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Hard to say without more details? How far are you moving? paying for the move yourself? Bigger place , smaller place?
Several charity organizations will do home pick-up and you can even schedule online. We generally get some big boxes a figure a room a weekend for ruthless purging.
Trying to figure out how much stuff fits into moving vans. Moving far. Moving ourselves. Same size place. I'm just not sure what fits into moving vans. I mean, I know the size of the truck inside, but how does that compute to weird sized furniture, boxes, etc. So, I'm trying to get rid of stuff so that it will all fit come moving day. I'm just wondering, when should I start, how much to get rid of right away.
Trying to figure out how much stuff fits into moving vans. Moving far. Moving ourselves. Same size place. I'm just not sure what fits into moving vans. I mean, I know the size of the truck inside, but how does that compute to weird sized furniture, boxes, etc. So, I'm trying to get rid of stuff so that it will all fit come moving day. I'm just wondering, when should I start, how much to get rid of right away.
don't reinvent the wheel
all that information has already been calculated many times and is readily available online at places like uhaul and budget.
If you're moving someplace close, it's not quite as crucial, but since you say you're moving far...
1. If something is really big or bulky, and you don't love it, and it's nearing the end of it's practical life, and if you can replace it for a reasonable amount - get rid of it. Like that old couch in the den, or the extra armchair, or the bookshelf you're not sure you'll need. Even if you think you'll have room in the truck, once you start loading, you may find you have less space that you think. And you can get a replacement old couch in your new hometown, if you find you really need it.
2. If something is really heavy, and doesn't have much value - consider getting rid of it. Just think about all the extra gas it will take to haul your bowling bowl you haven't used in 10 years, and those eight boxes of books you'll never read again, and that huge solid metal coffee table that you hate, but you've had it in your den forever. All those heavy items make the cost of gas for the truck go way up!
3. If something has sentimental value, keep it. If something has financial value, keep it. If something is practical and gets used all the time, keep it. Everything else? Think hard!
4. Pack what I call a kitchen in a box - pack one knife, one sauce pan, one small frying pan, salt and pepper, a cutting board, and the same number of place settings and glasses as you have members in your family. It should end up being a very small box. And mark it well! Put big red strips on it if you have to! On moving day, or the day after, you'll be really grateful when you can open one box and be able to make lunch or dinner. There's nothing worse than trying to make a quickie meal, and not being able to find a knife, because you don't know what box the knives are in...
5. If you have lampshades, and if they're old or yellowed, consider tossing them and buying new ones in your new hometown. Lampshades are hard to pack, so that they don't get crushed - and they take up a lot of room. Just as an aside, my Dad hired movers to do the last of his packing, and he had an old lamp that he was throwing away, sitting by the back door. One of the packers, packed that lamp up - and it took a rather large box - even though it was a small lamp - and the shade had it's own box - and those two boxes cost him like $75 - just for the boxes. And then the thing took extra room in the truck, and he was being charged by the foot - so in all we figured he paid over $200 to move a lamp that he meant to take out to the trash. Not a very funny story, but it does illustrate how much room one item can take in a truck - even just a fairly small, innocuous lamp!
I moved from NY to FL and got rid of a lot of stuff by having a garage sale. It really is hard to decide what to get rid of when you move. Did you ever watch that show on TV where they have someone come in and help people sell stuff to de-clutter? The rule of thumb is, if you haven't used it in the last year, it is ok to get rid of it.
The best time to get rid of some of that clutter and extra stuff you never use is when you are moving. It also helps you earn a little extra money and provides less belongings to move. It might be a good idea to have that sale before you put your house on the market. Here are some tips for having a successful garage sale.
1. Prepare - Collect all the items you want to sell and place them in boxes or store them in your garage. Be sure to do this ahead of time. Don't wait until the last minute.
2. Neighborhood - Check with your neighbors to see if they want to hold a sale at the same time or join in with your sale. A neighborhood sale will attract more buyers.
3. Permit - Check with your local town/city to see if you need a permit or need to register your garage sale.
4. Pricing - Make sure that you price all of your items. This will avoid people asking questions when you might be busy with another customer and it is hard to come up with a price right on the spot. Use small stickers or masking tape. People are looking for a bargain, so price your items accordingly.
5. Advertising - Place an ad in your local newspapers. Place ads on free Internet sites. Put up garage sale signs directing traffic to your home. Use balloons to get their attention.
6. Displaying your items - Arrange your items on tables and leave room for people to walk around. Put like items together. Put large items near the end of the driveway so that people can see them from the road. Have bags to place items in.
7. Managing Money - Keep your cash on you at all times. A fanny pack around the waist is a good idea. Go to the bank and get change ahead of time such as coins and dollar bills. Keep a tally of items you sold and for how much money. Keep a calculator on hand to add a large quantity of items.
8. After the Sale - Separate your items by things you really want to keep and those items that you can donate to charity. If it is something you have had for a long time and never or rarely use, go ahead and donate it or sell it as a resale shop. Clean up and put everything away.
Garage sales are good for the cash, but a LOT of work. From my accountant, you get a better return by making an itemized list, using someplace like Salvationarmy.com for values, and donating them to your local recognized charity and taking the tax deduction. Make sure you get a receipt and take pictures. You can take a $8-$10 credit for a pair jeans you might sell at a garage sale for $2.
5. If you have lampshades, and if they're old or yellowed, consider tossing them and buying new ones in your new hometown. Lampshades are hard to pack, so that they don't get crushed - and they take up a lot of room. Just as an aside, my Dad hired movers to do the last of his packing, and he had an old lamp that he was throwing away, sitting by the back door. One of the packers, packed that lamp up - and it took a rather large box - even though it was a small lamp - and the shade had it's own box - and those two boxes cost him like $75 - just for the boxes. And then the thing took extra room in the truck, and he was being charged by the foot - so in all we figured he paid over $200 to move a lamp that he meant to take out to the trash. Not a very funny story, but it does illustrate how much room one item can take in a truck - even just a fairly small, innocuous lamp!
Ditto for garbage cans! All our moves have been military (paid for by the gov't) and it never fails - we don't mean for them to pack the trash can, they always do, and it always gets crushed...
We only have done three yard sales in 9 moves. Generally, it does work out better to take the tax deduction.
I few years ago I had so much stuff. All of my own plus the estates of my parents my grandmother and my brother. I had a huge house and it was stuffed full plus a furnished rental also stuffed. I was downsizing and selling the apt. building so I had tons of stuff to get rid of. I first asked all my kids if there was anything they wanted. That thined it out a little bit. I then contacted a thrift store in the area that raised money for families in need. I tgave them the rest of the stuff and they gave me a tax reciept that saved me $3000 on my income taxes. It was an easy way to get rid of the stuff. They even picked it up.
OH the PAIN! I feel your pain of getting rid of stuff. I usually just give things away, I don't have time for a garage sale. I know plenty of people who need stuff.
1. Old furniture, give it away.
2. Old clothes, give them away.
3. Kitchen stuff, can all be replaced for about $500, give it all away.
4. Anything that cannot be replaced for less than $100, evaluate.
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