It’s 2022, and moving has not become any easier. You still have to spend quite a bit of time and money to get safely and securely from one home to the next. And a lot of those extra costs are due to the number of things you take with you. To put it bluntly, the more your moving van carries, the more you’ll have to pay the movers. 

Of course, you might think that movers themselves would be thrilled to take your hard-earned dollars and encourage you to take everything with you. But in reality, nothing can be further from the truth. Professionals, like the good people over at Oz Moving, actually recommend the opposite. The excess items will require more moving vans and additional work, which could drag the move by a few days, if not weeks. 

So, before you decide on moving house, you need to consider doing a bit of decluttering. In this article, you’ll learn why removing unnecessary items from your home is not only necessary but helpful. We will also go over the importance of decluttering once you’ve completely moved in. 

Negative Effects of Clutter

Generally speaking, clutter refers to a pile of things we don’t need or a messy bunch of items that need to be sorted out. Naturally, it doesn’t necessarily have to look like a big pile in the middle of the room. Clutter can manifest in many different forms, including:

• Crammed drawers that can barely open or close
• Piles of papers on your desk
• Books stacked on a table or nightstand
• An enormous number of statues, knick-knacks, and objects d’art on shelves
• Stacks of unwashed dishes

Obviously, clutter can negatively impact your daily life. For instance, nobody will want to hang around your home if it’s constantly messy or crowded. Furthermore, you will feel trapped and stuffy, as if you’re living in a closet full of old clothes. 

But there are other, more serious negative effects of clutter on your physical and mental health.  First and foremost, too much stuff will collect dust, and mildew might start growing. That’s the perfect recipe for allergies, coughing, and respiratory problems. In addition, it can pose a potential fire hazard. In terms of mental health, people who live in cluttered homes tend to suffer from anxiety, depression, and stress more often than those in spacious homes. 

No matter how you slice it, decluttering is good for you. So, let’s focus on some of the direct benefits of getting rid of those extra few items. 

Decluttering Before You Move

Keeping Track of Each Item

Even moderate moves tend to come with a lot of stuff. On average, you can expect to take tens of thousands of items with you. That’s quite a lot, and if you can reduce the number, you’ll make the move easier.

But reduction is also necessary for other practical reasons. For instance, you can keep track of your stuff more easily when there are fewer moving pieces. 

Reducing Move Costs

Moving can cost anywhere between $500 and $5,000, depending on where you live and where you intend to move. And yes, the more items you take with you, the more expensive the whole ordeal will be for you. And you would definitely want to save as much money as possible during an event as busy as the move. 

By taking fewer items, you will reduce the need for additional vans, trucks, or other modes of transportation. Moreover, your movers will feel somewhat less burdened and ready to go without having to carry all of that stuff. 

Earning on the Side

Selling old items is helpful and profitable. The profit part is easy enough to understand — you sell any decent and working item that you don’t need and earn some cash doing it. More importantly, you’re not sending all of those items to the landfill.

Of course, you can always donate your items to charity. Groups like Goodwill and Salvation Army will gladly take old clothes, shoes, dishes, blankets, or any item that other people can reuse. Such donations can also be used as tax write-offs. 

Reducing Health Hazards

We’ve already noted some of the health hazards related to clutter. By tidying your home, you’ll reduce stress levels and clean dust or dirt that might cause allergies. Moving is stressful, so give yourself every ounce of positive energy and health to press onward. 

A Sense of Closure

Getting rid of the stuff you don’t need and keeping only what you really need is cathartic. You can look back at your life in your old home, reflect, and leave it feeling positive. Decluttering is an excellent life hack to help you go through the move feeling more relaxed, having closed this chapter of your life. 

Decluttering After You Move

Yes, you can declutter after you move, and we encourage you to do so. After all, there are plenty of benefits of sorting your stuff out once you cross the front door of your new home. 

First and foremost, you’re doing one final sweep of the items you’ve decided to keep. This extra stage of sifting is incredibly crucial, as it will show you what your most important items are, the ones you can’t live without. That way, you will have a good reference point should you need to move again.

Next, there’s the matter of earning a bit of money selling your clutter. By organizing a garage sale or a giveaway, you gain two types of benefits. The first one refers to getting paid for your items. The other benefit that comes from sales and giveaways is getting to know your neighborhood. 

And to top it all off, you will feel amazing once you combine the final stages of your move and the decluttering process. It will give you a sense of accomplishment.

Decluttering Summed Up

Be it before or after the move, you need to declutter your home. It might not seem like a big deal to some, but getting rid of those excess things in your closet or desk drawer can help you in the long run, financially as well as health-wise. 

—written by Oz Moving