Hey there! And welcome to part two of the Moving 101 series. This series is a long time coming! We’ve moved a four times over the last 9 years and twice in the past two years (with kids!). I’m far enough away from our last move to process what went well, what I would do differently and what would be most helpful to know if I were in your shoes. We kicked off the series with a Plan My Move toolkit. If you are moving soon, start here.

Today I’m sharing everything you need to know about ruthlessly purging your home before your move including how to do it, why its important and when you should actually start packing (SPOILER —> NOT YET!). Plus, I consulted a seasoned real estate professional to get her (surprising) take on what buyers struggle with most when it comes to moving.

Why it matters

Organizing without decluttering is like trying to steer a canoe with one paddle. You just end up going in circles. The harder you try to organize, the faster you spin.

The same is true if you pack before you purge. Sure, you are going to feel great checking packing off your list. BUT when you move into your new home you will be overwhelmed with the same clutter that you encountered in your last home. You can’t outrun clutter.

The biggest struggles during a move might surprise you!

I asked my dear friend and seasoned realtor, Jamie Hawkins Casey, to weigh in on what she sees buyers struggle with most when it comes to moving. I wasn’t surprised when she sighted “parting with seldom-used items and where to donate them” among the most challenging obstacles for buyers. Having moved twice in the last two years with kids, I can totally relate! She also mentioned that completing the move within a narrow window of time and finding reliable and professional movers as other notable challenges.

Bottom line: moving is a tough life transition. It is so important to plan your move well from the start! If you haven’t already, grab my Plan My Move Kit which outlines a calendar on how to include purging in your packing schedule. You can also grab Jamie’s Buyer’s Guide which walks you through the broader home buying process so you can have a smooth real estate transaction from start to finish.

Advice from the experts: Jamie Hawkins Casey, Compass RE:

How to conquer clutter before you move

1. Pause. Breathe. You don’t have to do all of this today. If you haven’t already, go grab my Plan My Move Kit here.

2. Determine your WHY and write it down. Include your vision for your new home. What did you feel and see when you first walked into the space before buying it? Why did you want to purchase that home? What do you want your home to feel like? Why do you want it to feel that way?

3. Work through the emotional obstacles before you jump in. The excuses, the guilt, the what if I need it one day. You don’t want to hash through these feelings with every single item. You will just be in a sea of emotion and not be able to move forward. Decide now what you want your home to be and show no pity for anything that stands in your way. This is THAT important.

4. Start small and in order.

Using your packing schedule, you should have listed out all the areas in your home and numbered them by most to least used. Then, starting about 3 weeks out from your move date, start plugging in which days you are going to pack those areas. You are going to purge and declutter as you pack each area. Heres what to do:

1. Identify a small section of the designated packing area for that day. For example, if you are packing the guest room you might start under the bed.

2. Take everything out.

3. Use 3 boxes or bins - one for packing, one for donations and one for trash. Quickly sort items into one of the three bins. Don’t let analysis parlysis get you. Make a decisoin and move forward. If its helpful, I often tell people to set a timer for 20 minutes.

4. Repeat until the room is complete and move to the next area on your packing schedule.

Make sure you are scheduling donation pick ups and/or taking things to the donation center as you go. You may even want to schedule time for this on your packing schedule. Don’t leave any room for temptation to “just keep it” or “just deal with it later” wreck all the hard work you’ve already done.

Phew! That was heavy and emotional. Like they say….

Decluttering is simple, but its not easy.

If you are in Nashville, I highly recommend Jamie Hawkins Casey. We work with her exclusively on all of our real estate transactions. She has a wealth of resources for buyers to ensure a smooth transaction from start to finish. Check those out here:

Stay tuned for part 3 of the Moving 101 Series where we talk about how to pack like a pro for your best move yet!