A Checklist for Cleaning Out Your Home Before Moving


December 2, 2022

It takes a lot of work to pack up your home and move your family to a new location. Most homeowners need several weeks to prepare for an upcoming move and house cleanout. New Jersey homeowners find themselves not only packing and moving household items, but there are many other things on the to-do list before moving day arrives: setting up utilities, renting a moving truck, buying cleaning supplies, and more.

The good news is that you don’t have to do the house cleanout alone. Our professional team at Junk-A-Haulics is always available to haul away the items that you don’t want to take to your new home. Whether you are moving to another house or clearing out an old storage unit, we are here to help with your upcoming move. 

Here are a few checklist items to follow to ensure it is a smooth and successful moving day.

Mark Your Boxes Clearly for Moving Day

As you are packing items into boxes, you can be proactive about marking the boxes to make it easy to unload and unpack. Consider color-coordinating the boxes with tape or stickers so you can easily identify boxes that need to go into the kitchen, bedroom, office, and more.

It’s helpful to have a bunch of moving boxes on hand when you are starting to work on your house cleanout in NJ. This strategy allows you to start packing things into boxes right away. Also, make sure to have packing tape, scissors, and big markers that can be used to write on the boxes. Good organization right now will save you a lot of time and hassle when you get to the unpacking side of the move.

Declutter and Pack By Room

It can be overwhelming to know where to start when you have an entire house to pack up! One of the best methods is to take it one room at a time. It’s similar to the popular saying: the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. 

Plan out your decluttering process by writing down the order that you are going to follow. If needed, consider starting with the smallest room so you can get momentum, then move into the bigger rooms and storage areas.

There might be a temptation to throw everything in boxes and handle the house cleanout at the new house. But it always feels good to take care of everything as early as possible. You want to start fresh when moving to a new home, instead of sorting through old items and unused clothing that you moved. 

One of the benefits of decluttering and packing by room is that you can set items aside for donation or a garage sale. This strategy ensures that items with continued use won’t go to waste.

You may find that when you reach the basement or attic, it makes sense to haul away all of the outdated clothes, holiday decorations, and broken furniture. Junk-A-Haulics is ready to take on those spaces with you!

Clean Out Unused or Broken Kitchen Tools

During your house cleanout, homeowners might be surprised at how many unused items are found in the back of the closets or buried in boxes. How many of these things have you been storing for years, but haven’t touched at all? 

Set goals about how much you want to get rid of, and be practical about whether items are worth keeping. For example, if you have stacks of old kid’s clothes and your family isn’t planning to have any more kids in the future, then it might be a great time to pass the clothing onto another family or donation center.

Another tip when you declutter your home is to check the expiration date on each box or can in your pantry. If there are food items that you aren’t eating, then these things can be taken to a local food pantry. Or, if they are way past the expiration date, then it might be time to throw those things away.

Do you plan on bringing your microwave with you, or are you planning to leave appliances behind? If you’re not bringing unused or outdated appliances with you and anticipate the new homeowners will bring their own, Junk-A-Haulics is ready to help you haul the unused and/or unwanted appliances away before the move. 

Organize and Sort Clothing

Clothing is always a big hassle, especially if you have a lot of people in your home. There are several strategies that can be used for clothing when you are working on your house cleanout in New Jersey. 

The first step is to consider sizing. For example, get rid of clothes that the kids have outgrown. Also, be realistic about your own closet. Some people keep clothing that doesn’t fit anymore because they have intentions for weight loss in the future. Instead of holding onto these old items, it might feel better to let those things go so you can create fresh energy in your new space.

With the clothing that you are planning to keep, it can be helpful to divide everything out by season. Have plastic tubs to hold sweaters and cold-weather clothing, and other storage bins for swimsuits and warm-weather clothing. Then, you can decide which seasonal clothing will go straight into your new closet, and which items you are going to put in storage.

Separate Your Donatable Items

There are often items that you no longer need, but they still have use. Even though you are getting rid of these things, it doesn’t mean that they need to go to the junkyard. Start making a pile of donatable items that you can take to a local center or shelter. Furniture that’s in good shape but doesn’t have a place in your new home is the perfect thing to pay forward. Junk-A-Haulics knows local donation centers and can get your oversized pieces there for you. 

It can be hard to donate sentimental items. You’ll need to decide which things are worth keeping, and which items should move to a new home. 

Have Access to Necessities

Don’t forget to have the essentials on hand to help you get through the move. For example, you can live without living room decorations for a few days or weeks. But you are definitely going to want a toothbrush, fresh clothing, bedding, and toiletries right away.

Whether you are doing the move by yourself or hiring a moving company, it’s smart to pack suitcases for your family. Load these bags into the trunk of your car so the immediate-use items don’t get lost in the moving truck.

Junk-A-Haulics Is Your Resource for House Cleanout Before a Move

When you need help with a house cleanout before your move, then Junk-A-Haulics is here to assist. We offer full-service junk removal for everything from old appliances to furniture, construction waste, and more. Call today to learn more about how our team can assist to make your move easier than ever.

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