There are many reasons for good decluttering, and one of the main ones is moving house. There’s nothing worse than packing boxes with things you no longer need, just to leave them unpacked in the garage or loft at your new home. Some people even declutter before putting their house on the market. Having less stuff around gives the impression of a bigger, tidier space, likely leading to a quicker sale.
But you don’t have to be moving to declutter. Renovations are another great excuse to have a big clear-out. At Burke & Wills, we offer storage and removal services, and we always advise decluttering before putting your things into storage while builders move in. We’ve compiled some of our top tips to help you declutter efficiently.
Contents
- Essential Decluttering Kit Checklist for House Moves
- How to Declutter Room by Room Efficiently
- Decluttering Children’s Toys Before You Move
- Organising and Decluttering Paperwork Before Moving House
- How to Find and Bin Expired Items
- How to Declutter Sentimental Items With Care
- Set a Decluttering Deadline Before Moving House
Essential Decluttering Kit Checklist for House Moves
First, you’ll need a declutter “kit”—key tools that will make the whole job more manageable. Do this before starting your decluttering for two reasons: first, you won’t break your momentum, and second, the preparation itself can motivate you to get started.
Here are a few basic items to have ready:
- Sturdy bags and packing boxes
- Recycling bags and bin liners (although we’ll try to avoid using the latter)
- Labels and a marker pen
- Packing tape
- Bubble wrap or packing paper
- Gloves (in case you’re handling anything that could cause an injury)
- Use a paper/digital document/home inventory app to catalogue the things you’re keeping.
Go Beyond the Basics
If you’re downsizing to a smaller property, include a measuring tape to check the dimensions of your furniture and appliances. Also, add a mini first aid kit for small cuts or blisters while moving items to include in a moving survival kit. Use foldable crates, which are stackable and easier to store than cardboard.
Plan for Donation & Disposal
Prepare a list of local South West London charity shops and upcycling organisations with drop-off times. Keep recycling and waste centre details (like Smugglers Way or Cringle Dock) to hand. Get a label printer to mark boxes clearly to avoid confusion later, and use your inventory to save the same information.
These will make your job easier and prevent you from having piles of loose possessions strewn throughout your house.
How to Declutter Room by Room Efficiently
Working methodically, one room at a time, breaks down the massive task of ‘decluttering the house’ into several smaller tasks: decluttering the kitchen, the lounge, and so on.
For each room, divide your belongings into four piles:
- KEEP – These items will be moving to your new home with you.
- DONATE – Box things up that can go to the local charity shops or upcycling collectives for repurposing.
- SELL—If you want to sell certain items, consider whether you should do it at a car boot sale or online using platforms such as eBay, Gumtree, Vinted, or Facebook Marketplace. Take photos to upload the items when you create posts later.
- RECYCLE/THROW—Some things will be ready for disposal, but lead with recycling before adding to the local landfill. Remember, items such as tins of paint and batteries will need to be disposed of carefully at the correct disposal sites.
Create a Structure to Keep Momentum Going and to Avoid Burnout
- Map your room order based on ease — usually start with the least-used rooms.
- Use masking tape on floors to section off “keep”, “donate”, and “bin” zones.
- Enlist the help of a friend or family member to keep you motivated.
- Set a timer (e.g. 30 mins) for each session to keep energy high and avoid fatigue.
- Use a progress tracker — tick off rooms as you complete them.
- Snap “before” and “after” pics for motivation and satisfaction.
- Record any items for sale in your home inventory app with photos and descriptions — you can copy this when uploading to online marketplaces.
Decluttering Children’s Toys Before You Move
If you have children, you’ll know how quickly their toys build up. And you’ll see that they don’t play with half of them. Now is the time to sort them out. You can either do it with them or surreptitiously make things disappear when they are out at school. Unless it’s their favourite toys, they probably won’t even notice.
Make It Collaborative
Let kids choose their top five toys to keep and explain why. This encourages decision-making and gives them ownership of the situation rather than feeling like spectators. Create a “maybe box” for toys they’re unsure about to revisit later. You can also suggest selling items with the proceeds going to their piggy banks.
Prepare for Letting Go
Take them to local charity shops in Wimbledon or Balham to involve them in the donation process. Remember to explain how their goodwill benefits others and that they should be proud of it. Organise a mini toy swap with neighbours or school friends. Store seasonal or educational toys separately to review later. Use transparent bins so children can still “see” stored items, which reduces anxiety.
Organising and Decluttering Paperwork Before Moving House
Paperwork also accumulates at an alarming rate. Piles of documents, letters, brochures, and catalogues appear from nowhere. Set a whole day aside for sorting through papers. Boil the kettle, put the TV on, listen to a podcast or your favourite music and get the job done.
Create a Paper Flow System
Set up a three-tray system: To Do, File, and Shred. You can invest in a shredder, especially for sensitive documents like old bills or payslips, or find somewhere that does this for you. The only thing to remember about buying a shredder is that you get what you pay for—the cheaper options can’t handle high use.
Go Digital Where Possible
Use a free scanning app to digitise manuals, invoices, and receipts. Check what you can access online, such as utility bills or insurance policies. Sort documents by category: Legal, Financial, Personal, and Medical, and create labelled folders for tax returns—HMRC requires five years’ worth of records.
How to Find and Bin Expired Items
Don’t move with expired items. Go through all your cupboards and search out anything outdated, including food, medicines, and toiletries. Take medicines back to a pharmacy to be disposed of properly.
Go Beyond Just Food
Once something is well past its expiration date, it can be dangerous to use. Check all pet products—food, flea treatments, and grooming sprays—for usability. Also, review batteries, glues, and home maintenance products.
Safe Disposal & Replacements
List items as you toss them so you can restock if you still use them after the move. Return unused prescriptions to a local pharmacy in Putney or Roehampton. Expired cosmetics? Check ingredients — some can irritate skin when past their use-by dates and are best replaced. Schedule a monthly ‘expiry sweep’ going forward to avoid future stockpiling.
How to Declutter Sentimental Items With Care
We all have items that we want to keep because they have sentimental value… and so we should. If you’re struggling to decide whether something should stay or go, put it to one side and return to it later.
Keep What Matters — Let Go Guilt-Free
You can take a digital photo of sentimental but non-essential items and create a memory box for each family member to limit what’s kept. The truth is, most of us only remember things when we see them in a photo, so you’re likely holding onto items you won’t even miss.
Store with Care
Use vacuum-seal bags with fabrics or soft toys to save space and protect their condition. Record audio or video stories behind cherished items to retain a digital legacy. Rotate sentimental items seasonally (e.g., a keepsake shelf you update quarterly). Ask the family if they want certain heirlooms now rather than keep them in storage.
Set a Decluttering Deadline Before Moving House
We all work better when we have a deadline to work towards. So, set yourself a date by which you want to complete your decluttering. We recommend decluttering before you get a quote from your removals firm, as they will quote based on what they see in your home. Less stuff equals less money.
Stay Focused With Milestones and Add Accountability
- Break the full decluttering project into weekly mini-deadlines.
- Use a chart to map your progress to add a level of gamification.
- Use a calendar app with alerts to prompt progress reviews.
- Tell friends or family about your deadline — external pressure works.
- Book your South West London removal company as your non-negotiable finish line.
- Once done, reward yourself (like a takeaway from your favourite local spot).
- Schedule a charity collection day to align with your decluttering finish.
Burke & Wills – Helping You Organise and Declutter
Thanks for reading — we hope these tips have made decluttering before your move feel less daunting and more doable. Whether you’re getting ready to relocate, renovate, or simply reclaim some breathing space, a bit of planning goes a long way. These small steps can lead to significant results, from room-by-room strategies to prepping a declutter kit and setting achievable deadlines. At Burke & Wills, we’ve helped thousands of Londoners do precisely that — and we’re here to support you through every stage of the process.
As one of South West London’s most trusted removals and storage providers, Burke & Wills is proud to offer a friendly, reliable service with an exceptional reputation. We’re fully accredited by the British Association of Removers (BAR) and operate under a clear quality policy focused on customer care. With consistently high ratings on Google, we’re committed to taking the stress out of your move while treating your belongings with the utmost care and respect.
Click here to book your free, no-obligation assessment — we’ll send you a quick quote tailored to your exact needs. And don’t forget to check out our blog and FAQ pages for more helpful decluttering tips, moving advice, and expert insights to guide your next big step.