Moving to a new home brings mixed feelings – excitement about the fresh start but worry about the actual moving process. As professional movers with 15+ years of experience, we’ve seen how decluttering before a move makes everything easier. When clients take time to sort through their belongings before we arrive, the entire process runs smoother, costs less, and creates less stress for everyone involved. This guide looks at the real benefits of decluttering before your move, based on what we’ve learned from helping thousands of families relocate.
Financial Benefits You Get From Decluttering
Let’s talk money – because moving costs can add up quickly. From our experience, clients who declutter first typically save 20-30% on their total moving costs. Here’s why: Every box we pack and every item we load takes time and space in our trucks. When you have fewer items to move, you need fewer boxes, less packing material, and sometimes even a smaller truck. This directly reduces your moving costs.
Think about it – if you’re paying by the hour for professional movers, less stuff means faster packing and loading times. If you’re moving long-distance where costs are calculated by weight and volume, removing unnecessary items can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars. We recently helped a family move from a 3-bedroom house – after decluttering, they reduced their load by almost 30%, saving over $800 on their long-distance move.
Plus, there’s potential to make money from items you don’t want to keep. Many of our clients successfully sell furniture, electronics, and other valuable items online or through garage sales. What you can’t sell, you can donate – and get tax deductions. One client made nearly $1,500 selling unwanted furniture and electronics before their move. That’s money that helped cover their moving costs.
Time-Saving Advantage
As movers, we can tell you that packing always takes longer than people expect. But when you declutter first, the process becomes much more efficient. Instead of sorting through items while packing (which slows everything down), you can focus purely on packing what you know you’re keeping. This makes a huge difference in the time required to complete your move.
From our experience, packing a decluttered 3-bedroom home typically takes our team 4-6 hours less than packing a home where no sorting has been done. That’s because we’re not stopping to ask “Do you want to keep this?” or waiting while clients make decisions about items. Everything that remains has already been chosen to move to the new home.
The time savings continue when you reach your new home. Unpacking goes faster when every item has a purpose and a place. We’ve seen clients who decluttered settle into their new homes in half the time compared to those who moved everything they owned. One family told us they were fully unpacked within three days because they only brought what they really needed and wanted.
Maximizing Your New Home
As professional movers, we often see people trying to fit too much furniture and too many belongings into their new spaces. This creates problems during the move-in process and makes it harder to organize the new home effectively. When you declutter before moving, you can plan your space better and ensure everything fits properly.
Take time to measure your new rooms and compare them to your current space. This helps you decide which furniture pieces make sense to keep. We recommend taking photos of your new home’s layout and storage areas before moving day. This makes it easier to plan where everything will go and identify potential space issues before they become problems.
Consider your new home’s storage options too. If you’re moving to a place with less closet space or no basement, you’ll want to reduce items accordingly. We’ve helped many clients work through this process, and those who plan carefully always have an easier time settling into their new home. They don’t end up with boxes that have nowhere to go or furniture that doesn’t fit the space.
Additional Benefits
The benefits of pre-move decluttering go beyond just practical considerations. We’ve noticed that clients who declutter before moving experience significantly less stress during the entire process. They feel more in control and better prepared for moving day. There’s less last-minute rushing and fewer difficult decisions to make under pressure.
Moving day becomes more organized and efficient. Our teams can work faster and more effectively when everything is properly sorted and organized. Clients who declutter typically need fewer boxes and packing materials, which also means less unpacking and less waste at the other end.
The fresh start in a new home feels more meaningful when you’re surrounded only by items you truly want and need. Many clients tell us that decluttering before their move helped them develop better organizational habits in their new home. They become more mindful about what they bring into their space and find it easier to maintain order.
Professional Tips and Best Practices
Based on our experience, starting the decluttering process 6-8 weeks before your move gives you plenty of time without feeling rushed. Create a schedule and tackle one room at a time. This helps prevent feeling overwhelmed and keeps the process manageable.
We recommend starting with areas that typically accumulate the most unused items – garages, basements, and storage spaces. Then move on to closets and furniture. Leave everyday-use items for last. Sort items into clear categories: keep, sell, donate, and discard. Be honest with yourself about what you really need and use.
Make good use of local resources. Many donation centers offer pickup services for furniture and larger items. Some clients arrange for junk removal services to handle items that can’t be donated. Document donations for tax purposes and keep receipt records from any sales.
Conclusion
As professional movers, we can confidently say that decluttering before a move is worth the effort. The combination of cost savings, time efficiency, and reduced stress makes a significant difference in the moving experience. Our clients who take this step consistently report smoother, more positive moves.
Remember, you don’t have to tackle everything at once. Break the process into manageable steps and give yourself enough time. If you need help, many professional organizers specialize in pre-move decluttering. The investment in preparing properly for your move will pay off in multiple ways.