Here’s What You Should Toss Before Calling the Movers

You’ve made the choice: it’s time to move. Maybe it’s time to buy a house, or your job is relocating you. No matter what the reason is, one of the first things you should do is declutter. You might be thinking, “What do you mean? I LOVE all my stuff.” You might think that’s true, but there are still likely some things hanging around that you shouldn’t take with you. Moving takes time, energy, and money. Why move even one extra thing you don’t need? Before you call your local Atlanta movers, let’s take a look at some things you should toss (or donate!) first.

If It’s Still Boxed from Last Time

The average person moves 11 times over their lifetime. That’s 11 times you’ve packed and unpacked. Sometimes, those moves can be closer together than you prefer, so you might not get around to unpacking everything immediately. If it’s still in the last moving box, that’s a good indication you might not need nor want what’s in that box. Rather than toss it unopened (as some advice suggests), make a stack of those unopened boxes. When you’re ready, set a time limit for going through them. It’s very easy to get caught up in memories or “what if I still need this?”. Give yourself a limit, and stick to it. Either donate or toss – there’s no in-between! You didn’t need it so far, so you don’t need it now. Do yourself and your household movers a favor and get rid of it.

If It’s Outdated or Doesn’t Fit

This can be a tough one, but it’s got to be done. Go through your clothes (and your family’s) and get rid of what you don’t wear anymore. If it’s still in good condition, donate—there are worthy causes and folks that can use it. Do you really need five painting and gardening t-shirts? Especially ones that look like they’ve recently met a moth? Turn them into cleaning rags or get rid of them, but don’t move them with you.

If It’s Expired

This goes for both food and medicines. Go through your canned goods, especially. It can be unsafe to eat food that’s been expired for some time. If it’s stuff you simply don’t like or want, but it’s still good, that’s another thing you can donate.

If you find expired meds, don’t just throw the entire bottle into the trash, especially if they are pain killers or other controlled substances. There are a couple of things you can do:

• Crush the pills, mix them with inedible things like kitty litter or dirt, put them in a sealed bag in your household trash.
• You can also flush the medications (think out of date cough syrups or pain meds).

Make sure you remove the labels from the empty bottles, too, or scratch out identifying information before you dispose of them.

If There’s Too Many

Sometimes, things just seem to multiply. Maybe it was a sale too good to pass up. Or someone gave it to you. Whatever the reason, now you have 15 bath towels and there’s only 2 of you. Donate those extra towels, if they’re in good condition. Places like animal shelters are always in need of extra towels and bedding. You can use the ones in not-great shape as packing materials, too. Look around the house for extras or duplicates, and get rid of what you don’t need.

When You’re Ready to Call Atlanta Residential Movers

Congratulations! You’ve gotten rid of all the stuff you won’t miss at your new home. You’ll be glad you did! While your moving company will pack and move whatever you want, it’s better to start clutter-free in your new space. When you’re ready, give us a call or fill out our quick form to request your free moving quote.