Clutter-Free Move, Stress-Free Move

Moving to self-storage or just wanting to get rid of some 'stuff'? The cardinal rule of moving should be, "Don't pack anything you don't absolutely need or love." This is the perfect opportunity to take stock of your possessions, and find out whether you own them or they've been owning you. Most of us hang onto things we don't use or need for far too long out of sentiment or lack of time. Be ruthless; do it right this one time and you may never have to do it again.

The benefits of eliminating clutter go far beyond simply having fewer boxes to move. You'll save money by being able to rent or hire a smaller moving van, you'll reduce the amount of time you spend unpacking in the new house, and you'll also free yourself from emotional baggage that you may not even have realized was weighing you down.

Moving time is also the time to go through those stacks of papers-pay stubs, bank statements, old utility bills, etc.-you've been hanging onto and find out what you really need to keep and what's just collecting dust. The Internet has great resources to help you decide what should stay and what should go. Run any outdated papers with personal information on them through a paper shredder; the rest can go in the recycling bin.

Consider holding a yard sale, or, if you start early enough, selling items on the Internet. You can raise some cash to help pay for your move or necessities for the new house, but only if they're truly necessary-don't use the proceeds of your decluttering to acquire more clutter!

Ridding your home of clutter can benefit others as much as it benefits you. Donate clothing, bedding, cookware and other items in good condition to a local charity. Get the kids involved in the process too; help them understand that there are children less fortunate than they are who would derive a lot of joy from those toys they no longer play with and they'll part with them gladly.

A great trick for getting rid of all those do-it-yourself articles and project ideas that you can't quite bear to part with is to use a scanner to save them in digital form. They won't be taking up any space, but you'll still have them handy.

Life in your new, clutter-free home will be less stressful and require less maintenance. Make this your mantra to keep you going when things seem overwhelming. You'll be very glad you did.

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