Decluttering Inspiration: Out With the Old to Make Room for the New

Once you’ve decided to move, you should unclutter your belongings room by room and take the time to consider how long it’s been since you’ve used certain items, where they will go in the new home and if they will be difficult to move. By taking the time to declutter before your move, you’ll save yourself time and money throughout the process. Get started with our checklist to declutter before a move.

Give yourself plenty of time to declutter and pack before your moving day. By clearing out junk before packing, you’ll know exactly what you’re moving over and won’t waste effort transporting belongings you have no use for. Decluttering before packing will also make it easier to group items and label boxes, saving time when you get to your new home. Just as you decluttered the house, you should pack up your belongings one room at a time. Prepare yourself for a pleasant unpacking experience with these tips on how to declutter and pack before a move.

Moving to a new home should be a fresh start, so you don’t want useless junk following you there. Declutter your home now for a happier, more organized future.

Household junk has a way of building up over time, and part of knowing how to get rid of clutter is understanding which items you really don’t need. (We’re looking at you, beat-up couch from college and rickety bookshelf your aunt donated to your first apartment.) Both you and your partner should get rid of items that are obviously clutter in your current spaces before you get into the nitty-gritty of decluttering. Check out our room-by-room guide on how to get rid of stuff around the house to prepare for this new beginning.

Now that your definite clutter items are gone, it’s time for the hard part: deciding which of your useable items make the most sense to hang onto. As you declutter before the move-in, there are a few questions you and your significant other should ask yourselves about the things you’re keeping:

• Will we both use this?
• Will this be used in the near future?
• Does this fit in with the look of our shared space?
• Are there duplicates of this item?

With duplicate items, you should decide to keep the higher quality item or whichever one you both like better. For all other items that don’t pass the test, you can sell, donate or throw them away.

Both you and your significant other should imagine what items would make you feel at home and what items would make you feel out of place in your new space. Then, together you can clear out anything that would get in the way of your partner’s comfortability. Moving in together should be a positive step forward, and clutter shouldn’t get in the way of that.

The first goal for organizing and decluttering your home before a remodel should be to prep the space for construction. But how much decluttering do you need to do? That will depend on the scope of your work, whether you’re remodeling the kitchen, your bedroom or the entire house. And since you have to clear out space for the renovation to take place, why not resolve to clear the clutter for good?

As you’re packing up the areas to be renovated, evaluate items you don’t use, don’t need or that won’t fit with the updated layout. Pack up everything you’re going to keep, and throw out or donate the rest. Manage anxiety throughout the remodeling process with our five-step guide to planning a home renovation.

Remodeling your home takes a big investment of time and money. When the renovations are complete, don’t let clutter get in the way of a new start in the home of your dreams.

One of the most exciting pre-baby projects is designing and decorating the nursery. As the baby’s arrival gets closer, get proper organization systems in place for sorting clothes, diapers, linens, toys, books and any other childcare supplies, so you’re always able to find what you need.

As you create a nursery, playroom and any other kid-friendly spaces in your home, you’ll likely need to clear out furniture and belongings that no longer have a clear purpose in those areas. This is a great time to determine what items can be repurposed, such as bookshelves or chairs, and what items you’re ready to part ways with.

Since your child won’t be confined to their room, you should make sure the rest of your house is baby-friendly as well, with no dangerous items around and easy-to-find extras of all the essentials in your other rooms. Take time to declutter all of your home’s major areas, clearing out anything that’s potentially dangerous for a child and items you no longer need at this stage in life. It’s important to look at the decluttering process not as the end to your current lifestyle, but as a new beginning you’re eager to make room for.

Life will be unpredictable once your baby arrives, so set yourself up for success beforehand by preparing an organized, relaxing space for your growing family. Get started with our easy tips for creating a decluttering plan.

In order to move on and start anew, you need to clear out everything you no longer need, especially items attached to unpleasant memories. It may be difficult to start uncluttering, but once these items are gone, you’ll wonder why you didn’t get rid of them sooner. If there are items you no longer need but are in good condition, donating or giving them away can give you a sense of freedom while helping out someone else. And don’t be afraid to ask for – or hire – some help to move any heavy things. You don’t have to tackle this on your own.

Whether you’re moving out or settling in on your own for the first time, you can feel happy, confident and in control of this new life phase by decluttering, reorganizing and redecorating the space. Challenge yourself to keep and bring in only things that match the person you are now, and get rid of the rest. Having trouble deciding where to begin? Find inspiration with our 10-step guide on how to declutter your home.

Focus on moving forward, rather than on what you may have lost, by creating a space that is truly your own and cutting out any clutter that reminds you of what you’ve left behind.

The important thing here is to make them feel like your home is their home too. First, make sure you take into account any renovations your parents may require due to mobility issues, such as replacing doorknobs with levers, installing grab bars in the bathroom and checking railings.

You will also need to prepare for any privacy issues that could arise, making sure you’ve cleared out clutter to make room for dedicated personal spaces in the home. If you’re moving your parents into an existing room in your home, get rid of anything you don’t need and store items you’re keeping in labeled boxes.

If your parents are moving out of their current home, you’ll need to clear out their things and prepare the home to sell or rent. Richmond shares, “The most important thing you can learn to do before moving your elderly parents into your home is to listen. It can be hard to make decisions as we age, and attachments to simple household items can deepen. So do your best to step into their shoes. Doing so will enhance bonding and create a profound opportunity to connect in a new way.”

Though it’s difficult when items have sentimental value attached to them, it’s important to be realistic when decluttering. For storage and space reasons alone, you may need to let go of more than you’d originally thought. These downsizing tips can come in handy while paring down items your parents are planning to bring with them.

Moving a parent into your home is only the beginning of a complicated, and in some cases, increasingly difficult journey. By decluttering and getting organized now, you’ll free up time for yourself down the road so you can focus on your parents as their needs change.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy, and when it comes to going through their belongings, you shouldn’t have to do it alone or feel like you need to clean out the house in a single day. Work with family and friends, and give yourself time to declutter the home as you work through the grieving process. Start with important documents and belongings. Divide items into donate, keep and throw-away piles, and find strategies to make decluttering sentimental items easier.

Most importantly while decluttering, try to be conscious of the difference between items that are truly sentimental and items you may be tempted to keep out of feelings of guilt or obligation. For help getting started, follow these tips for cleaning up a house after the death of a relative.

Cleaning out a relative’s home can be both physically and emotionally draining, but it is something that needs to get done. From securing the home, reviewing the will and setting a timeline to have the house emptied, to bringing in other family members and deciding on plans for the estate, this is a time you will need support. We’ve consulted estate cleanout experts to compile a step-by-step guide for handling an estate cleanout to help you begin this process.

The grieving process is difficult enough on its own, and often times, keeping clutter around can prevent you from moving forward and finding closure. By tackling the clutter head-on while armed with the right tips, you’re able to take control of your grief and get through the job with as little hardship as possible.