How to Declutter Before Moving (What We Learned Emptying a House in One Week)

The best way to declutter before moving is to decide what goes before anything goes in a box, and to start as early as you can. Every item you let go of now is one less thing to pack, carry, unpack and find a place for. If you have eight weeks, use them. If you only have days, you can still do it. We did.

This guide is for families facing a move, whether it’s months away or next week. It starts with our own (slightly chaotic) story, then gives you a timeline, a sell/donate/dump plan and a checklist you can print.

Our move: one week, 3,000 square feet

In autumn 2017, our family of eight decided to move out of our house and into an RV for a season of adventure. It wasn’t our first move, so we knew exactly how much work was coming. The shocking part: we had one week’s notice.

One week. A 3,000 square foot house, emptied in seven days.

Here’s what that week looked like:

• We took almost 5,000 lbs to the dump.
• We donated our bikes to an organization that sends them overseas to people who need them. Less in the landfill, more helping others.
• We took so many loads to the donation center that we lost count.
• And at the end of it all? We still had too much stuff.

That last part is the honest truth, and it’s why we wrote this guide. A deadline forces decisions, but one week isn’t enough to make good ones about everything. You can see what our moving week was really like in the video below.

The payoff was real, though. Living on the road with a fraction of our belongings, we no longer spent every evening putting away mountains of toys. We were beginning to breathe. You can read the whole story in Minimalism Is Hard Work.

If you’re not moving but still feel buried, start with our guide to where to start decluttering when you feel overwhelmed.

The one rule: decide before you box it

The biggest mistake when moving is packing everything and promising to “sort it out at the new place.” You won’t. Those boxes end up in a garage or basement, sometimes for years, and you’ve paid to move them.

So before any item goes into a moving box, ask:

1. Have I used this in the last six months? (A year for seasonal things.)
2. Would I buy it again if I didn’t own it?
3. Is there a place for it in the new home? Measure rooms and closets if you can.
4. Is it worth the effort of packing, moving and unpacking it?

If the answer is no, it goes in a sell, donate or trash pile, not a box. And label every box you do pack with its room and contents, so nothing becomes a mystery box.

How early should you start decluttering before a move?

As early as possible. Here’s a timeline for each situation.

8 weeks or more before the move

This is the dream. Use it for the slow, high-value work.

• Walk through each room and list big items you won’t take: furniture, appliances, exercise equipment.
• List things to sell now, while you have time to wait for buyers.
• Start with storage areas: the garage, basement, attic and closets full of “someday” items. These take longest.
• Book a bulk-waste pickup or a dumpster if you’ll need one.
• Start eating down the freezer and pantry.
• Tackle paperwork: shred what you don’t need, gather important documents into one folder that travels with you.
• Do one room at a time, using our room-by-room decluttering checklist.

4 weeks before

• Finish storage areas and move to living spaces.
• Anything unsold after two weeks gets donated. Don’t let selling slow down the move.
• Declutter clothes and kids’ toys with your kids. Give each child a box for the things they most want to have right away at the new place.
• Take household hazardous waste (paint, cleaners, batteries, propane, motor oil) to your city’s drop-off site. Moving companies won’t carry things like propane, gasoline, paint thinner or corrosive cleaners, so ask for your mover’s list.
• Schedule weekly donation runs so piles don’t build up.

1 week before

• Pack only what you’ve already decided to keep.
• Do a final sweep of each room: under beds, backs of closets, top shelves.
• Use up or give away open food, cleaning supplies and plants you’re not taking.
• Take one last donation load and one last dump trip.
• Pack an “open first” box for each person: sheets, toiletries, a change of clothes, chargers, a favorite toy.

“We only have days” plan

This was us. If you’re short on time:

1. Split the family into jobs. One person packs “definitely keep,” one person runs donations, one handles trash. Rotate if people get tired.
2. Start with the biggest wins. Large furniture, the garage and storage areas free up the most space and the most boxes.
3. Keep, not declutter. Instead of deciding what to get rid of, decide what’s coming. Pack essentials and things you love first. Whatever’s left is much easier to let go of.
4. Book the dump and donation runs now. Load the car every time someone drives anywhere.
5. Accept “good enough.” You’ll likely still move some things you don’t need. That’s okay. You can keep decluttering after you arrive.

What to sell, donate or throw away

Item	Best option
Furniture in good shape, appliances, tools, sports gear	Sell early. Donate if unsold after two weeks.
Clothes, books, toys, kitchenware	Donation center or thrift store.
Bikes	A bike charity or community bike shop. Some send bikes overseas.
Towels, blankets, bedding	Many animal shelters welcome these. Call first.
Electronics, cords, old phones	Electronics recycling (wipe your data first).
Paint, cleaners, batteries, propane, motor oil	Your city or county’s household hazardous waste drop-off.
Car seats	Pass on only if within the expiration date on the label and never in a crash. Otherwise recycle.
Old cribs	Don’t donate or sell one that doesn’t meet current safety standards (US and Canada both have rules).
Broken, stained, expired	Trash or dump.

Things to declutter before moving (that people forget)

• The junk drawer and the “cord box”
• Old paint cans and half-used cleaning products
• Spare keys to things you no longer own
• Manuals for appliances that are staying behind
• Duplicate kitchen tools and chipped dishes
• Old schoolwork and artwork (keep a few favorites; our guide to decluttering sentimental items can help)
• Out-of-date medicine
• Gift bags, wrapping paper and empty boxes
• Clothes that haven’t fit anyone in a year
• The things you’ve been storing for someone else. Ask them to collect them.

Declutter before moving checklist

• ☐ List big items you won’t take and start selling them
• ☐ Book dump runs, bulk pickup or a dumpster
• ☐ Declutter the garage, basement, attic and storage first
• ☐ Eat down the freezer and pantry
• ☐ Gather important documents into one folder that travels with you
• ☐ Declutter one room at a time before packing it
• ☐ Ask the four questions before anything goes in a box
• ☐ Donate anything unsold after two weeks
• ☐ Take hazardous waste to the proper drop-off
• ☐ Schedule weekly donation runs
• ☐ Label every box with room and contents
• ☐ Pack an “open first” box for each person
• ☐ Final sweep of every room, closet and shelf
• ☐ Last donation load and dump trip

Common questions

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Keep reading

• Where to Start Decluttering When You Feel Overwhelmed
• Minimalism Is Hard Work (But It Pays Off)
• The Room-by-Room Decluttering Checklist

See all our Decluttering guides