Did you know that 80% of the items we buy are never used? That might not seem like a problem until it's time to pack up every item you own to move. 

Decluttering your house before a move might seem like wasted time, but decluttering eliminates 40% of housework in the average home. When undertaking a big move, any time and effort saved is priceless, especially when you could save 40% of your efforts on making your new house feel like a home.  

The tips below will help you declutter your house so your move-in day feels like a breeze. 

The Earlier, The Better

We've all put off cleaning and decluttering because it is tedious and boring. The sooner you begin to declutter your house, the more time you'll have to tackle a little bit at a time. 

If left for later, you'll want to throw everything in boxes haphazardly and you'll more than likely tell yourself you'll deal with it later. As wonderful as these thoughts may be, no one wants their clutter to follow them to a new home. 

Make a daily or weekly schedule well in advance of your closing date to tackle small areas to make the decluttering process less like an impossible task. Decluttering early can also help you save money on moving expenses by requiring a smaller moving truck. 

Be Strategic When You Declutter Your House

You might wake up one morning feeling incredibly ambitious, but you probably won't want to declutter your entire home all at once. Choose one room at a time to tackle on each scheduled day. 

Accomplishing these smaller tasks will add up quickly and keep the process organized and running smoothly. If you have multiple people helping you declutter (lucky you!), assign them a specific area of a room or an adjacent room to give everyone enough space to work. 

If you're still trying to sell your home, a decluttered house will have more appeal to potential buyers. 

Use the Three-Box System

Each room needs three boxes to help you sort through items effectively and prevent confusion. One box should be for items you want to keep and bring to your new house, a second should be for items you want to sell or donate, and the third should be for items you are throwing away. 

It's important to label these boxes or bags to ensure items end up where you want them. It's also useful to label the rooms where items came from clearly on each box you're keeping, so you can ensure they're placed in the right rooms later and you won't have to hunt for items you need in multiple boxes. 

Want More Useful Tips and Advice?

Be sure to explore our blog where you'll find more helpful tips on all aspects of buying and selling a home. We update it regularly to ensure you can find useful and relevant information to make the buying and selling process simple.

Which tips did you find the most helpful? Contact us to let us know how you used these tips to declutter your house and with any real estate questions you may have.