
If you’re planning a move and aren’t sure where to start or have recently moved in but still have boxes to unpack, find out how I can help you with my moving home service here.
Are you ready to start living A Life More Organised?
I’m Sue, a professional home organiser and KonMari Consultant based in Hampshire, UK.
I trained with Marie Kondo and the KonMari team and help busy people declutter, organise and simplify their homes so they can get on with the important job of enjoying life.
For a no-obligation chat about how I can help, please get in touch
m: 07740 782575 www.alifemoreorganised.co.uk
I'd love to keep in touch - why not follow me on Instagram or join in the conversation in my Facebook group Rightsize your home - helping families declutter, organise or downsize
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