If you’ve managed to put down a deposit on a new-build home, before you move in, you’ve likely pictured yourself living in the showhouse version of the property, surrounded by nothing but beautiful furnishings. The reality, however, is that you have either already amassed a wardrobe full of clothes, a hot-press packed with old sheets and tatty towels, and furniture that has seen better days, or you are starting from scratch, with a very small budget. So, to help you create a home that will resemble your vision, we have asked decluttering expert Hazel Burton of the Home Reset for advice on how to avoid cluttering your new home with your old belongings.
Declutter
Before packing up your belongings, you should aim to reduce what you have, even if you are moving to a larger space. A new-build offers a fresh start, so be intentional about what comes with you. Ask yourself three simple questions: Do I love it? Do I need it? Do I have space for it?
While you might be tempted to replace everything with shiny new purchases, it isn’t realistic to buy new sheets, new dinner sets and stylish decor pieces all at once. Find a balance by reducing the clutter but keeping what you will truly use or need.
If you are moving out of your parents’ home, do not allow them to use this opportunity as their own clear-out. Equally, what may have worked for you in a rental property doesn’t need to take up space in your new home. Only take what you absolutely need and furnishings that won’t look out of place in the new rooms.
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Donate or sell
If you have a large number of items to donate, recycle or sell, spend time on the exit plans for these items. Check with local charities what type of donations they can accept, speak to local children’s playgroups to see if they are in need of specific items. There are many online selling sites and free-cycle platforms to ensure your unwanted clothes can find a second home and a new lease of life, such as Vinted and Depop or rebornireland.com for babies’ clothes.
Start small
Start with small areas that are achievable to sort through in a short space of time – don’t set unrealistic targets. For example, start with towels and linens – do you need to bring them all to the new home? Will you have the same size and number of beds? Are all the towels in good condition? Looking at everything category by category will help you to make informed decisions. I recommend you start with the easy categories, where you have little or no sentimental attachment. This will give you confidence when moving on to the more difficult items.
Pack up the items you won’t need between now and the move date to get ahead of it. Think about seasonal items that may already be packed away. Seeing progress will keep you motivated.
Sentimental value
Once you have built up confidence with decluttering and organising, move to sentimental items. Don’t fall into the trap of just bringing everything from one home to another. While this is without doubt the most difficult category to reduce as every item sparks a memory, it’s not about throwing everything out. The aim is as per step one – do you love, need, use and have space for it? Maybe we don’t have room for every piece of children’s artwork, every letter from a friend, every holiday photo, but can you choose a few special ones to keep in a single folder? Can you go digital with items? There are some fantastic options available on the market now to help reduce the paper in our homes such as myartbook.ie and mycardbook.ie.
Pre-pack prep
Once you have decluttered and removed the items that are not coming to the new home, you can start to make the plan for boxing everything up and getting prepped for moving day. If you are moving out of a rental property, make sure you give yourself enough time to get organised before you have to hand back your keys. If done in haste, you will more than likely end up throwing everything into a box and taking it with you.
If you are using professionals to pack and transport your items, engage with them as early as possible to ensure they can give an accurate quote and that you can get them booked in. If you plan to do this step yourself, make sure you have enough boxes and bubble wrap/paper for delicate items, and rope in help if it’s available as we always underestimate just how much stuff we have.
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Be specific
When you are labelling your boxes instead of simply using a “kitchen” label, drill down into more detail by labelling with “delph” or “mugs”, as it will help so much when it comes to unpacking, allowing you to more easily prioritise where to begin.
Clothing packing hack
You can leave your clothes on the hangers by using big black bags. All you have to do is pull the bags up from below and over a selection of items, leaving the hangers exposed, and tie a knot in the bag. This allows you to transport the clothing and when you arrive in the new home just hang it in the wardrobe and remove the bag – a huge time saver.
Measuring up
You are going to have a different layout in your new home and therefore will need to consider the size and shape of rooms when planning layout and furniture. Consider this before you move to ensure you don’t bring items that will not work in the new spaces.
If this is your first home, spend time looking at Pinterest and Instagram to get an idea of what colours and styles appeal to you. Don’t feel you need to fill the house straight away. Keep your budget for things like floors if they are not included, and allow yourself to live in the house and get a feel for what would work in different rooms. Small things like mirrors and plants make a house feel homely while you save up for the bigger items.
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Prioritise functional spaces
Rather than focusing on decor in your new home, focus on setting up your functional zones first. Kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms should come before everything else as this will ensure your home is usable from day one.
Pack a moving-day essentials kit
Pack the items you will need close to hand on your first day in your new home. This will help the stressful process run more smoothly. My go-to kits for movers are as follows: a Stanley knife to open and break down boxes; tea bags and coffee; a kettle; a couple of mugs and plates; €50 for a takeaway on moving day; and wine or bubbles with a couple of glasses if you’re feeling it, but a celebratory drink from a mug is good too.
