Moving Soon? 6 Things You Should Toss Instead of Packing to Save Time and Space

Decluttering and moving go hand-in-hand. While adding one more step to your packing-up process might sound unappealing, a fresh start in a new-to-you home is the perfect opportunity to say goodbye to items you no longer need.

Going through all of your items at the beginning of the moving process eliminates the need to unload, unpack, and unwrap items you no longer need, which can save you time and money, particularly if your moving company charges by weight. Whether it’s broken, a duplicate, or simply an item you haven’t used in over a year, it’s probably time to part ways. To simplify this process, we tapped expert movers and organizers to unpack which types of items are better left behind.

6 Types of Items that Aren’t Worth Moving

“Moving is a stressful time, but it can be made so much calmer with thoughtful preparation,” says Marissa Hagmeyer, NEAT Method cofounder. She advises beginning the decluttering process as soon as you know you are moving and becoming a regular at donation and recycling drop-off centers over the coming weeks. Below are the top six items that you should consider leaving behind.

1. Consumable Items

Try to use up as many of your perishable and consumable items as you can before you move, as these items typically don’t fare well traveling long distances. “Assorted food and cleaning products are easy to give away to someone who can use them by posting a porch or corner pickup on NextDoor or Facebook,” suggests Lucy Milligan Wahl, owner of LMW Edits.

2. Clothes That Don’t Fit

Take inventory of the clothes that don’t fit anyone in your home. Libby Wood, certified senior move manager at Senior Settlers, recommends following the rule of 33, which asserts that most of us wear only 33 items of clothing (excluding basics like underwear and socks) and the rest largely go unused. “Consider letting someone who needs clothes enjoy those languishing items and take only your favorite 33 items to the new home,” says Wood.

3. Hazardous Items

Paint and batteries are two items that are safer to buy at your new location. Hagmeyer says many moving companies won’t even transport paint, while batteries can be a safety hazard when moving in the warmer months. Be sure to plan ahead so you can drop paint cans at the hazardous waste center before moving day.

4. Items Your Family Has Outgrown

If you’re still hanging onto toddler bikes, strollers, and baby toys, but your kids are in college, it’s time to make some edits.

“Don’t waste resources moving things that aren’t useful to you,” says Hagmeyer. The same goes for any items you haven’t touched in recent years. “Don't keep things that you don't use anymore: that specialty kitchen gadget that hasn’t been used since 1986, the outdated electronics sitting in a drawer, the book with the collected works of Albert Camus that hasn't been opened since your college philosophy course,” says Wood.

5. Junk Drawer Contents

Appliance manuals, broken items you never got around to fixing, empty cell phone boxes—no matter what’s in it, your junk drawer should not be moving with you.

“It’s so tempting to just sweep the contents of miscellaneous drawers and bins into boxes without looking at them,” says Wahl. “This is where you’re going to want to think ahead—how is it going to feel to unpack boxes in your new home and be faced with all these surprise boxes of junk?” Consider this your chance to clear out these odds and ends and start fresh in your new home.

6. Useful Items You Don’t Use

If you don’t use it, it shouldn’t come with you. Wahl says it’s as simple as that. “If you weren’t making smoothies or sawing wood or steaming carpets before, you’re probably not going to start now, and you can free up space during your move and in your new home by getting rid of bulky equipment you never use,” she says.

How to Let Go of Items Responsibly

Don’t just throw everything in the trash. Follow Hagmeyer’s pro tips for letting your items go responsibly.

• Bulk items. Schedule a large pickup with your local thrift store after you’ve completed your clean out.
• Items donation centers won’t take. Post these items on your local neighborhood groups. Even if you don’t make a profit, you’ll have the benefit of ensuring they’ll be put to use elsewhere.
• Hazardous items. Research recycling centers that accept these items and create a plan to drop them off before moving day.
• Paper, cardboard boxes, and manuals. Recycle all your paper items, including your post-move cardboard boxes.