When it comes to your family home, moving out is never as simple as throwing your stuff into some boxes and putting them in a new house. In most cases, there are decades of memory-filled momentos to sort through, from old soccer trophies and elementary school drawings to heirloom furniture and personal knick knacks that no one else quite appreciates. For anyone looking to downsize or move to another state, shedding some of those odds and ends is a necessity. There are many ways to go about it, but these are tried-and-true methods for thinning out your furniture, clothing, and collections before moving.
Sort Your Belongings
Netflix is full of organization-focused shows these days, such as Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and Get Organized with The Home Edit, where people are tasked with sorting through and paring down their personal belongings. While each show in this genre is a bit different, they all share similar processes when it comes to cutting the clutter, and it all starts with sorting through your effects. Sort your stuff into categories, then thin down each pile by deciding what to keep, what to donate, and what to sell. This task can take a long time and sorting through sentimental belongings requires a lot of emotional energy, so do yourself a favor and break the process up into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Identify Your Resources
It’s one thing to move your belongings into categorized piles and another thing entirely to decide what to do with the items you no longer wish to keep. Get your family members involved, if you are holding onto old mementos that they may wish to store or use. Liquidate items of value quickly through an estate sale or yard sale. Alternatively, gently used clothing, art and furniture can get a second life when you sell them to a local consignment shop. You may even wish to list high-value goods for sale individually online, especially if maximum profit-per-item is your goal. It is also a great idea to consider donating unwanted possessions to charities that support the local community, such as women’s shelters and housing security efforts. Lastly, toss out anything that can’t be sold, donated, or recycled.
Clean Out the Corners
Once the clutter has been managed, give yourself a pat on the back and break out the cleaning supplies – your job isn’t done yet! In order to maximize your home’s potential sale price, it is important to have a fresh, clean space to show buyers. When dealing with an empty nest, the smallest corners and crevices tend to hold onto all of the dirt and grime that mops and brooms couldn’t quite reach over the years. While there are many ways to deep clean these spaces yourself, the quickest and most effective way to refresh your interior is to hire a professional cleaning crew.
Downsizing to a smaller space can be a daunting task for anyone, but there is nothing quite like going through a home that holds decades of memories. When emptying the nest, remember to take your time, ask for help, and be kind to yourself during the process.