What to Keep and What to Buy New on Your Moving Day

You're moving! What an exciting season of life you are about to navigate. With moving comes many decisions, such as who is going to help me move? Which belongings do I keep, and which should I toss? 

Moving can become overwhelming with so many decisions. Here are some great tips to help you sort through what to keep, toss, and buy new on your moving journey. 

What Not to Move

Sometimes starting out fresh or simply tossing items you don’t need is a great way to decide what you will not take on your move. Here are five categories of things to let go of before you move.

1. Chemicals and Perishables

Chemicals are easy to replace and can cause damage if they spill. Many moving companies will not pack or move chemicals or other hazardous materials because of liability. Toss the chemicals and start over with only the ones you genuinely use in your new home.

Perishable items, such as food, medications, and cosmetic products with expiration dates, are easy to replace, so it’s great to sort through them and cut down before your move. You don't need anything that has expired, and more than likely, you have several things in your pantry and bathroom that have seen better days. Toss them and add them to the replacement list.

Food that won't last the drive is good to throw away. There is no need to cart around spoiled food. Throw those items out and plan to replace them when you get settled into your new home.

2. Bulking Items

Bulky items like CDs, CD players, electronics, and books that you no longer use can all be donated or sold. This is a great time to clean out that old CD case and transfer it to an online avenue. Those old computers, phones, and iPads that sit around collecting dust are great candidates for donation or recycling. Books that you don’t plan to read again take up way too space. Go through them and get rid of any that are no longer of interest to you.

3. Furniture and Appliances

Leave your appliances behind if you already know your new place will furnish the kitchen, laundry, and other appliances for you. You don't need extras taking up space in your moving van or new home. Your next destination may help you decide what to toss or leave behind in this area.

Furniture is an excellent thing to weed out as well. Let go of bulky furniture that won't fit in your new home or that you do not often use. Furniture is always sought-after and can be sold or donated.

Mattresses, especially, can be an excellent item to toss and get new when you move. Your mattress may be well worn. Take this opportunity to splurge on a new mattress for a new home and a good night of sleep. 

4. Excess Clothing

Closets and dressers can become bottomless pits of clothes and shoes when you start to sort it all out. Take this opportunity to weed out the clothes and shoes that you no longer need, want, or wear. Weeding through clothes and letting go of some will give you a lot fewer boxes to move. If you are moving to a new climate, pack for the destination's weather patterns. 

5. Papers

Do you have a file cabinet full of papers from years ago? Time to recycle and e-file. Moving is a great time to start decluttering documents from your house by scanning and tossing them. You don't need to carry that baggage with you to the next place for it to sit around another ten years. Put essential documents through a scanner to preserve them digitally, then shred them all.

What to Move

Although there are many things you can discard before moving, there are more items to hold on to and take with you. Here is a list of four things to keep while moving.

1. Furniture

Furniture that you use frequently and is sustainable. Bed frames, tables, chairs, couches, and other furniture that you use on a very regular basis and will be great additions to your new home should go with you. 

2. Heirlooms

Family heirlooms and other significant life memorabilia should make the journey with you to your new home. Store these items in plastic storage containers to ensure extra security during the trip.

Other non-replaceable items should go with you. These can be anything from rare editions to decorations from your wedding or baby memorabilia.

3. High-Priced Belongings

Valuable items like cash, jewelry, photos, heirlooms are things that a company may not pack and move for you. In this case, you may want to get a cargo van to take your high-priority belongings to their new destination. As you pack your valuable belongings be sure to double-check what the movers will handle vs. what you will need to drive yourself.  

4. Clothing

Any clothing that you often wear and will continue to use should be moved to your new home. 

Conclusion

You get to choose what you take and what you leave. Belongings hold a different value to each person. Some take this time to declutter a ton of stuff, while others prefer to keep most of their things. We hold a lot in this life, and moving is emotional on many levels. Just remember, if it's replaceable or unneeded, you might want to put an irreplaceable item in the box instead.