When faced with a move on the horizon, the hardest part is deciding what to bring. As you look around, there could be years’ worth of belongings that represent memories. It’s a tough task, but it’s the one that stands between you and your next exciting chapter. What you bring with you will enhance that experience, so choose wisely.
The main question behind the task is deciding what is important to you and what your life will look like from here on out. The answer to these questions is going to be different for each person. For some, this might be a life-changing move or only a temporary career pivot. Whatever it is, your answers will serve as a guiding point for downsizing. After over a century in the moving industry, here’s our advice on downsizing and decluttering before a move.
How to Downsize for a Move
Step 1: Go Through All Your Belongings
This process is long, physically demanding, and emotional. You will have to sort and evaluate every single item in your home. To avoid feeling rushed and process your emotions thoroughly, start as early as possible.
Segregate your belongings into categories by household section and work your way through them slowly and methodically by answering the questions below and separating into piles of:
- Things to take with you
- Things to keep in storage
- Things to sell
- Things to gift
- Things to donate
- Things to trash or recycle
Do you have duplicates of this item?
Do you have more sets of towels than you realistically need?
Have you used this item in the last 6 months?
Would you buy this item again in the new destination?
If the item isn’t cheap and easily replaceable, do you see yourself repurchasing it at your next destination? For example, if you were to let go of your collection of good-quality pans, would you buy them all over again in the new location? And more importantly, will you be able to find the same or similar items?
Is this item going to fit your new life?
If the new version of you, as you visualize yourself in your new home, is going to need the item, keep it. For example, are you going to use your winter clothes if you are moving to a southern state?
Can it be easily replaced?
If the item is affordable, generic, and has no emotional significance, it means you can easily replace it at any department store at your next destination. This includes things like kitchen utensils, appliances, or office supplies. Leave these things behind. If it’s an antique, perhaps an inherited coffee table, it’s something that can’t be easily replaced. Anything from Ikea, on the other hand, which is essentially the same everywhere, has got to go.
Will it be functional at my next destination?
If you’re moving to a small apartment, will your bulky sectional even fit in the new living room, despite being one of a kind and full of memories?
Does it hold sentimental value?
This is the toughest question of all because emotional value can be confused with comfort. And in this case, we say that in both cases, the item can stay. With memories for obvious reasons, and for comfort — well, if you’re moving to a new state, having these items will ease the transition, especially if you are moving with kids. Don’t go overboard hoarding all your creature comforts, but analyze what you or your family reach for in stressful times.
If the items with emotional value, like a collection of stuffed animals, are just a few boxes too many to bring with you, keep the most significant ones, photograph the rest, and let them go. Speaking of photographs, digitize family albums and kids’ artwork, keep a select few, and store the originals at a relative’s house if you think you’ll be coming back.
Are you allowed to ship it?
There are items prohibited and restricted from shipping. When you move with FastPAC Forwarding, you’ll receive access to our online moving portal, MoveCENTRAL, which provides you with information and resources to help you prepare for your move.
Is it worth the shipping cost?
A full-service long-distance move is not cheap, so this question is going to narrow down the items you are unsure of very quickly. If the item is cheaper than it costs to ship, consider letting it go.
Step 2: Let Go
With everything you’ve sorted and set aside after your rounds of decluttering, here’s what to do next:
- Hold a garage sale
- Put items up for sale on Facebook Marketplace or second-hand clothing apps like Vinted or Depop
- Gift items to your family and friends if they live close by
- Donate
For the items that were left in the grey area — things you think you may need in the future or will use when you come back because you are not moving permanently — store these items at a storage facility or with relatives if possible.
Step 3: Evaluate Your Move
Lastly, once you’ve culled everything, it’s time to reach out to a moving company to create an inventory, evaluate your move, and put together a quote. If you’d like to do your own preliminary research, use our Quote Smart Tool, which compares the price of three moving companies using the details you enter.
Final Considerations on Downsizing for a Move
Downsizing is a long, demanding, and emotional process, but you don’t have to go through it alone. With the right moving company by your side, you can alleviate stress and decision fatigue. Your personal move coordinator can guide you through the process, and a professional team will take care of packing, shipping, and storage if needed. Our full-service offerings are customizable to your particular move. Request a free quote with FastPAC Forwarding today.
