Tag: declutter

by Eldon Kartchner on 0

Items you Should Toss Before Moving – 2025 Review

Moving is one of the most expensive and exhausting events of our life. But there are always some ideas through which you can make it cheaper as well as an easier task to do. No matter what is the reason behind your move and if you are moving because you are downsizing then it becomes even more important to get rid of all the unwanted stuff. But while deciding which items you should toss before moving, it becomes a little difficult to decide.

The top-rated local companies associated with iMoving.com state that moving less stuff means you will have an inexpensive, organized, and efficient move because you can save the time of packing and unpacking the items. Also, the less the weight of stuff you want to move, the less the moving companies will charge.

Why choose to de-clutter items?

Let us accept the truth. We have this bad habit of collecting a lot of thing in our homes. These things, over the time, make a clutter which has most of the items which are rarely used by us. As you decide to move, this clutter become the most troublesome thing to handle. Having a small inventory will not only help you enjoy a happy time packing your items but also brings additional benefits including but not limited to:

  • The entire move will become easier with less stuff.
  • You need to pay less transportation cost.
  • The fewer items you have to pack, the less moving supplies required, the more you can save.
  • You will require less time to spend on packing speeding the entire process of moving.
  • Having fewer items means there is less weight on the truck. Therefore you can save on fuel consumption also.

Unused kitchen small appliances

There are many small appliances available in the kitchen that you don’t use like the spiralizer sitting there in one corner of the kitchen counter. Moving is just the right time to get rid of all those items.

Toss all these gadgets that the sitting there in the kitchen and you have not used for a long time. And all the items you want to upgrade, you should get rid of these items also. Make sure that you take out items that are no more useful and not the ones that will come handy in future. Also, if possible donate these items in a charity or sell them in garage sale. This way you will be able to help others or make some money to pay for the moving expenses.

All the clothing items you have not worn for a long time

Stop and look around, there are numerous numbers of clothing items are present that do not fit well, that have gone out of trend and that you have not worn for a long time. It is time to do some serious purging. Cut down all the junk so that you can save higher on the moving expenses.

Keep these questions in mind like have you wore the clothes in the last year? Does this pair of clothes fit well? Is the clothing item in the good condition? Is the pair of clothes in a trend? Get answers to all the questions so that you can decide which clothing items you should take along with you and which you should toss now. Again donating the items is always a question. You must find a charitable organization that accepts all types of items. This will save to time and efforts. You can also donate these items. We suggest you to read more about it online and check how you can donate!

The old and used items

It is recommended you, to be honest with yourself. There are numerous numbers of items that had stopped serving their purpose and those items you are used for a long time. Not it is the time to purge out all those items. Some of these items are clothes that do not fit, unfashionable, that you don’t like to wear and that you had not worn in the last year, shoes you just have worn at once only, expired food items and medicines, outdated electronic appliances, nonessential paperwork, curtains that are of no use, instruction manuals, stray cords, and many others.

You can also donate these items. We suggest you to read more about it online and check how you can donate!

Clutter the kid’s bedroom

Of course, not all the items that are present there in your kid’s bedroom are of use. It is time to make an inventory of all the bedroom items of your kids. You can get rid of all the old toys present at your home that are no longer of use. There are many broken and unwanted toys with which your child doesn’t play. You should give all these toys to the charity so that you can easily de-clutter the stuff and will have only fewer items to take with you. You should also throw away the kid’s clothes that have been stained, torn, and that is of beyond repair.

Library books

Books are one of those items that are really heavy and we tend to collect a bunch of books with time. There are many books present in your home library that you are going to read more. It is the right time to get rid of all these books. Make sure you take only the books that you will read there.

Toss furniture items you want to upgrade

You should purge out all the furniture items you wanted to upgrade since a long time. Furniture items are heavier and bulky therefore, transporting these are not an ideal option.

Questions you should ask before you toss items!!!

  • Is it in the good condition?
  • Do I really need this item at the new home?
  • Does the item need to get upgraded?
  • How often I use this specific item?
  • Will this item match the new home?

These are some of the questions that will help you to purge out the items. With the help of these questions, you can easily toss items that are not of use.

Now that you know the right way to downsize before a relocation, go ahead and have an affordable moving experience.

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12 Smart Tips for Living in a Small Space
by Eldon Kartchner on 0

12 Smart Tips for Living in a Small Space

Thanks to the rise in popularity of sustainable and low-waste lifestyles, we see an emerging trend of micro-homes and apartment living. This generation of young adults is veering against large suburban houses and deciding that smaller spaces are their dream homes. There are many advantages to living small. For one, it’s much cheaper to buy a smaller house. Utilities will likely be cheaper as well. Another advantage is that smaller homes are less fussy and easier to maintain. Additionally, it forces you to get accustomed to a simpler and more prudent lifestyle. A small space means you can’t hoard items, and since messes are more obvious in a smaller house, you become used to being more organized to maintain cleanliness at all times.

If all this sounds appealing to you, but you don’t know how to go about living in a small space, we’ve written down a few foolproof tips to get you started.

1. Switch to smaller furniture

Companies are aware of the growing preference for tiny living, so they often have a line of products made specifically to cater to smaller houses. They have a wide variety of tubs for small bathrooms. For the bedroom, a largely Japanese custom that is gaining traction all over the world is the use of futons, a mattress that can be easily rolled up and put away when not in use. This eliminates the need for a bedframe and frees up more space during the day.

2. Embrace multipurpose furniture

Multipurpose and foldable furniture are lifesavers for residents of small homes. Instead of being forced to choose between a shower cabin or a bathtub, you can choose among bathroom suites with shower baths that you can find at BathroomCity. You can also have clever furniture that doubles as storage spaces like a foldable desk or a hollow ottoman with a removable cushion.

3. Declutter

Living in a small house means you can’t afford to keep too many items. Go through your closets and rooms one at a time to make the process straightforward and organised. Discard old things and unnecessary documents. Throw or donate clothes that don’t fit you anymore. Toss out expired items like food and makeup. If you encounter items that you can’t bear to part with, assign them a specific space in your home so they aren’t scattered around. For example, if you have a collection of keychains from various trips, put them all in a box or pin them on a corkboard and display them in your room.

4. Use organisers

Storage boxes, baskets, food, containers, drawer dividers, etc. are all helpful in keeping a space neat. By ensuring everything has a proper place, you’ll be less likely to lose items and make a mess. Label each container so you know what the contents are to make it easier to find what you’re looking for. Another tip: stack boxes vertically. By doing this, you’ll free up more space and you might find that your closet had more space than you initially thought

5. Take advantage of vertical spaces

Smaller homes tend to have higher walls to make up for the smaller floor space, and you can take advantage of this by installing shelves to store more items. If you have books or small plants, you can prop them up on these shelves to add to the décor. Don’t go overboard with this, as overfilled walls can also look messy and crowded. You can also hang up your pots and cooking implements with wall hooks or install a drying rack over your sink to free up counter and cabinet space.

6. Use light colours for your walls

Plain, light-coloured walls make a room look bigger, which is what you want for small homes. Avoid wallpapers with loud designs as they will only add to the clutter.

7. Opt for larger windows

Light also adds to the illusion of a larger space, so install larger windows or buy an apartment that provides them. This is even better if there’s a gorgeous view outside. If the outside of your home or apartment is unsightly, install bright indoor lighting instead. Go for wall sconces and overhead lighting instead of floor lamps to free up precious floor space.

8. Choose a monochromatic colour scheme

Having a unified colour in your home is pleasant to the eye and keeps the space from looking cramped and cluttered. For large furniture like tables and sofas, stick with neutral colours so they’re easy to match with everything else in the house.

9. Expose more floor space

Another trick that contributes to the illusion of a larger space is to use furniture that doesn’t obscure the floor. Good examples of these are sleek sofas and tables with exposed legs. Slimmer furniture will take up less space than other styles and are great for opening up your space.

10. Use dividers

Some studio apartments don’t have walls to separate the space. If you want to create a distinction between your bedroom or office and the rest of the apartment, install a divider or a thick curtain.

11. Buy a door rack

Closet and bathroom doors can be storage spaces too, thanks to door racks. You can use it to hang up towels, toiletries, or even shoes.

12. Adopt a “one in, one out” policy

One in, one out means that for every item you buy, you must throw or give away an item of similar purpose. This prevents you from accumulating clutter and is particularly effective on things like clothes and shoes. For example, if you bought a pair of jeans, you must find a pair of jeans in your closet that no longer fit you or you haven’t worn in a while. If you bought red heels, find a similar pair and toss them out or give them away.

Tiny living has many advantages, but it also requires discipline and sacrifice. It’s not a lifestyle that suits everyone. Before you go out and switch your two-story house for an apartment, consider first if you’re willing to make it work. If you have hoarding habits, or if you’re claustrophobic, then tiny living might not be for you.

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