Moving into a new home can be exciting and adventurous, but taking the time to pack up can become a total nightmare if your home is cluttered and unorganized. There are some simple tips and tricks you can follow to make the move go as smoothly as possible. Here are five ways to declutter your home before moving into a new one:

Start With Trash

You will be surprised to discover how much trash will make a home look cluttered. Even small pieces of trash like napkins and empty water bottles can turn a home into a busy-looking one. Grab a trash bag and go around each room and pick up items that can be considered trash. Don’t forget to grab a separate bag for items that can go in the recycling bin. Start from top to bottom. Clear trash off of desks and high traffic areas, and then work downwards towards small pieces of trash on the floor.

Four Boxes

If you want to completely declutter your home before it’s time for the big move, it’s important to organize yourself and the way you clean. Set out four large boxes and label each one: trash, recycle, donation, and keep. Sit down and sort through the items and decide what is worth keeping, what is trash, and what items can be donated to thrift stores. If you have trouble deciding, think about the last time you used the item and if you really need it. Don’t need it? FlatRate will help you donate!

Pack as You Clean

Just like the previous tip, when you are deciding on what items to keep and what items to throw out, pack them up into boxes as you clear rooms. If you decide to keep items, don’t leave them lying around the house until its moving day. You have four boxes set out to categorize items, including ones you want to keep. Put them away as soon as you decide to keep them. This way you will save time cleaning and packing. Don’t forget to organize your kept items into several boxes specified for each room of the house. This way when you arrive in your new home, you won’t have to play guessing games and open up each box.

Mark a Starting Point and a Finish Line

It can seem overwhelming to pack up and clean an entire house, but baby steps are the key to successful packing. Pick a starting point and an endpoint. Select a single room of the house to start and spend a few hours clearing it out before moving on to the next room. Leave high traffic areas and rooms for last as they will get dirty again quickly due to their constant use. Don’t want to do it yourself? FlatRate offers a variety of specialty moving services.

Leave Only the Necessities

The magic of hotel rooms is that they only provide the necessities. They always seem clean and organized because they only include life’s basics. Consider doing the same in your home by clearing out unnecessary household items. Pack highly used items and furniture last, and start by picking up items like board games, desks, bookshelves, and extra chairs or sofas. Once it gets closer to the big day, pack up items like clothes and kitchenware.

Contact FlatRate Moving today for your free Moving Quote today!