Moving is stressful enough without adding the part about packing everything up. That can be a pretty emotional time, especially if you have childhood ties to your home, are going through a divorce or are facing a foreclosure. Nonetheless, some tough decisions have to be made when you move — an ideal time to declutter and start anew. What should you keep and what should you trash during your local residential move?
What to Trash
When going through your mementos and belongings, make a pile to keep and a pile to toss. As a general rule, if you haven’t looked at something, worn it or used it in three years, it should go into the toss pile. This doesn’t include mementos, of course, but more on that later. Ask yourself some questions:
Is the item replaceable? Before throwing something out, ask yourself how easy it will be to replace. Books, your little black dress that hasn’t fit in two years, and other items with a monetary value can always be replaced later if you absolutely need it again. Give irreplaceable objects more consideration, suggests Apartment Therapy. Your wedding album, for example, is NOT replaceable even though you may not have given it a second glance for a decade. Keep it anyway. Your kids will thank you one day.
Am I holding on to other people’s memories? Your sister’s wedding program…a pressed flower from your cousin’s baptism…birth announcements from all your friends…these are all great to have but not to hold onto forever. If you must make a decision on saving space, these should be the first mementos to go. It’s time to release yourself from the burden of keeping other people’s memories!
Why am I keep those inherited collections? Your Uncle Alfred’s ash tray collection…your grandma’s beloved China set…these all take up room and can be quite a pain to move safely. Take a look at why you’ve been holding on to these treasures over the years. Is it out of guilt? If you feel like you can’t bear to part with family inheritances because you feel guilty, it’s time to snap a photo of these collections, jot a memory down on the back, and toss/donate/sell to a consignment shop these very bulky reminders of loved ones.
Do I need all that free stuff? Keychains, door stoppers, paper weights, wedding favors, workplace giveaways: you’ve likely accumulated plenty of free stuff over the years. Maybe you feel it’s harmless because it all fits in a box, but this free stuff with no meaningful connection can really weigh on you. Toss the box and stick with items that hold actual memories.
Am I am holding onto short-term mementos too long? Probably. This includes nice-to-haves such as birthday cards, event programs, invitations and birth announcements. While it’s OK to display those in the short term, once they have outgrown their useful life on your mantel or fridge, send them packing to the trash bin.
What to Keep
Now that we’ve discussed what to ditch during a move, now we can concentrate on what to keep during this transition from old home to new beginnings.
- Reminders of positive events and the best days of our lives. From the birth of your children to your wedding day, it’s important to keep mementos that make you remember how you felt on that special day. Choose only the BEST events, people, places and experiences, making sure they are ones that fill you with joy and utter happiness.
- Representative samples. No sense in keeping all 25 of those extra wedding programs you have from 15 years ago. Keep one and get rid of the rest. That’s all you really need. It’s not like you’re actually going to use them again, right?
- Triumphs over adversity. Have you ever overcome an obstacle that you worked really hard to achieve? Whether that’s running a marathon or getting your college diploma working nights trying to raise a family, cherish those memories to remind yourself that you can and will triumph over adversity.
Contact Olde World Movers in Fort Worth, TX
Once you’ve decided what’s going to go with you on your move, Old World Movers can step in to help get the details taken care of. Lean on us to provide you with high-quality moving and packing services in North Texas, with free estimates to help you plan. Contact us today for a free quote to get started on the next phase of your life. Contact us in Euless TX today!
