How to Declutter Your Garage Pre-Move
Do you still need to declutter your garage before moving day?
The garage is often one of the most neglected rooms in our homes, filled with old junk. The last thing you want to do is bring all your old rubbish with you to your new home.
Read on for our guide on how to declutter a garage pre-move.
Schedule Time on Your Calendar
If you’re moving, you’ll already have a to-do list as long as your arm. It’s important to schedule your time and set aside slots for each room, including your garage.
Decluttering your garage is going to be time-consuming. It’s likely you’ll be sorting through old items you may have forgotten about. Schedule your time for this task by setting aside a weekend or a few days.
Create a Working Sorting System
A working sorting system is vital. An excellent way to do it is to sort your items based on these four things:
- Keep
- Donate
- Throw Out
- Unsure
Before you start, look up donation centers and drop off points. This will speed up the process.
Use large boxes or storage tubs to keep your items separated. The ones you are saving, you can start to pack for the move straight away. It’s always a good idea to have a color-coded system, and write on each box what it contains.
If you don’t know what items to keep, think about when you last used it. If it was longer than a year ago, you likely don’t need it. And remember, the more you donate or throw out, the fewer boxes you need to take with you on moving day. It also means less stuff to clutter your new garage.
Collect Packing Supplies
If you know you’re moving well in advance, start collecting packing supplies. Things like large boxes from parcels you get in the mail, and large trash bags.
Your local grocery store and pharmacy may have free boxes they want to get rid of too. Check with a store manager for availability.
If you’re looking for new boxes, most home improvement stores sell them.
Clear Some Space to Start and Divide Into Zones
To keep organized and on track, clear a space in the middle of your garage floor. Park the car outside, and take out any large items.
Divide the garage into sections and start on one. Sort that completely into your piles, then move onto the next. Use the middle section you cleared to store those piles.
Do One Category at a Time
If it’s easier, stay organized and pick one category at a time and focus on that.
Take every item from this category and place it in your cleared middle space. Decide on each item before you move to the next category. If you can’t decide, that’s what you ‘unsure’ pile is for.
Try not to use this pile too much, though, because you’ll need to address this at the end. You’ll need to make that decision at some point, and adding too much will only delay your decluttering.
Dispose of Restricted Items
Properly dispose of the restricted items that your mover won’t relocate for you. Things like weed killer, gasoline, and fertilizer won’t make the cut. Unless you want to transport them on your own, see if a neighbor needs them and is willing to take them, or contact the local waste management to find the proper way to dispose of them.
How to Declutter a Garage Made Easy
Decluttering in advance of a move is the best way to approach it. Stay organized and get rid of as much as possible. The less you have to move on move day, the smoother your move will go.
If you want your move to go off without a hitch, contact us at Sinclair Moving & Storage. We are committed to providing professional service to our customers that surpasses their expectations at every stage. That is the Sinclair Difference.
