There’s nothing more satisfying than a good purge. A good purge is cathartic. A good purge is cleansing. And the perfect time for a good purge is when you’re moving house.
If you’re in the process of packing up and shipping off, we highly recommend taking the time to clean out the junk cupboard. And the miscellaneous kitchen drawer. And that wardrobe in the spare bedroom that holds the ski gear you haven’t used in 15 years.
Instead of couriering all that clutter to your new digs, why not go full Marie Kondo with this guide to moving house.
Get around a garage sale
This might be your classic front lawn with cardboard signage kind of event. Or it might be a detailed online Gumtree number. But whether you’re old school or new school is beside the point. The point is to stockpile all the semi-useful (and in excellent condition) stuff you have floating around and sell it for cold, hard cash.
Donate to the op-shop
If you’re not in need of extra coin or you have a bunch of goodies that aren’t worth selling (think pots and pans, spare bed linen, etc) then your local op-shop is your best bet. Don’t make a trip to the tip, befriend one of the friendly locals manning the Salvos instead. It’s also nice to think that your items will get a second life.
Organise hard rubbish in advance
Now, on your purging journey, you will inevitably encounter items that deserve neither to be sold nor donated. For these pieces, we call on the hard rubbish gods. Hard rubbish can be anything from spare bed frames to washing machines to general…rubbish. The only catch is you will need to organise your pick up in advance, and sometimes it can be as long as a two-week wait. So to avoid annoying your soon-to-be neighbours with a mound of garbage on the nature strip, make an appointment with your local council.
Abide by the 80/20 rule
This rule is especially helpful at minimising your wardrobe. It’s a very simple equation – keep all the clothes you use 80 per cent of the time and ditch the clothes you only use 20 per cent time. It might feel harsh, but trust us, your next cupboard will be thanking you.
Tackle it one room at a time
Moving house can be overwhelming. Especially if you’ve got kids or pets or a partner who is prone to losing the packing tape. We highly recommend approaching your move methodically – one room at a time, starting with the least used space in the house. Just don’t go gung-ho and pack your entire kitchen into boxes two weeks before the move and spend every day looking for the toaster.
Try the Four-Box Method
While you’re packing down and cleaning out said rooms, why not try the Four-Box Method? It involves getting four boxes and labelling them: rubbish, give away, keep, storage. Go through your rooms allocate every item to a specific box. This method forces you to come to a decision about every possession, and you’ll be surprised how addictive the purge can be.
Binge-watch Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo is a Japanese cleaning fairy who helps us regular people declutter their homes. Her method involves ‘sparking joy’. Basically, you hold an item to your chest, close your eyes and if it sparks joy, you keep it, and if it doesn’t you say thank you and send it off to its next life. Kondo’s technique is especially effective with items that are more sentimental in nature.
Don’t forget to check out our other moving tips. They could be a real time and money saver.
