We all know someone who is a packrat. You know, your one hoarder friend who just can’t seem to part with possessions that haven’t seen daylight in years. While some people embrace messy environments, taking organizing measures to rid yourself of clutter can free up space in your home and give you some peace of mind. If you’ve got a move coming up it is important to begin organizing your home as efficiently as possible. Knowing what you have, what you need to keep and what you can part ways with can help shave time off the move, as well as some extra costs.
Decluttering can be a massive task, depending on how many items that have been accumulated over the years. We know here in northern Virginia we love our antiques, and we also know how we hate to part with them. By conquering and dividing the clutter, you can start organizing your home and give yourself room to breathe. Start by clearing out one room at a time. For instance, let’s say you start with your closet. Begin by clearing out all the clothing and organizing the articles into two piles: one you are willing to keep and one you can get rid of. Repeat this process for every other room in your house. Once you’re comfortable with what to keep and what clutter can hit the road, start placing the items you no longer need in boxes or bags. From there you can either leave it on the curb, donate it or take a chance at hosting a garage sale. The items that you have chosen to keep can now be organized once more in the spot you wish to keep them.
Decluttering Your Home
To reiterate, unnecessary clutter is an enemy of your move, causing unnecessary expenses. Decluttering can be an effective way of downsizing the piles of unused belongings in your home. Along with organizing your rooms, there are other ways you can defy the hoarder within you. If a garage sale is not your thing, give social media a try. Options like Facebook’s marketplace, Craigslist and eBay are great places to start. If apps are more your thing, there’s tons of options for you to list your items.
Apps for Organizing and Selling Clutter
You would be surprised at just how fast you can rid yourself of unnecessary clutter in our increasingly technological world. Here are some apps that you can use to tackle the clutter laying around your place:
- Letgo – This free person-to-person mobile classifieds app allows you to connect with other users nearby and list or purchase items.
- Decluttr – Are you a videogame, CD, DVD, tech or book hoarder? Decluttr is different from other free apps of its nature in the sense that it caters specifically to these categories. Just take a picture of your item’s barcode to get started.
- Facebook Marketplace– It’s like CraigsList, but without the dodgy listings. List and sell your items to people nearby and in your social network.
- OfferUp – This app is perfect for getting rid of old clothing or furniture. Take pictures of the items you want gone and list your desired price. The listing will be sent to other users in your vicinity and you can negotiate details and locations in the app.
- Handy – If you want to declutter your home and don’t want the hassle of selling and listing items, this free app is for you. Handy allows you to hire user-reviewed professional cleaners for your home. Payment is handled through the app and there’s even an option where you can track the progress of your cleaning.
- Yerdle – Listing personal information may make some users uneasy. Yerdle avoids the hassle of listing billing information by relying solely on trades. List the items you no longer need and start bartering and trading with other users for free.
- Chairish – Unwanted furniture, décor, art or other home accessories will be a thing of the past when using this free app. Listed possessions must have a minimum price of $25.00 and you get to keep up to 80 percent of the final sale.
- Vinted – Kiss the clutter in your closet goodbye. Users can sell, buy or swap secondhand clothing items and accessories for free.
And if you would rather take your valuable items and donate them to a local charity that can turn your clutter into revenue, most charities offer pick-up services to help you declutter your home as conveniently as possible. They send a driver, and all you need to do is bag or box up your donations.
Utilizing these downsizing tips can have a big impact on organizing your home. Chip away at your clutter and focus your attention on one area before you move to the next. Remember, decluttering is a marathon, not a race. Don’t be discouraged to start.
