Decluttering
Before the
Big Move
L
eaving a home behind brings out
the nostalgic side in all of us, but if
you can resist that impulse and say
goodbye to some lesser-used
items, the process will be much
easier (and cheaper).
"The first thing we like to tell
people is make sure they purge,"
offers Doug Jasper of AMJ Campbell. "Make
sure you're only moving the items that you
need to move, because obviously it will have
an effect on the price."
The best advice is to start early and small.
Pick one room and, as honestly as you can,
take stock of every single item within. Ask
yourself, will I use this at my new home or will
it just collect dust?
Some people find it helpful to approach
the process with a firm decluttering goal in
mind – dumping one of every four items in
each room, for instance. An easy place to begin
is with clothing and books – two items we
tend to keep far beyond their usefulness. For
long-distance hauls, consider donating all of
your food (even the non-perishables) as well as
your houseplants.
Once you've identified the dead weight, hold
a garage sale; or, for a better deal on the more
valuable stuff, consider selling on Craigslist and
eBay. Finally, if you want to go the philanthropic
route, non-profit groups such as the Alberta
Association for Community Living accept
donations of clothing and household items. W
Save 10% on
refuse removal at
1-800-GOT-JUNK?. They'll
load, clean up and recycle
for you. Use promo code
"AMA." 1-800-468-5865;
AMARewards.ca/
GotJunk
p51_57_SmootherMoves.indd 57
S p r i n g 2 0 14 | w e s t w o r l d A l b e r t a 57
14-01-10 4:03 PM
