February 16, 2017
I have literally moved seven times in the past seven years. You would think I’d be a packing professional at this point. A couple of awesome things about this move: 1. It’s happening in February so there’s a lesser chance of heat stroke; 2. It’s to our new house!!! Most of my moves have taken place over the summer from dorm to apartment, or apartment to sorority house, when it was 94 degrees outside. Nightmare. I haven’t started packing for this move yet, but I am taking steps to make the process easier for myself. The biggest step: decluttering.
Before I do any packing I go through my home to PURGE and declutter . What is the point of moving things you don’t need anymore?! I like to donate my unwanted stuff to Goodwill or Salvation Army. Sure, a few extra bucks from a garage sale would be nice, but we decided to skip the hassle and donate instead. If you’re donating your goods, be sure to jot down a list and an estimate of value for the items. Most donation centers will give you a receipt that you can use to claim the donation on your taxes. If you have a lot to donate or you’re getting rid of furniture contact your local donation center and ask if they have a pick-up service. Unfortunately, not all things can be donated.
I plan on taking my clothes and accessories (except for old bras, socks, and undies of course) to a resale or consignment shop. I used to have good luck with Plato’s Closet, but my style seems to be too mature for them now. Buffalo Exchange is my new favorite spot to sell my gently worn clothes. They offer you cash up front or store credit, and they have locations in 20 states!
What I’m donating:
- Old/Outdated décor (I have a lot of small pieces that I used in my dorm and apartments)
- Small Appliances (I have all my wedding gifts)
- Books I wont read again
- Bedding (sheets and blankets)
- Clothes
- Accessories
- Jewelry
- Shoes
- Cups and coffee mugs
- Plastic food containers
- Desk lamp
- Charger cords
- Electronics
What I’m recycling or trashing:
- Old makeup (mascara, lipstick, etc)
- Expired medicines (dispose of responsibly)
- Toiletries
- Magazines
- Old documents (I shred any with personal information)
- Receipts (also shred)
- Pens and pencils
- Underwear
- Socks
- Greeting cards and Birthday cards
- Hangers
How do I decide what I need to get rid of?! For one, I have lots of new wedding gifts to unpack (YAY!), so it is out with the old in with the new. As for the rest of it, I go through each room and determine which things I haven’t used in a long time. If you haven’t used something in the last six months, you probably won’t miss it if it is gone. The same goes for clothes. I like the backwards-hanger trick: at the beginning of a season I turn all of my hangers backwards. By the end of the season I will know which pieces I didn’t wear because the hanger will still be backwards.
Once I clear all of this out packing is a breeze! It has been so much fun living in our new house so far. Our new kitchen table was delivered today (we haven’t had a real table and chairs since we moved in together).
