When you have a move, life can be in turmoil. But it is also an opportunity to take a serious look at what you have in your home. A new space is a fresh start.

Only put things in boxes that genuinely matter. Purging now will keep a lid on costs and make unpacking easier. Not to mention, your mover will thank you for having fewer things. The question is what can you live without?

Over the years we have learned that these are things you can part with:

1. Clothes

Take a look in your closet. Do you have some clothes that haven’t been worn for over a year? It begs the questions of why you are holding on to them. Consider freeing yourself from the weight of fabric that is holding you down. The celebrated designer Valentino once said, “Only wear clothes that make you feel alive.” If your clothes don’t do that, donate anything that it gently used. Once they are gone, maybe reward yourself with a trip to the mall for missing pieces.

2. Random Parts

We all have a bin of random parts that have accumulated over time. Things that seem useful, but what they belonged to has long since been forgotten. If they can be re-purposed immediately then, of course, use them, but if not, consider donating or recycling to clear the clutter.

3. Tools

With developments like Tool Libraries, there is no need to hold onto a hardware store’s worth of things. It is easy to get what you need, at little cost. Consider donating anything you truly won’t use.  Gone will be the tangled wires and the drill bits, gone will be the reams of sandpaper, jars of screws and the basement full of space-eating tools.

4. Broken Things

Does this sound familiar?
“It just has a chip in it.”
“A spot of superglue and it will be just like new.”
“I could use this when I build the random thing.”
Sadly, nothing is ever just like new. If you haven’t fixed it yet, the priority isn’t there. Broken things just take up space in your house and can be turfed without regret.

Take a good look around. If you haven’t used something for a long time, maybe it is time to stop holding on to it “just in case” and focus on “what do I really use and need”. A house with fewer things in it will be easier to clean, manage and organize.