When you are doing a house move, it is the perfect time to take stock of your household belongings – things stored in the closet or the basement for years might need to go. Some people choose to make lists of all their things to keep and things to throw away or donate. Others simply take a few days to go through all their belongings, carrying a big box or bag with them and distribute the items this way. If you don’t need much persuasion or contemplation before you get rid of something you’ve had for years, then maybe the second option will be easier and quicker for you. Here are some of the ways to get rid of all that clutter and therefore save money on the packing material and the move.

Charity

There are many organizations and charities that you can give unwanted items to. Many of them would even pick the items from your doorstep which will save you time and efforts. They should give you a receipt for the tax purposes. Make sure that you contact them well before the move, before you have even started packing. Keep in mind that most of them do pickups only on certain weekdays so schedule a convenient time for you.

Classified Ads

Did you know that you can sell some of your old or unwanted items by listing them in the local newspaper or online for free? You can also stick a notice in the local library, supermarket or social centre where more people can see. Remember that what you consider trash won’t be trash for some people. The ad should be placed at least 2 months before the moving day so you have time to consider your options if nobody buys your things.

Garage Sales and Boot Sales

Holding a garage sale at your back yard is a great idea when you want to get rid of some of your unwanted items. Another option is to go to a boot sale where there will be many other people selling items. These are usually more publicized. Choose a season when more people can come – if your house move is scheduled for September, hold the garage sale in June or July. If the move is scheduled for June, organize the sale in April. Be ready to negotiate prices and don’t be greedy – after all you will make more money if you sell everything, then if you sell only a few things.

Auction

If you don’t have the time to do a garage sale you can hire an auctioneer to sell your things with their great skills. Of course you will pay a fee for that, but it’s still a better option than just throwing away things you once paid a lot for.

Online store

More and more people who are moving house choose to list their items in an online shop as these attract hundreds and thousands of visitors every month. It will require some time to sell them, pack and dispatch them, so you can also put an option for “pick-up only”.

Self-storage

If you can’t part with some of your belongings, but you don’t have enough space to store them at the new place either, maybe you should consider renting a self-storage unit. This is best done for a few months until you decide what to do with these items or simply have more time to organize a sale.