Purging your home before you move

Have you ever thought of purging your home? Let me explain. When moving, being organized is key, as we’ve stressed numerous times on this blog (read here, here and here), being organized is the number one way to reduce stress, save time and avoid unpleasant surprises when it comes to moving. One of the first steps you should undertake once you have your first thought about moving is to purge your home of any and all unnecessary items from places you’d never think were crammed full of “stuff”. You’d be amazed at what builds up in your home over the course of 5, 10 or even 20 years. Take your desk/home office are for example — it’s probably loaded with all kinds of things you no longer need. This can be anything from ink for a printer you no longer own, receipts that no longer have any use, pens that no longer work and other small items that hold no significance. If you clean it all out now, you won’t have to pack it or figure out what to do with it when you move. If you have an attic or crawlspace, when was the last time you went through it and did a thorough inventory? As with desks, attics and crawlspaces are a magnet for unneeded items. Now is the time to do a thorough inventory and eliminate all the things you no longer need, such as your 15-year-old child’s clothes from when he was 5. Sheds and outdoor storage bins are also culprits when it comes to accumulating junk. Toys, broken sports equipment and unwanted holiday decorations (such as those pesky Christmas lights that never worked correctly) can be cleaned out and taken to the trash or recycling center. It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway, now is the time to purge all your closets. Besides clothing that is out of date or doesn’t fit, we’re sure you’ll find shoe boxes filled with dried out shoe polish, magic markers that no longer work, mismatched gloves, etc. Throw out what no longer works and donate the clothing if possible. There are other places you should check too, such as your garage, pantry, and laundry room — even under your beds. The more thorough you are, the less you will have to worry about once you finally have made the decision to move. Finally, purging your home is a great idea, even if you aren’t thinking about moving.

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Verity Van Lines is a premier Long Island based mover with over 100 years of experience in both local and long distance moves. We also offer a full range of storage options and packing supplies.