How to Get Rid of Things When Moving

If you’ve lived in the same home for many years, you will have certainly accumulated a large number of items.

Some of them will be of great practical, monetary, or sentimental value, others – absolutely worthless. There will be things you can’t do a day without, things you use very rarely or only on special occasions, and even things you have forgotten about.

If have enough space in your home and your possessions don’t create too much clutter, you may have kept a variety of items that are just enjoyable to look at or might be used again in the future, or you just don’t know what to do with, etc.

When the moment comes to move house, however, you may begin to have second thoughts about your accumulated “treasures”.

Trust me when I say this from personal experience – the more items you decide to move to your new home, the more difficult and more expensive your relocation is going to be. Why?

You’re going to need more packing supplies, packing, loading, and unloading will take more time and effort, your shipment will take up more space and will weigh more, etc.

So, you may come to the conclusion that it will be best to part with some of your belongings.

Once you make the decision to purge your possessions, however, you will be faced with two very difficult questions:

What to get rid of when moving?

and

How to get rid of stuff when moving?

Luckily for you, you can find the answers below.

What to get rid of when moving

The first thing to do when you start preparing for your move is to sort out your belongings.

Look into every cabinet, drawer, and closet in your home, scour the attic, the basement, and the garage, open up forgotten dusty boxes, check under the beds and over the uppermost shelves, and classify each and every item you find into one of the following categories:

Indispensable items

These are practical items you need on a daily basis or items of extreme sentimental value.

Needless to say, you will take all the items from this group to your new home.

Valuable items

Jewelry, artwork, expensive electronics, family heirlooms, keepsakes, collectibles, etc., including all your and your family members’ favorite belongings.

These things will, of course, go to your new home, as well;

Useful items

These are the practical household items – and practical personal items – you use often; anything that makes your home cozier, more comfortable, or more beautiful; anything that makes your life easier or more convenient.

You will certainly take most of these things with you, but you should carefully evaluate each and every item before packing it for moving to make sure it’s really worth relocating.

Enjoyable items

Books, games, toys, electronic gadgets, hobby materials, decorations, etc.

You (or your partner, or your children) will probably want to take all these items with you, but it’s advisable to sort them out and bring along only those of them that you really love and use frequently;

No longer needed items

Such items include but are not limited to

• outdated or outgrown items – clothes, shoes, toys, games, books, magazines, CDs, antiquated electronics, etc.;
• duplicate items;
• specialized equipment no one is interested in anymore – sports equipment, musical instruments, etc.;
• furniture pieces,
• appliances, and other household items you won’t be able to use in your new surroundings;
• knick-knacks that have no special meaning to you;
• gifts that have no practical or sentimental value;
• items that are not appropriate for the climatic conditions in your new area – or for your new lifestyle, etc.

There is no point in moving unneeded items to your new home – you should get rid of them before the relocation.

Items no one likes anymore

What else to get rid of when moving house? Anything you (and the other members of your family) don’t really like.

Such items should be sold or donated before the move;

Useless items

Anything that’s broken or too worn out to be used ever again.

These items should be recycled or thrown away before the relocation.

So, what to get rid of before moving? The answer is easy enough – damaged items and anything you don’t need or don’t like anymore.

Once you’ve made your final decision, be sure to make a detailed inventory of the items you’re going to move to your new home. Consider creating an inventory of all your unwanted items that are still in good condition too – it will come in very handy when selling or donating your stuff.

How to Make a Moving Inventory

Now that you know what to get rid of before you move, you need to find the best way to discard these things.

So, how to get rid of stuff before moving?

You have several options – take a closer look at them all and decide which one will work best for each of your unwanted items.

Option 1. Sell unwanted items

Without a doubt, the best way to get rid of unwanted items before moving is to sell them – you will not only save the time and effort for packing these things for moving and the money for shipping them to your new home but will also pocket some much-needed cash.

Make sure you put up for sale only items in good condition, clean them thoroughly to make them look their best, and assign fair prices (you will, of course, want to sell your unneeded possessions at a profit, but if you price them too high, you may not get any money at all).

Take into account the market value of an item, the demand for it, and its actual condition to put a correct number on the price tag.

Sell stuff online

Selling things online is easier than you may think – there is a great choice of websites where you can post your goods.

All you need to do is write a catchy ad – include a couple of attractive pictures and a brand name (if any), describe any specific features, and provide some background information.

Be brief and objective in the item’s description and avoid false advertising but don’t forget to whet the appetite of potential buyers with interesting details and a chance for a discount.

When you get contacted by people interested in your offer, be sure to answer all the inquiries you receive promptly.  

The only drawback of online sales is that they often take a lot of time. That’s why you should do some research and post your goods on famous and trustworthy websites that have a wide audience or on specialized websites whose target audience will be interested in the type of items you have for sale.

Amazon, eBay, and Craigslist, are among the most popular sites for selling stuff online and usually provide an excellent overall experience.

Organize a moving sale

A garage sale provides another easy and efficient way to sell unwanted items before moving – it may take some time and effort to organize, but it offers several great advantages:

• You will have the chance to sell all your unneeded stuff in one day;
• Potential buyers will be able to actually see and try the items they’re interested in.

If you’re moving in the winter or during a rainy period, a yard sale may not be a viable option. If the weather is nice, though, your moving-out sale may turn out to be very profitable and rather enjoyable.

Just be sure to:

• Advertise the event well to make sure that many people will come to see what you have to offer;
• Make the area attractive and keep it safe;
• Display your items in a tidy and systematic manner;
• Label items clearly and keep a list with the corresponding prices at hand;
• Be flexible with prices – offer bulk prices, make discounts, etc.;
• Have plenty of change and petty cash;
• Be kind to the visitors and keep your sense of humor.

How to Organize a Garage Sale When Moving

If none of the above options works for you, you may consider taking your unwanted items to consignment shops but most of them will only pay you after your things have been sold and the cash won’t be much.

Even though selling your unwanted items is the best way to get rid of stuff before moving, you may not manage to sell everything or may not have enough time to deal with online sales or to organize a moving sale.

In such cases, you should consider giving away your unneeded possessions – someone else may be happy to have them and may be able to put them to good use.

Option 2. Give away unwanted items to family and friends

When wondering how to get rid of things before moving, remember that someone in your social circle may actually need – or want – your unneeded items.

Maybe a friend of yours really likes your collection of porcelain figurines or your neighbor always wanted a patio umbrella just like yours?

Maybe one of your colleagues has a small kid who will certainly enjoy the stuffed toys your own teenage son or daughter no longer cares about?

Or maybe those fancy high-heels that are killing your feet actually fit your cousin perfectly?

If any of your friends, relatives, coworkers, neighbors, etc. will be happy to have your unwanted items, will appreciate them, and enjoy them, don’t hesitate for a moment – give them whatever they would like to have as a goodbye gift.

It’s a win-win situation – your friends will get something they need and will be grateful for your kindness and you will get rid of something you don’t particularly like or can’t afford to move.

Bonus tip: Freecycle is a great option if you have decided to give away some of your belongings but none of your friends and acquaintances want them.

Just post a list of the items you’re offering for free – if anyone is interested in any of them, they will contact you and will come by to pick up whatever they want.

Option 3. Donate unwanted items to charity

Donating to people in need feels really good – and it’s the easiest way to get rid of things when moving.

Good Will, Salvation Army, Move for Hunger, Habitat for Humanity, Loving Hugs, Direct Relief, and other charity organizations (both national and local ones) will put your unwanted items to good use – just make sure everything you decide to donate is well preserved and well cleaned.

Find out which charities need the type of items you want to give away and contact them – keep in mind that some charities will pick up your donations, while others will ask you to drop them off.

Also, remember that not only charities, but various other local institutions may need some of your unwanted items:

• Schools, libraries, daycare centers, and various community centers will be good new homes for your old books, magazines, textbooks, comic books, etc. Office supplies and electronic equipment are also much appreciated in such places (just remember to delete any personal information, passwords, and confidential data from any electronic devices you decide to donate);
• Shelters and other support services will find a good purpose for your old clothing, bedding, kitchen items, food supplies, etc.;
• Orphanages are in dire need of specialized baby items, children’s clothes and shoes, children’s books, and toys.

Where to Donate Used Items When Moving

If you’d rather find a special purpose for some special items instead of selling or donating them, you have yet another interesting option – you can give a new life to the things you don’t really want to get rid of.

Option 4. Re-purpose unwanted items

Sometimes, you can turn things you don’t need into things you do need – or turn useless items into interesting, enjoyable items.

You can make a laptop case out of an old pillow case, turn your worn-out jeans into fancy shorts, transform your old TV into an aquarium, or your old pans into flower pots, etc. – your creativity is your only limit.

If you have the time – and the inspiration – to re-purpose some of your unneeded items before your move, you can either take the “new” item with you as it will be useful or give it to someone special as a unique gift.

And even if you’re not in a creative mood during the busy and stressful pre-move period, you can at least “re-purpose” your old clothes, towels, and linens into packing or cleaning materials.

You can use the soft fabrics to wrap some of your items for moving (instead of bubble wrap or moving blankets) or to provide cushioning in your moving boxes (instead of bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and other professional padding materials).

Or you can simply cut your old clothes into cleaning rugs and use them to clean your old home once the movers have left. Not very creative, but quite useful.

As the old adage goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so you’re strongly recommended to find a new owner or a new purpose for your no longer needed items before moving.

Yet, you may not always be able to find someone who wants a specific item – and some items may not be in good enough condition to be used again.

In such a case, you have no choice but to throw these things away – just be sure to recycle everything that can be recycled.

Option 5. Recycle useless items

Do not simply throw away broken electronics, depleted batteries, torn or moldy books, old magazines, newspapers, notebooks, posters, calendars, or any other useless paper materials, plastic items, metal items, glass items, etc. – all this stuff can be and should be recycled.

It is a chance to make your move greener, so go for it – find a recycling center near you.

The bottom line: The things to get rid of when moving include all the items that have been stored away and forgotten, all the items that you want to replace with more fashionable or more advanced ones, all the items you won’t be able to use in your new surroundings, all the items that are not in good condition anymore, and everything you don’t enjoy having around.

There are several good ways to get rid of unwanted items – selling them, giving them away, recycling them – so you can easily find the option that works best for you.

Just remember – the fewer items you have for moving, the easier and cheaper your relocation is going to be. Saying goodbye to things that were a part of your life may be a bit sad but the thought that someone else may put them to good use will chase the sadness away.

Have a safe and smooth relocation and enjoy your fresh start without the burden of unwanted items in your new home!

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