The New Year is when most people start thinking about a spring or summer move — and it is the ideal moment to start clearing out. Every item you deal with now is one you will not be paying to move, unpack and find a home for later.
Work through the house in this order. Start with the rooms that hold the least emotional attachment.
Start with the loft, garage and shed
These hold the most and are missed the most. They are also where our crews find the biggest surprises on moving day. Tackle them first, because they take the longest and nothing in them is urgent.
- Paint tins, chemicals and fuel cannot legally travel in a removal van — dispose of them at a household waste site
- Garden tools and machinery need draining of fuel before they travel
- Anything you have not touched in two years is a strong candidate to go
Kitchen
Kitchens are heavy and full of duplicates. Be ruthless with chipped crockery, unused gadgets and the back of the cupboard. Check every use-by date — you are not moving expired food to a new county.
Wardrobes and bedrooms
The reliable test: if it has not been worn in twelve months and it is not sentimental or formalwear, it goes. Charity shops across Hull and Beverley will take clean, wearable clothing.
Living room and the paperwork drawer
Books are extremely heavy — this is where decluttering saves the most weight. For paperwork, keep anything tax, property or identity related and shred the rest. If you have a large volume of confidential documents, our secure document shredding service handles it properly.
Children's rooms
Do this with them, not for them. Give them a box each to fill for the charity shop and let them make the calls. It gives them a small piece of control in a process that can feel unsettling — something we cover more fully in our guide to moving with children and pets.
The four-box method
In every room, work with four containers:
- Keep — goes to the new house
- Sell — worth listing, with a deadline of two weeks before the move
- Donate — to charity, with a booked collection date
- Dispose — recycling or the tip
Set a deadline for the sell pile. Anything unsold by that date moves to donate. Otherwise it quietly ends up on the van.
What if you cannot part with it yet?
Not everything needs deciding before you move. If you are downsizing and want to keep your options open, short-term storage lets you move the essentials now and settle the rest once you have seen how the new place works.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start decluttering before a move?
Six to eight weeks out is ideal. It sounds early, but charity collections and online sales both take longer than people expect.
Does decluttering actually reduce the cost of a move?
It can. Volume determines the van size and the crew size, so a genuinely lighter load can mean a smaller job. It also makes packing and unpacking considerably faster.
What cannot go in a removal van?
Paint, petrol, gas bottles, aerosols, fireworks and other flammables are excluded for safety and insurance reasons. Plants and frozen food are also best moved in your own car.
Planning a move in Hull or East Yorkshire?
Hardakers have been moving families and businesses across Hull, Beverley, Cottingham, Hessle and the East Riding since 1870. Call 01482 323069, request a free quote or get in touch and we will talk you through your options — no obligation.
