Moving Prep 101: How to Get Rid of Unwanted “Stuff”

Moving requires you to take stock of and sort through all of your belongings, determining what you want to bring with you to your new home. The idea of sorting through everything you own and then packing it all up can be overwhelming. In most cases, you realize that it’s time to declutter and get rid of unwanted stuff. It’s a time when you ask yourself, “How did I accumulate so much?”

In our decades of moving experience, the All Jersey Moving & Storage team has seen just how quickly unwanted things can muddy the waters in a move. The best thing you can do ahead of time is declutter!

To make the sorting process efficient and effective, you need to separate items into two main categories: things you want to keep and things you no longer want or need. By simplifying and focusing on these two categories, you’ll find that sorting through your items is doable. It just takes time and some determination.

Things You Want to Keep

The first category of importance are the things you want to keep. These are the items that you will definitely bring with you to your new home. This should include:

• Furniture that fits in your next home
• Clothes that you and your family still wear
• Sentimental items
• Financial documents
• Jewelry
• Antiques you want to keep
• Appliances you still use
• Items that you’ve used in the last six months
• Pantry items that have not expired

As you go through your belongings, you may find yourself tending to lean towards keeping items rather than getting rid of them. However, it’s important to consider if the items are still of importance to you, that is, whether they have strong sentimental value or they meet an essential need.

Another tip that can help is to gather similar items together in a Marie Kondo fashion. Put all of your shoes in one pile. This will help you realize that perhaps you don’t need four pairs of exercise shoes, or maybe that you could do with a few pairs less. You can do this with everything from pots and pans to the socks in your drawer. Seeing everything together shows you where you may have unnecessary duplicate items.

Keeping Your Belongings Safe

Once you’ve decided what to keep, it’s important to make sure that you keep these items safe. Of course, you’ve chosen to keep these items because they are of value or importance and you want to use them in your next home. Here are some moving tips to keep your possessions safe:

• Pack and organize items carefully. While you still have time before moving day, carefully wrap up fragile belongings and home decor in bubble wrap and label it clearly. From there, you can pack up clothes that are not in season along with other belongings you won’t need until after you move. Keep All Jersey Moving & Storage in mind if you get overwhelmed with packing. We have custom packing packing and unpacking services for those who want or need assistance with the packing process.
• Consider hiring a professional mover such as All Jersey Moving & Storage to transport your furniture and belongings. They can keep your belongings secure, ensuring that they arrived unscathed, intact, and on schedule. Keep in mind that DIY moves and unlicensed movers are more likely to cause damage to your belongings during the moving process. Plus, licensed movers can insure damages up to a certain cost. It also guarantees that your move won’t result in unforeseen dangers, such as stolen possessions or damaged goods.
• Get moving help for special items such as antiques, pianos, fine art, etc. All Jersey Moving & Storage has the expertise and specialized moving equipment to take care of all of these needs. We have piano moving services, fine art moving services and years of experience in carefully moving priceless heirlooms.
• Store items until you can move in or find them a home. Perhaps you’re downsizing or don’t need the items, but they have monetary or sentimental value. Or maybe you just don’t have time to review all of your belongings and want to do so at a later date. No matter the reason, you may find that you require storage services. All Jersey Moving & Storage offers containerized storage which protects your belongings in sealed and secured wooden boxes until you’re ready to access them.

Things You No Longer Want or Need

One of the most rewarding aspects of moving is decluttering. There’s a sense of relief that comes from being able to let go of possessions that are no longer serving you. Whether it’s clothes you haven’t worn for two years or a side table that you just never really liked, choosing to donate, sell, or throw away unnecessary things is invigorating, especially when you take the time to carefully review what you need and what you don’t.

Be sure to separate the items in this category into four subcategories: to sell, to give away, to donate, and to throw away.

Unwanted possessions may include:

• Clothes that don’t fit
• Furniture that doesn’t suit your new living arrangements
• Documents you don’t need any more or can digitally archive
• Duplicate items (extra pans, shoes, jackets, etc.)
• Cookbooks or books you don’t plan on using
• Manuals from electronics or appliances you no longer own
• Sentimental items you can hand down to family

Selling Items You No Longer Need

One of the best ways to reward yourself for decluttering and getting rid of that unwanted “stuff” is to make a little side cash from selling items that are still in good condition, but that simply no longer serve a purpose in your home. Extra money you earn can be used to pay for professional movers or to purchase new furniture and decor for your new home. The money made from selling items can also be saved for a rainy day or vacation fund.

You can sell your things at a garage sale or moving sale, or on an online platform like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc. There are also apps you can list your things on, such as Decluttr, Letgo, OfferUp, and Poshmark.

Be sure that the things you sell are in good condition, i.e. it’s reasonable to assume that someone would want to buy it and use it. Wooden furniture, decor, and lightly worn clothes are sure to do well.

Here are a few tips to successfully sell items:

• Wipe down furniture and give clothing a wash. Make sure your things look nice. Although they are used, you want them to look clean and new. This gives you the advantage of selling at a higher price point.
• Sell items as soon as possible. Posting items online early or having a garage sale far in advance gives you time to sell the items at your desired asking price rather than simply blowing them out because of a time crunch.
• Post multiple, high quality photos and a well-written description. Be sure to use a clear title, such as, “Antique, walnut finish coffee table for sale.”
• Include your asking price on the item’s post or the physical item at your garage sale and be prepared to negotiate. Start high, but don’t be afraid to sell for less. It’s better to make money than to not sell at all.

Giving Away Items You No Longer Want or Need

You may find that it’s easier to simply give away items rather than going through the hassle of selling your possessions. This is a much faster process and can benefit your community, friends or family. This option also works for things you weren’t able to sell or items of sentimental value (family heirlooms, bulky travel keepsakes, art, etc.) that you won’t have room or use for in your new home.

You can give away items by:

• Sharing a post on Facebook and asking if any friends are interested
• Calling or texting family members to extend the offer
• Bringing your items to a specific friend or family member who you know could use items such as your child’s old baby clothes or your couch
• Gifting a sentimental item (like a tea set or art piece) to a close family member

Donating Items You No Longer Want or Need

If you don’t have time to sell your unwanted belongings or simply want to give back to those in need, donate your items to a charitable organization. Don’t wait until the last minute to do this as you may be able to make a bigger impact by working with a select organization ahead of time. Donations can also be a tax credit at times. Ask for a receipt when you donate and keep it for tax season.

A simple Google search can tell you where your closest Goodwill or other donation center is. You can also find a pickup service for donations, like this one in New Jersey.

Throwing Away/Recycling Items You No Longer Want or Need

The last subcategory left is items that can be thrown away. This is applicable if items don’t sell, friends/family don’t want them, and you aren’t able to arrange to donate them. Your last option is to throw them away or try to recycle them.

Think of the following:

• Worn-out clothes
• Broken electronics
• Damaged furniture
• Documents that you don’t need and can shred (you can recycle these)
• Old mattresses and bedding
• Old photos that you’ve digitally archived

All Jersey Moving & Storage – Your Professional Moving Experts

Sorting your possessions is not only doable –it can make moving a lot less stressful!

Decluttering before you move gives you the advantage of having less things to move, more purpose in the possessions you move with you, and a sense of function and organization in your new home.

As you prepare for you move, look to All Jersey Moving & Storage as your go-to moving experts. From packing and unpacking services to loading up the truck on moving day, we have experts that will make your move a success.

The same team will move you in and out, as well as provide the right equipment and skills necessary to safely transport your all of your belongings. Once you’ve done the work to declutter, we step in and take care of the rest, customizing the move to your needs.

Just take a look at our reviews and awards to get an idea of the satisfactory results we deliver. Not only do we move your things, but we create a positive experience and give you peace of mind. We know that moving isn’t a clear-cut process. It’s overwhelming, emotional, and stressful. That’s why we do our part to take the stress out of the big projects, like securing your furniture for transport, loading up the moving truck and driving across town or across the country.

Contact us for your complimentary moving quote. We look forward to moving your carefully selected belongings to your new home.