images-5Planning a move soon?  Need to simplify your life before doing so?  Lighten the load of moving by getting rid of extra, unnecessary possessions.  Developing an organized system in the decluttering process will turn a time consuming chore into a simple task.  Find out below how you can systematically declutter your home the easy way with a few tips from Connecticut Finest Movers.

Sorting

The first step in the process is sorting.  Separate items into three categories: throw away, storage, and keep.

Throw Away: Throw away items are possessions you have not used in the last year, or items you no longer want.  Ask yourself, ‘Is this benefitting anyone in the house’ and ‘Have I used this in the last year’.  If the answer is no, throw it out.  Two subcategories are within the throw away category:

  • Donate: For the items that can be re-used, things you no longer have a use for, but still operate according to it’s purpose.
  • Dump: The un-useable items, such as things that are broken beyond   repair.

Storage: If you know you would like to keep an item, but don’t use it on a consistent basis, store it.  Storage items could be holiday décor such as a Christmas tree, or Christmas lights and décor.  It could be baby items, or old photographs and pictures, things you want to keep but only rarely use.  If you are not utilizing a storage facility, store these items in your garage or attic.

Keep: If you love it and use it enough to pack it, haul it, and move it, keep it!

Room by Room

Looking at the house as a whole can be pretty daunting.  Break the task down room by room and start small.  Focus on one room a day.  If a room seems overwhelming, break the room into quadrants, or begin with a closet, or under the bed.  This will give you a sense of accomplishment as you complete each area.

Labeling

Label your items as you go to keep from getting confused.  Use colored sticky notes if you are dealing with large items, such as furniture.  Have three different colored notes to stick on items signifying the dump, donation, or storage.  Get rid of unwanted items as quickly as possible and relish the sense of accomplishment!