Relocations mean fresh beginnings, which is just as exciting as it is scary. Uprooting your whole life and changing your surroundings will surely make you a bit sentimental, and that can significantly affect your decisions on what to keep when moving. That’s why we gathered essential info that will help you figure out what is worth keeping and what doesn’t deserve a spot in your Philadelphia home.
It’s not easy wrapping up your entire household inventory. Plus, you probably don’t even know how many items you have in your house. It can take weeks to pack every room, and you will probably ask yourself – is it really worth all the effort? Should you take it all with you, or is it better to declutter? We believe that decluttering is the way to go, and we can show you how to best approach this task. Keep reading to find out the best tips for sorting through your belongings and deciding what to keep.
Why Is Getting Rid of Old Stuff Before the Move Essential?
What to keep and what to sell when moving? Or is donating the way to go? These questions are likely giving you relocation stress, but there’s no reason to. If you feel like giving up, and you’re considering simply taking with you everything you own, we can give you a few reasons that will persuade you to go through with decluttering. Even though it will be exhausting and require a lot of time, it’s an essential task on your relocation to-do list.
Decluttering Will Help You Pack Quicker and Save Money
The more stuff you get rid of, the easier it will be to pack – that much is obvious. But, what most people don’t realize is that throwing away old stuff will make a significant difference on their expenses checklist. Why is that? Well, not only will it save you plenty of money on packing supplies, but it will also mean that the cost of relocating will be lower. The estimate is based on the number of belongings you wish to move – if you have less, your local relocation will be cheaper.
How to Decide What to Get Rid of and What to Keep When Moving to Your New Philly Place?
What to keep, what to throw away? How do you know what items are worth moving? To move efficiently, you must think practically. We know that it’s hard to throw away things that have been sitting around your home for years. Some of those have sentimental value, some you believe you will use again, but whatever the reason is, you can easily fit them in one of two categories – keep or throw out – if you follow the tips below.
Is There Space for All These Things in Your House?
If your move from one Philadelphia neighborhood to another means you will exchange a house for an apartment, you must consider the possibility that not all of your belongings will fit in your place. Even if you are having an apartment relocation, that doesn’t mean you will have enough space in your soon-to-be apartment. You should ask yourself if you want your place to be crowded with old stuff, or you want to pack only what you like and need.
What Should I Purge Before Moving?
Sometimes, it’s better to pack less and later buy items that will be more suitable to the style of your place. In case you have to pack to move in a hurry, you might not even have the chance to pack everything, so you will have to take only the important stuff. When purging, it’s wise to think like this – do I use this item regularly, or did I use it in the previous year? If the answers are no, it may be good to throw those items out. They will just be collecting dust in your rooms.
What Should You Take From Your Bedroom?
If you are familiar with the essential relocation hacks, you know that it’s a good idea to pack clothes a few weeks before the move. You won’t wear every piece of clothing you own in those short few weeks, right? So, your wardrobe is an excellent place to start. Like most, you probably scheduled your move for a hot summer day, and that’s why you should first declutter your winter wardrobe and the summer one after that. Here are some guidelines that can help you decide if a particular piece of clothing is worth keeping:
- How often do you wear it?
- Is it out of style?
- Do you feel comfortable wearing it?
- Is it made of high-quality material?
- Do you have other similar pieces?
When it comes to your bed, nightstand, lamps, or other furniture you keep in the bedroom, we suggest you consider if it will fit in your new bedroom. If you want to have a bit of fun with the interior design of your home but still don’t wish to sell or donate your stuff, you can store it. Philly movers from our relocation company can provide you with in- and-out-of storage relocation service if you contact us. For additional help, check out the video below to see some tips on decluttering clothes and so many other things from your home.
How to Sort Items From the Living Room?
Packing furniture from the living room is a demanding task, that’s for sure. Should you keep all of it? Well, not necessarily. You can sell stuff that you no longer need, or you can donate it – there are many places for donation in Philadelphia. Check out Philadelphia Furniture Bank, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, The Salvation Army Family Store & Donation Center, or Goodwill Donation Center. If you own a piano, you will surely want to take it with you. It’s tricky to move a piano, that’s well-known, but you can always call our movers for labor-only service.
You will probably pack electronics quickly – there’s not much to think about here, except how to keep your screens safe. But, let us mention one of our tips. You should consider leaving behind outdated devices if you have any. You may not know this, but electronic devices can be recycled. However, that’s not such a common practice yet. Retrievr is one of the companies that deal with recycling electronics (and they also recycle clothes, by the way), so you can contact them and quickly get rid of devices that aren’t good for use anymore.
Should You Pack All of Your Books?
Well, this is going to be a challenge. You’ve been collecting books for years, and you have countless of them – wrapping books won’t be easy. Our suggestion is to take whatever you believe is worth a place on your shelf. It may take a bit of time to pack all of the titles from your home library, but imagine how nice it will be to see them on freshly painted shelves in your West Philadelphia neighborhood.
How Do You Decide What to Pack From Your Kitchen?
If you thought that your biggest problem would be figuring out how to pack dishes, you were mistaken. Sure, that is difficult, but the problem is deciding whether you should pack all of them in the first place. Make sure you pack dishes that you cook in regularly but leave outside the boxes those that you haven’t taken out of the cabinet in the last few months. Why stock pots and pans if you only require two or three of those?
Leave the space for the stuff you have yet to buy. The same goes for wrapping glasses and plates – be sure not to pack plates as if you were about to feed an army. You wouldn’t want to start hoarding even before you have stepped foot in the house you will be living in. Also, remember to pack your kitchen appliances carefully – no one wants to go shopping for a microwave after an exhausting relocation day.
What Is Worth Relocating From the Bathroom?
Honestly, there’s not much to pack here. The bigger issue is cleaning all the bathroom surfaces once you start the extensive move-out cleaning. Some stuff from this room is usually overlooked – shower curtains are amongst the most commonly forgotten stuff to pack. But, if yours are old and stained, consider getting rid of them. Also, any hygiene products that have been opened a while ago and are almost empty shouldn’t be worth your energy – throw them out and continue to pack important stuff like toothbrushes, shower gel, and other essentials you use daily.
Sort Your Belongings – Make a Throw-Away Pile in Every Room
What should I throw away when I move? That’s a never-ending debate. Ultimately, the decision is up to you. You shouldn’t feel pressured to throw out stuff simply because you want to go for the more minimalist look in your new place, or all the tips are telling you that you have to declutter. If you have the place to store everything, you have the option of keeping it. We suggest you settle this inner conflict by going through room by room and sorting your belongings. Divide stuff into the following piles – keep, donate, throw, and sell (if you plan on having a garage sale). This will require your complete focus, but we believe in you.
Donate Stuff That Is in Good Condition
We have already mentioned donating furniture, but many other belongings can be donated and are in high demand. Clothing, various hygiene products, food (that’s not expired), toys, household stuff – these are all pretty useful for those less fortunate than you. If you can, head down to your local donation center and brighten someone’s day.
What Items Will Movers Not Move?
The list of stuff movers won’t move is a bit longer than you’d think, and it includes stuff that isn’t safe for transportation. Before you head to your new South Philadelphia neighborhood, remember to figure out what to do with these belongings:
- Food,
- Cleaning supplies,
- Plants,
- Guns and ammunition,
- Flammable materials,
- Paint,
- Batteries,
- Highly valuable belongings.
Protect Your Goods by Moving Locally With Professional Philly Movers
Is paying for packing assistance a good idea? Yes, it most certainly is if you’re not relocating on a tight budget. It’s especially beneficial for those who are relocating with pets and kids since we all know how demanding it can be. You should get yourself all the help you can – our professional packers and movers in Philadelphia are exactly what you have been looking for, and hiring them is one of the best things to do before relocating. You will not regret it if you contact us for this service.
Our Philadelphia Movers Are the Best
You won’t have to worry about your residential relocation if you let our movers in Philadelphia, PA, handle all the work, from moving large stuff to carrying all of your boxes. We can guarantee that you will be happy with the services we provide you with. There is nothing our hardworking team can’t do. Apart from relocating houses, we can also help you move your office – you can reach out to book a commercial move, which comes in handy for those who have to pack computers but aren’t quite skilled enough to do so. With our Philly movers, you know you are in safe hands – contact us for excellent relocation services, all for reasonable and affordable prices.