Inside: Try the move-out decluttering method to help motivate you to clear clutter from your home.
If clutter is an ever-present struggle in your space and you can’t quite figure out how to address it, try the move-out decluttering method.
The move-out decluttering method is as straightforward as it sounds: act as though you’re moving and need to clear out clutter as you prepare to transition to your new space.
Even though you aren’t actually moving, this strategy can help you make surprising progress around addressing your clutter and help you get organized.
Not sure why – or how – to embrace this strategy to overhaul your home? I’ve got you covered.
Keep reading to see why the move-out method might be right for you and how you can make it work.
The Move-Out Decluttering Method: Why It Works
The move-out decluttering method might sound a little strange at first, but it makes a lot of sense.
Why?
There are a couple of compelling reasons.
First, moving requires a mindset shift. When you’re simply decluttering your space, it’s easy to justify keeping stuff around – after all, it’s always been there, and it isn’t taking up that much space.
But when you prepare to move, everything is up for consideration.
If you want to keep something, you’ve got to go through the added effort of packing it away, hauling it to your new space, and finding it a new home. Every item you keep requires more time and effort.
It allows us to be more critical as we declutter, with an easy justification for letting things go.
There’s also the cost involved with moving. You’ve got to pay for moving boxes, bubble wrap, and tape. You’ve got to pay for movers to load everything up, drive it to your new destination, and unpack it.
If you’re doing it yourself, there may be less monetary cost, but there’s still time and energy that goes into the task – a physical and mental cost to you. By tapping into our sense of frugality and efficiency, we can more easily declutter when we’re in a move-out mentality.
Tips to Clear Clutter With the Move-Out Decluttering Method
Not sure how to make the move-out decluttering method work for you? Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you navigate the process:
1. Set a ‘move-out’ date – even if you aren’t actually moving.
One of the best things you can do to make the move-out decluttering method effective is to set a move-out date – yes, even if you aren’t moving.
By giving yourself a decluttering deadline and treating it as though that’s a drop-dead end date for your time in your current space, you create a sense of urgency.
Keep this date front and center as you tackle the task at hand. Write it on a whiteboard in your kitchen, or put it on a sticky note in a visible spot. Put it on the schedule on your phone. Create a countdown to tick away the days until you need to be “out” – and prioritize accordingly.
2. Focus on one space at a time.
When you move from one home to the next, you typically take a methodical approach to packing your stuff.
You don’t spend weeks with boxes and bins covering every surface of your home – and if you do, you shouldn’t. Instead, it’s best to tackle the rooms and spaces in your home one by one.
Focusing on one small space at a time will minimize the mess and overwhelm that can come with decluttering.
Start with the stuff you don’t use as often – the spare bedroom, the attic or basement, the closet full of extra linens and board games that only get touched when guests come over.
Then, move to the more high-traffic, high-utilization spaces in your home – your bedroom and master bath, or the kitchen.
Not only will focusing on one room, drawer, shelf, or section of your home at a time help you stay focused and make meaningful progress, but seeing the results of your hard work in action will motivate you to make more progress.
3. Dedicate specific time to the task.
Decluttering can quickly feel like an endless task, making it hard to stay motivated and focused. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to address that problem: set time limits for yourself.
Look at your theoretical move-out date and figure out roughly how much time you think you’ll need to declutter. Then, plan it out.
Do you want to work in 15-minute sprints throughout your days? An hour or two each evening? A nice four-hour block of focused work on the weekend.
Think about what works best for you – then, embrace that strategy to schedule specific times to declutter your space.
If you want to approach decluttering more slowly, that’s fine too. By consistently making progress, you will eventually reach your goals.
4. Be ruthless.
Pretend you’re moving across the country into a space that’s smaller than your current home – but is also your dream home. Envision the aesthetic.
How will your current belongings fit? What energy do they carry? Will they support your vision – or distract from it?
When it comes to deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, keep this vision in your mind as you work – and be absolutely ruthless in letting go of the junk that’s simply taking up space.
Don’t make excuses for keeping things you haven’t touched in years. Don’t try to justify having endless duplicates of things you don’t actually use.
If you’re still holding onto physical media – DVDs or even VHS tapes, or a collection of CDs from your favorite artists – ask yourself if you really need to hang onto them.
Do you love and actually use them? If so, it’s fine to keep them. But if you can’t remember the last time you used an item, now is a good time to let it go.
5. Ask for help if you need it.
If you were moving out of your home and had a hard deadline to meet, you’d bring in reinforcements if you couldn’t get everything organized and packed by yourself.
As you leverage the move-out method to declutter your home, you can – and should – ask for help if you need it.
That help can come from your family, friends, or even a professional organizer to help you clean, declutter, and organize.
By leveraging your resources and getting help when needed, you’ll be more likely to reach your decluttering goals.
Have you tried the move-out decluttering method? Leave a comment and let me know how it went!
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My sister’s method is to pretend you are moving to Hawaii and you have to pay shipping on everything.
Well that would definitely be an added expense. Really shifts your perspective on what’s worth it.
That’s a great technique!
I have used a similar method where I tell myself I am moving to Sweden and ask myself would this item fit in my new place and would I want to carry it all that way with me.
Other mindset shifts I’ve made were, I am moving into a much more sophisticated home. Would these items fit in a new lifestyle? It also helps me be the person I am dreaming of becoming.
I like your thoughts on the moving to Sweden. It brings up a feeling of a new fresh start.
I’ve recently bought a few ‘Scandi” mags and they are motivating me
I’ve never tried this strategy but I am going to within the next week. Great idea.
Good article! A major part of any change process is mindset. And this method is a subtle way of addressing that. It just might be the nudge that get some people on the “decluttering train”! Thanks!
Very true. Often we don’t consider the cost of holding onto things (rather we focus on what we spent or a perceived cost of letting go). When you think about what it costs you, it does make it easier to let go.
Indeed mind shifter strategy! Thanks and will give it a go to my long overdue declutter tasks. Thanks 🙏👍👍
I didn’t ‘try the method’, instead we actually moved! From a 4-bedroom two story with a full basement and a wonderful garden to a two-bedroom condo with a balcony and a very small (think phone booth sized) storage locker. And everything we really wanted/needed all fit.
It was very freeing. I do need to pull about 10 items from my clothes closet to balance the shopping over the summer, but otherwise, we’re in good shape.
It helped to picture our new life here and what we’d want in order to enjoy that life.
You did the method in the truest sense of it! Downsizing definitely makes you evaluate what you truly need. Thanks for sharing your experience.
We did the Move Out Decluttering but it was an actual move across the country into a home with 5 less rooms. We were clearing out 30+ years of stuff and 3 kids’ things who were all out of the house. The way I approached it was to ONLY move what I LOVED. I think you could approach a declutter where you’re not moving in the same way. Only the dishes, clothes, decor, furniture etc that I knew I loved and would be used regularly made the cut. Some things went to family, some to Habitat for Humanity and some had to go in the trash because it wasn’t good enough to donate. Why did we keep all that stuff? We actually let go of some more furniture once we got to the new home and determined it didn’t look right there. My husband likes to hold onto things so his garage and the attic still have his extras but the rest of the house is so much more livable and beautiful!
Yes! When you are actually moving you are facing the real cost of holding onto things. That’s wonderful you were able to declutter as you made the move & had such great results 🙂
I have used the keep what I love method first. I thought about if a wildfire was coming my way (it could actually happen where I live) and what items would I absolutely want to take with me. It was a much shorter list than I thought it would be! Then it’s easier to go through and sort the rest.
Yes! It really can shift your perspective when you focus on what you love most and would take with you in an emergency.
The move out method works for me… Thanks for mentioning it!!!
You’re welcome, Elizabeth! It’s great that this method has worked well for you 🙂
I have been using Moving method for 3 years. A lot of stuff is gone. I did not sell; it would take too much time. So I just gave away or chucked it. I do have another give-away bag ready.
I am still here. I have feelings off and on of worthlessness. I feel stuck here at times, too. I feel sad. I feel I am in a whirlwind sometimes.
I love my home; my roof over my head. No 1 cares about my home. Only I care, so I try to take care of me; not my deceased Dad or deceased Dad or deceased husband or deceased son; and hope everything will fall in place with my efforts of taking care of me. I find it easier if I keep drinking water. I tend to get dehydrated doing the MOVE OUT SPECIAL.
I am guessing it is time for another move out date. It would be nice if I could move out by Oct. 1st 2024.
Thanks for all your help.
me,
Jane
You’ve been working hard, Jane. I hope you’re proud of all of your efforts and accomplishments. I agree with Val and that looking for those simple joys is a great way to take care of yourself. You do matter!
You are very worthy Jane, and valuable to other family, friends, but especially to yourself. Keep up your good work!
This is for Jane
You are your best friend, take care of you, and find simple things to do that give you pleasure and happiness. I like to paint, and I used to write lots of poetry. I lost my mom to Alzheimer’s & Dementia and my oldest son to Covid-19 within 3 days of eachother. I had lost a favorite Aunt and Cousin recently, also. I miss them. I have a granddaughter almost 3 years old. She is such a joy to spend time with. We have two dogs who are the best companions. Sunsets, sunrises, the stars and the moon comfort me.
I need to sort through and declutter, this moving out method might be “the ticket”!!
As a military spouse I can a test to this method. We move every 2-3 years and are limited on weight. In the military community it’s called “The Purge.”
I agree! I will do my best!! I’m truly sorry for your losses. 💖💖
Brilliant.
Sounds good but my brain isn’t easily fooled so on days I don’t feel up to it I’m likely to say “no hurry”
Doing this can be a big ask of self, then making space for holding bags and time for dump and donation station…..ugh. Like the deadline idea. How do you deal with getting rid of purge items? Minimum dump fees are not cheap. Maybe organize a neighborhood or friend group to make a shared dump run. Any other ideas out there?
I’ve included some of my favorite ways to donate here: https://www.thesimplicityhabit.com/the-best-ways-to-responsibly-donate-your-clutter/
We did this for real this year. We downsized from a 3 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom bungalow.
We started the big declutter as soon as our house went up for sale. We started with the spare bedroom which was filled to the brim with junk. We then moved on room by room upstairs, then downstairs, finishing with the garden and finally the shed.
I took five large bags of clothes to the charity shop along with bags of DVDs, CDs, board games and other bric a brac that we no longer use.
We mainly moved everything ourselves, using the removal company for the big stuff.
Overall, it’s been an exhilarating experience and we’ve found a place for everything in our lovely new home. I’m also finding it easier to put outfits together now I’ve only got clothes that fit and that I like.
I’d definitely recommend the author’s method and just do it!
I organized a yard sale this past spring in our condo neighborhood. It was wonderful! Not only did we get rid of lots of stuff, we met a lot of neighbors we hadn’t met before! New people saw this neighborhood, which is tucked-away from the main road (good for condo sales). And our “move-out date” was the date of the yard sale. Everyone loved it!
I would just pretend that I am moving out of state and just purchased a 399 soft tiny house and really need to downsize. And be living the simple life!
This! Im starting renovations shortly so Im using this technique to declutter. My new kitchen and laundry will have more storage, but Im still wanting to get rid of the stuff I have. I want less not more, and I want my living areas to be clutter-free. Easier to clean and visually more calm. Hubby will also have a dedicated study nook so our dining table will no longer be his office. Im determined that this will work!!!!