Downsizing To A New Home? Here Are 5 Decluttering Tips

The kids are finally out of the house. They’re starting careers of their own and the risk of them returning home has finally dwindled to near zero. Heck, the Chicago Cubs have a better shot of winning the World Series or the St. Louis Blues of winning the Lord Stanley’s Cup than you do of having your kids move back home again.

It’s time to downsize.

Downsizing can be a financial windfall. According to mortgage lender Freddie Mac (The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Company), the carrying costs on a $500,000 home amount to about $15,000 a year. Downsize to a $350,000 home and the costs drop to $10,500.

But before you can make the change, you must rid your home of years of collected life. Nearly 10 percent of Americans rent a storage facility at an average cost of more than $1,000 a year. Simply put: Clutter costs money.

For items in good condition, a donation might be in order. For everything else? Enter your local Bin There Dump That franchise operator and take advantage of our residential dumpster rental services.

Here’s a look at how to approach a pre-downsizing clutter free home.

In the Beginning

Decluttering is a process. Before you order your bin, go through each room of the house and decide what to keep and what can go.

Downsizing is far more than just getting rid of the kids’ old toys. There’s a pretty good shot that over the decades you’ve collected tons (maybe literally) of material that you no longer need or want. Basements and attics have become repositories for the remnants that once seemed so important. A two-bedroom apartment doesn’t have the storage space of the old home. Tough decisions (and some not so tough) have to be made. Those shot glasses from that trip to Las Vegas, refrigerator magnets from the Grand Canyon, the Mickey Mouse ears from the trip to Disney World — they’re not worth saving. Memories aren’t made with things; they’re made with friends and family.

Make sure to give yourself enough time to do the job right. A clutter free home can’t be done in an hour; at least not well.

Over the years how many hobbies have come and gone? Woodworking, needlepoint, quilting, and that attempt at beer can collecting just never quite worked out. Your daughter’s doll and your son’s “Archie” comic books collections aren’t going to make it through the garage sale. Your grandkids are more likely to play with smart phones and tablet computers than they are with their parents’ toys. Don’t carry the leftovers from those ill-fated fancies with you to your new home.

5 Decluttering Tips

Once you get through the obvious stuff, there are still plenty of objects that shouldn’t make the cut. To make the job easier here are five tips to help you decide what should make the cut.

1. Start by making a list of things you can’t live without. If you haven’t touched it in more than a year, it’s probably something you don’t need.

2. Discovering a clutter free home can be a time-consuming process. Don’t wait until the weekend before the move to get started. Take one room at a time and work your way through your home.

3. Let the kids keep what they want. Get rid of the rest.

4. Start off organized. Moving clutter to the new home with the thought that you’ll straighten up once you’re settled is a bit of a fantasy.

5. Remember the Pareto Principle. You only use about 20 percent of what you have. The other 80 percent just sits there. Get rid of as much of the 80 percent as you can.

Start decluttering your home by deciding what can go. And while you're doing that, dumpster rental would be a convenient next step. Order your Bin There Dump That bin by contacting your local franchise operator.

To find the franchise operator nearest you, visit our website.