Moving house is the perfect time to take stock of all your possessions and cut out any waste and clutter. The benefits are endless – you’ll have more room in your new place, all the useful things you own will be more accessible to you, and you’ll save space, weight and therefore money during the removal process.
Deciding what you need to throw away requires a lot of common sense, honesty with yourself, and a little bit of ruthlessness. Plenty of what you own can probably either be recycled or sent to a charity shop, so there’s no need to feel guilty about having a clean out. Once it’s done, you’ll not only feel better but you’ll also reap the rewards from having a much lighter load in the removals van.
Fixer-Uppers
Any broken or tatty electrical equipment, clothing, jewellery, furniture etc. that you’ve been keeping and ‘meaning to fix up’ need to be carefully considered. If you haven’t got round to fixing it yet, are you really likely to? Clothes with holes in fall under this bracket, as do broken jewellery and second-hand furniture you bought to paint and spruce up but didn’t get round to.
Furniture is the heaviest thing you’re likely to put into the removals van, so if you can save space and weight by not taking anything broken or unnecessary, then you should grab the chance.
Clothing/Shoes
It’s an old rule that when clearing out your wardrobe you should throw away everything you haven’t worn in the last year. It’s a good rule – if you have survived a year without it, you have to ask yourself, do you really need it? Exceptions to the rule of course include special occasion dresses, suits, or shoes that you are either likely to wear again or that have sentimental value.
You may own items that you only wear very occasionally, such as wellington boots, swimwear, fancy dress, etc. You have to think a little more carefully about these items. If you honestly never use the wellies and are unlikely to, then throw them away. However if you do use them very occasionally you may want to keep them to save the expense of re-buying another pair later on.
Multiples
With many objects, you will only realistically need one or two of each at any one time. This is especially useful to bear in mind when cleaning out your kitchen. If you own ten wooden spoons, you can probably afford to throw a couple away. Other ‘occasional use’ items that you may have multiples of include sieves, rolling pins, cheese graters, and mixing bowls. Pick the highest quality ones and bin the rest.
This is also true when considering clothing – you’re unlikely to need multiples of similar items, like lots of pairs of boots or running shoes that are almost identical.
Furniture (If Renting)
Check very carefully if your new place includes furniture, especially if you’re renting. You don’t need two of everything, so you could dispose of your old furniture, or even sell it if it’s in good condition. Double and triple check what your landlord will provide, however – you don’t want to sell something that isn’t actually included in your rent.
Bad Gifts
There is no better time to dispose of any dodgy gifts that you have received over the years and are too polite to throw away, especially if they’ve been gradually consigned to the back of the cupboard. Try not to feel guilty – and if the gift-giver comes round to visit, you can always pretend you just haven’t unpacked everything yet.
Cosmetics
Consider whether you actually use all of your cosmetics – you should bin anything like unused fake tan, aftershaves or perfumes that you don’t like the smell of any more, or roll-on deodorants when you only usually use aerosols. If you have three different brands of the same product open and barely used, consider whether you really need them. There is also plenty of scope for getting rid of old makeup, nail varnishes and brushes that you never use.
Once you’ve de-cluttered, you can be confident that every item you pack is useful and of value. If you’re after removal companies in Bath and the surrounding area then give Intransit a try. We can’t help you decide what to throw away, but we can help you pack up and transport what’s left - give us a call on 01225 759200 and we can start helping you plan your move.
