Between packing boxes, labeling essentials, and coordinating logistics, it's easy to forget one crucial moving step: removing unwanted items and decluttering. Purging unwanted items before moving day can save you time, money, and stress. This blog will be your guide to a streamlined move, with some ideas on how to remove unwanted items before moving day.
Junk Removal and Moving: Why Is It Important?
Moving is a lengthy and stressful process, but it’s a great time to declutter, clean, and start fresh in a new space. When you’re preparing to move, take stock of what you have in your current space and decide if it’s worth bringing with you. Odds are you’ve acquired extra furniture, electronics, appliances, and other items you don’t use anymore.
Reducing clutter before you move can help you save time and money during the process. You’ll deal with fewer boxes and larger items to move. It’ll also streamline the unpacking process; you’ll have fewer tasks to worry about when you’re settling into your new home.
Five Ways to Remove Junk Before Moving
Removing your unwanted items will help you start fresh in your new space. If you’re struggling with ideas on how to get rid of things, here are a few places to get started:
1. Donate to Charity
Charities such as Goodwill and The Salvation Army gladly take donations of any size, including larger items like furniture, appliances, and exercise equipment.
You don’t necessarily have to transport these items to local donation centers yourself. In fact, a lot of these places will come to your home and pick up these items. Also, donating them can be written off on your taxes at the end of the year. Call your local donation center for more information on what your options are in your area.
2. Host a Yard Sale
Hosting a yard sale is a great way to get rid of unwanted items while also making some money you can use later in the moving process.
If you don’t have time to host a full yard sale, you can offer things to family or friends. You can also post on community groups such as Nextdoor that you have items you’re looking to give away to neighbors. As a last resort, you can leave them outside with a note to your neighbors that your items are free.
3. Sell Online
It’s never been easier to remove your unwanted items from the comfort of your own home. There are plenty of online marketplace sites where you can list your items to sell or give away including Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. These sites allow you to customize your selling options. You can list items for free or sell them and have buyers come pick up items to reduce the number of to-dos on your moving checklist.
4. Recycle
When you’re moving, it can be tempting to simply throw unwanted items straight in the trash. However, a lot of that stuff can end up in dumps and landfills, which isn’t all that good for the environment. Most junk items can be recycled, especially things made primarily of metal, wood, fibers, foam, and glass. For example, you likely can recycle that old mattress, furniture, appliance, or electronics.
You can go online and find information from the EPA on how to safely dispose of just about any junk item you can imagine. Online directories like Earth911 can help you easily find recycling facilities near you.
5. Hire a Removal Service
If all else fails, or you’ve run out of time and need your items removed quickly, you can hire a professional junk removal service to come and take your items away. The downside to these services is that they cost money, which is another added expense in the moving process. Prices will vary depending on what service you use and how many items you need removed.
Some removal companies do donate your items to charity, which can be used as a tax write-off. Be sure to double-check with each company you research to see what their process is.
Learn More About the Moving Process
Moving is a long process and a lot of unexpected things can pop up along the way—decluttering and junk removal is just one step of many. Check out the rest of the Bailey’s Moving and Storage learning center for more helpful tips and tricks that will get you through every step of the moving process.
This article on common questions people have about the moving process is a great place to start.
