Most people don’t realize how many belongings they’ve accumulated over the years until they have to pack them up. If you’re moving soon, it's never too early to start decluttering. Before you contact a real estate agent, have photos taken, and allow prospective buyers in for showings, here are a few ways to condense your belongings. 

How to Get Organized Before Moving

1. Establish a Plan

Decluttering an entire house or apartment is daunting, but it becomes manageable when broken down into smaller tasks. Start by creating a master clean-out plan that spreads all the tasks over a couple of weekends so that you're not intimidated.

Consider going room by room to conquer one space at a time without getting distracted. Some people prefer to tackle the rooms where the most items have been accumulated first, while others like to work their way in gradually by starting with smaller spaces.

2. Set Up Separate Piles

As you work your way through spaces like closets and cabinets, set up piles for what you'll donate, throw away, and keep. You may also want an undecided pile that you can go back and sort through later. Get rid of the donation and garbage piles right away to start making noticeable progress.

3. Create Guidelines 

Choosing whether or not to keep something can be time-consuming, so try to set up guidelines ahead of time. For instance, some people choose to donate clothing they haven’t worn in a year as long as it doesn’t have sentimental value. 

You’ll also want to consider whether you’ll keep excess items, such as extra clothes hangers and kitchen gadgets. Having them on hand “just in case” might not be worth the extra space they’ll take up in your moving boxes.

4. Consider Storage

Your real estate agent will discuss the details of staging your home, which involves presenting the home’s best qualities to capture the interest of prospective buyers. This is important for both online photos and in-person showings. 

To reduce the appearance of clutter, it might be worthwhile to keep any non-essential items in a storage unit temporarily. Since those items will already be packed away, it will make moving that much easier.

If you’re buying or selling a home in the Belleville, IL area, turn to Adam’s Realty Group. Their licensed real estate agents have years of experience and know the ins and outs of the local community. They’re committed to helping your real estate transaction go smoothly and are available around the clock to support you through the process. Call (618) 234-8751 to speak with an agent today.