We are all familiar with the expression “you don’t know what you’ve got… until it’s time to pack it up and move to your new house.”
Ok, so maybe that’s not the phrase we are used to hearing, but it is certainly true for a great many people. Many, or perhaps even most of us, tend to collect things. Sometimes we do it consciously because we want to hang on to something “just in case,” and other times we keep things without thinking about it.
We buy things we don’t need because they are on sale, then we put them away “for later” and forget we have them, only to be surprised when we stumble across these hidden objects months or years later.
We save things for sentimental reasons, but then pack them away, sometimes never to be seen again.
When we move, we are forced to go through our possessions. We find old clothes, old toys, things we don’t even remember having kept… This is why moving the best time for junk removal.
What Do We Do With Our Old Stuff
It’s pretty easy to get rid of broken or useless items. Sometimes we hang on to things in the hope of one day repairing them or finding missing parts. As years go by and that never happens, we eventually come to grips with it and dispose of things. It’s harder when those things are still in good shape.
Sometimes, we simply don’t know how to dispose of something. Even if we decide that we don’t need that old lamp, or that cassette player, we don’t want to just throw it in the garbage. After all, we paid money for it!
Some of our old goods may be in perfect condition. It very well may seem like a horrible waste to do away with something that can still be used, but the fact is, if it’s sitting in a box in your basement, it’s not being used anyway.
But getting rid of something doesn’t mean it has to go in the trash. There are other, better ways of divesting yourself of old possessions.
Turn Them Into Cash
You may never need the old headboard tucked away in your basement. You may never again read the collection of Reader’s Digest that you have been keeping boxed up neatly in the back of your closet. And, not to be cruel, but you may never fit into that favourite pair of jeans again…
But even if you never need any of these things, you could probably make use of some cash, right? A few extra bucks in your pocket sure beats boxes of stuff that you will never touch again.
These days, there are plenty of options for selling your unwanted items. You could certainly go the traditional route of holding a yard sale. These still make their annual appearances every year as people do their spring/ summer cleaning, with neighbourhood lawns covered with all manner of goods in search of a new home.
And if you don’t want to go that route (sitting in the hot sun all day hoping to make a sale while haggling with a neighbour from down the street over the true value of your black velvet portrait of Elvis may not be the most fun you’ll ever have), then you can certainly post items online. A clever description and a decent picture may be enough to bring multiple buys to your door.
Save some Money (And Save Your Back)
As anyone with a large collection of books can tell you, moving can be quite the workout for your back! Why bring box after box of heavy stuff that will only go from your old basement to your new one?
You’ll be saving space, too. If you are moving into a smaller home, you may very well find that you have too much stuff to bring with you, even if you wanted to keep it all. Moving into a small house with a large house’s worth of belongings will be cluttered and probably messy, and who wants that?
Saving Time, Too!
By disposing of the things, you no longer want or need, you are going to be saving yourself a lot of work. Even if you have movers, you still have plenty of packing and unpacking to do yourself, and that can be very time-consuming. The less you have to pack, the faster it will go.
The actual move itself will be faster as well, with less stuff to bring to your new home. Depending on how much you manage to unload, you might even be able to get by with a smaller truck.
As you prepare for your move, this is the time to get tough. Do you really need all the things you have been hanging onto? Be honest with yourself about what you truly plan to use again, versus what you hope to maybe one day use in the exact right circumstances.
Saving money on the truck. Saving money on the movers. Saving time packing, moving, and unpacking.
Savings all around!
Starting Fresh in a New Home
Many people see moving as a brand-new beginning, and that can apply not just to your physical circumstances, but to your mental ones as well. A new home can be the start of an entirely new chapter in your life. If you need to, this is also a great time to make a break from those things in your past that you would like to forget.
Are you moving to a city or town that you have always dreamed about living in? Are you leaving a job that you never liked to work in a brand-new career doing something that you love?
Moving on can become a bit tougher if we physically carry the past around with us. Getting rid of accumulated junk can sometimes clear out a great deal more than physical space. This can be an exciting and liberating time if you take advantage of it!
Take advantage of your move to purge all your old junk. Sell, donate, recycle whatever you can. For everything else, we’ll be here to help. We’ll take away any junk that you can’t get rid of, allowing you to make your move quicker, easier, and more pleasant.