Although purging a home can feel extremely cathartic, many people struggle to start even when they are planning a move. The process seems too overwhelming to think about for some, while others dread having to sort through belonging that have significant emotional meaning. Whatever the reason for the hesitancy, following the tips below can help people get in the right mental frame of mind for the big task ahead.
Establish Goals and a Timeline
Writing down a process for purging and decluttering can make the entire project seem more manageable. Organizational experts recommend starting by writing down a description of each area to purge and rating it one to three for amount of clutter. Rooms with the most clutter would have a rating of one.
With plan in hand, homeowners are ready to start the decluttering process one room at a time. A good way to stay motivated is to establish realistic goals for finishing each room. People will have the satisfaction of crossing that room off the list and knowing they are getting closer to their final goal.
Create a Sorting System and Stick with It
Before tackling each room, homeowners should set up boxes or bags for items they want to keep, those they want to get rid of, and those they want to put into storage. They may need to break down the unwanted items list further into donate, recycle, or throw away.
People decluttering their home should stop when they fill a box of items they want to keep and then neatly put each thing away. They can take items they no longer want to keep out to the car for drop-off at a charity or place them in the trash or recycle container.
Homeowners Should Consider How Often They Use Each Item
Between jeans that are two sizes too small to newspaper clippings from high school, a lot of people hold onto things longer than they should. A good rule of thumb when starting the sorting process is to ask themselves when they used each item last. If it has been more than a year, the item is simply taking up space and not adding value.
People tend to hold onto items longer when they paid a lot of money to obtain them. Decluttering a house means letting go of this mindset. If an item has sat unused for more than a year, homeowners should consider donating or recycling it regardless of the cost.
How to Decide Between Renting a Dumpster and Hiring a Junk Hauling Service
People who are moving or getting rid of a large amount of personal belongings have the option to rent a roll-off dumpster or hire a junk hauling service. Companies offering roll-off dumpster rental typically allow customers to keep them for up to 10 days. Homeowners fill the dumpster themselves and then contact the rental company to come and retrieve it. This can be a good option for construction debris, broken items, and yard waste.
Hiring a junk hauler may be the more appropriate choice for homeowners who have many heavy items they do not want to haul themselves. Junk hauling trucks can take several loads on a single trip. Moving, downsizing, and settling an estate are the top reasons people hire junk hauling companies.