5 Fantastic Spring Cleaning Tips Ahead of Your Move

Did you know that spring cleaning actually de-stresses you? That’s because you’re decluttering your mind as you sweep out the layers of dust, get the blood pumping, and wonder what took you so long to get your home cleanerish. We highly recommend spring cleaning ahead of your move because moving is hectic enough, and you have plenty to worry about even if you’ve planned everything out months in advance.

Spring cleaning can make your move go more efficiently. We’ll discuss five fantastic spring cleaning tips ahead of moving day.

Why Is It Called Spring Cleaning?

The original spring cleaning happened when people would hang up rugs outside of their homes and pummel them with a broom to shake out the dust, dirt, soot, and debris that accumulated over the winter months. Now, that tradition continues when modern families open up their windows, dust their dwellings from top to bottom, and scrub the floors.

You can trace the overall idea of spring cleaning back to the exodus of Judaic tribes from Egypt, which happened during Passover in the spring.

Why Does Spring Cleaning and Moving Go Hand in Hand?

Spring and summer are the most popular times for moving. As such, spring cleaning can help you lighten your load during a move and make both processes easier since you’re literally cleaning out your old home before moving to your new place.

Take a look at our tips for making spring cleaning easier!

1. Spring Clean a Few Months Before Your Move

Ideally, you called us about a move at least three months (12 weeks) in advance. When you get to the two-month mark, it’s time to do some heavy-duty spring cleaning. You’re gonna be moving all of your stuff anyway. Get an early start and get some cleaning done.

Spring cleaning ahead of the move lets you take stock of what you really want to keep. Make four categories of stuff as you clean out your garage, basement, attic, and the Monica closet (if you’ve seen Friends, you know what we mean).

Organize your stuff as:

Keep
Storage
Trash
Donate or Sell

The stuff you keep, that’s what moves with you. Storage is things you can probably put in storage until you have the space. Trash, well, those items get thrown away. The donate or sell pile can actually help you earn a little extra money.

2. Keep Receipts for Stuff You Donate

When you donate items to a charitable organization, like the Salvation Army or Goodwill, they’ll ask if you want a receipt. We’re not accountants, but if you donate the value of stuff that’s greater than your standard deduction, you might be able to pay fewer taxes next year. If you already itemize your deductions, donating stuff can pile on the value of your deduction. (The IRS has these standards on its website.)

The key is to get a fair market value for your stuff. You might have a mini-treasure trove on your hands. If you want to donate large items like furniture, many organizations will have a truck come to your place.

3. Have a Spring Clean Out Sale

Everyone loves extra money! If you’ve got some stuff you want to sell, have a yard sale as a spring clean out sale. (Sorry, we’re not weather forecasters, so we can’t tell you what days it won’t rain.) The best part is you don’t need to have a cash drawer. You can set up an app on your smartphone to accept electronic payments for the items you don’t want anymore, yet you know your elderly neighbor could use that box of 500 rubberbands for $5. Have a yard sale about a month before you move.

4. Move Items to Storage

Whether you’re moving across the street or across the country, sometimes you just can’t fit everything into your new home. Storage is great if you’re downsizing from a larger home to a smaller one or simply want to redecorate your new space and not ready to part with some items just yet. Think about putting stuff in storage about a month before your moving date.

5. Get a Fresh Start

When you’re moving to a new place, sometimes it just feels better to start completely over. Get ready for your move with a fresh start thanks to spring cleaning. Sell that old couch or washer and dryer. Does that mid-century desk not fit in with your rustic farmhouse decor at your next place? Someone out there surely wants that desk, either from your yard sale or as a donation.

Not only can spring cleaning freshen your soul, but it can also reduce the number of items for you to move, especially if you’re going to get rid of old items and buy all-new furniture at your next home.

Want some organized, efficient movers who give a damn to help you relocate? That’s us!