Declutter When Moving — How to Simplify Every Move
Moving house is the perfect opportunity to declutter and reset. Whether you’re relocating across the street or preparing for a family world trip, moving presents a natural break to simplify, organise, and start fresh. In this post, I’ll share personal stories from my moves over the past decade—from being a single parent with just a few suitcases to packing up a family home for a global adventure.
Why Declutter When Moving?
Decluttering before a move saves time, money, and stress. You’ll have less to pack, transport, and unpack—and a chance to assess what truly matters. Over five major moves, I’ve refined a set of practical strategies that will help you stay focused, let go of the excess, and move into your next home lighter and more organised.
Move #1 — Starting over with three suitcases
I became an unexpected single parent over ten years ago. We left with three suitcases and a blow-up bed. Ironically, it was a great way to move as all my worldly possessions at that time fit within one small car, and it could still hold three people.
Here are some of my journal entries in 2014:
Moving house is one of life's biggest stresses — even when you're organised. New furniture, white goods, a heater because it was winter. So much to buy, so little time.
Declutter when moving – to-do lists and paperwork.
During this last period, my normal electronic to-do lists went out the window, and they were replaced by scattered notes throughout the house. I didn’t even have a table when I moved into this house.
What I found extremely helpful during this time was that most of my paperwork was electronic, making it easy to find no matter where I was. I also found a budget imperative: you need to know how much you are spending on what is coming up, and based on this, you can prioritise what needs to be bought first. Very quickly, I had a good idea of what I should skimp on and what was less important than I originally thought. I refer to the one night in our new unit, the three of us on a blow-up bed, a house without heaters and warm water, wants and needs were put in perspective, at least it did so for me.
Declutter when moving – what is the priority
During this first move, my priority was getting the house set up and running. I needed a heater, a fridge, and furniture. I remember doing a massive shop at IKEA to set up a new house for the three of us. We got some little $10 tables, a dining table, a lounge that, over a decade later, is still one of my favourite pieces of furniture, and a basic suite of kitchen utensils.
Although one of the more traumatic moves, it was also very liberating as we had very little and everything I bought was deliberate. At that time, I focused on white lines, very little clutter, and, over time, I invested in good pieces of furniture, like quality beds that would take the kids into adulthood. In hindsight, this forced minimalism made for a smooth and deeply liberating transition.
Move #2 — Blending two households into one
Several years later, I moved in with my partner, combining two fully equipped adult households. This wasn’t just a physical merge—it was emotional, logistical, and stylistic.
“Your home should reflect who you are now, not who you used to be.”
Declutter before or after moving? We did both.
We kept only what we loved and stored everything else in the garage. Over the following weeks, we assessed each piece for comfort, fit, and style. Anything that didn’t meet the mark was donated, sold, or picked up by our local secondhand shop’s free collection service.
Top tips when blending homes:
Set shared criteria: Make joint decisions based on comfort, style, and function.
Create your own identity: Build a home that reflects your new family dynamic.
Respect emotional attachments—but don’t let them control the space.
Your home should be a place of peace, relaxation and a spot for the simple joys in life - only you can make it this way.
Move #3 — The move that taught us what matters
We had one move just before my eldest went to high school. We decided to move to a better location as the kids were growing up and our work lives became more demanding. This move turned out to be a mistake, the place looked nice on inspection, but it was, however, not comfortable to live in. The flow of the house was out of whack; this can actually make a big difference in your ability to declutter and keep your house organised. The heater didn’t work properly. We had gaps in the floorboards that let bugs in, and a mosquito-infested backyard that was too much work for us.
One key thing I did when moving into this house was not unpacking a lot of boxes because I wanted to follow the packing party philosophy that “the minimalist” embraces. The idea is that you only unpack things you need and want, which will come to the forefront when you start living in your new house. We only lived in this house for one year, and many boxes were left closed.
A key learnings during our mistaken move
You should feel comfortable in your house; you have every right to this.
If your home isn’t comfortable, know that you are the one in charge and can change it. You can do this by making the best of what you have and improving your spaces through regular decluttering and organising. Or you could move and find something better, which is what we did.
Function > appearance: A good-looking house isn’t always a good-feeling house when you live in it.
You can course-correct: If a home doesn’t work, you’re allowed to move again.
“Clutter is heavier when the house itself doesn’t support your lifestyle.”
Move #4 — Decluttering with teenagers in the house
This move in early 2020 was the easiest for me as it was all outsourced through a company and my now-husband organised the logistics. One day I lived in the house I didn’t like anyway; the next, we had moved to a more comfortable place. All the actual moving happened whilst I was working 18-hour days (in my job as an educational designer at that time) in the lead-up to the nation going into lockdown.
This last house was bright, sunny, clean, small, but comfortable. We all had our dedicated spaces and an easy-to-maintain shared living area.
Key learning about decluttering when moving when you have teenagers
The reality is that during the time that you have teenagers, in all likelihood, you have the most stuff. And since your family consists of all adult-sized people, everyone’s stuff takes up space.
As an active family, we ended up having bikes, skis, surfboards and bodyboards. I continuously looked through our garage and items we didn’t use much, but I also (reluctantly) acknowledged that I was at the peak of stuff, people, events, life, and work.
If you like to declutter and organise but live with others, you have to respect other people’s wishes. It was at this stage that my family started joking that I say “ooh, we haven’t used it for 5 minutes and I want to declutter it”. During this time, I reluctantly accepted the consumerist life we live in a country like Australia with a growing, active family.
Move #5 — Packing our whole life into one storage unit
container
This move and the first move have probably been the most enjoyable moves I have had as they were both very cathartic. As we prepared for a year long world trip (which you can read about on my daughter’s blog here) we could be ruthless.
After many years, the table, storage boxes and furniture that had seen better days went.
We donated a lot
Left items on the street corner, most got picked up after 20 minutes standing outside.
We made hundreds of dollars on Facebook Marketplace for items that we no longer wanted and needed.
We kept key furniture (the beds, my desk, the lounge) that would be hard to replace either because of the cost when we return or because the items were so comfortable.
We had a very clear target: all our stuff had to fit into a set storage container 4.5 by 3 by 3 meters. If we couldn’t fit our stuff in this space, we would pay more each month we were away.
Key learning from our final move as we travel the world with 6 suitcases between the four of us.
You don’t need too much to function
You need good items that last and that you use again and again
To have a functioning house, you do need stuff.
Having your own bed and furniture is pretty nice (I miss it!).
Final Thoughts: Decluttering Is a Journey, Not a Destination
Every move teaches you something. Each stage of life brings new needs, new challenges, and new ways to declutter with purpose. Whether you’re a single parent starting fresh, a blended family building a new identity, or packing for a year abroad—decluttering when moving is always worth the effort.
“Respect the phase of life you’re in - decluttering, organising and minimalism look different at every stage”.
This topic about how you declutter when moving will continue when we unpack after our round-the-world trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I declutter before or after moving?
Both, ideally. Declutter before you pack to reduce what you move — less to pack, transport, and unpack. Then do a second pass after you've settled in and can see what you actually use in the new space.
How do I declutter quickly before a move?
Set a clear deadline and work room by room. Sort into keep, donate, sell, and bin piles. Don't overthink low-value items— if you haven't used it in a year, it's an easy yes to let go.
What should I keep when downsizing for a move?
Keep what is genuinely hard to replace — quality furniture, sentimental items, and things you use weekly. Everything else is replaceable. If cost or space is tight, ask whether you'd buy it again today.
If moving has you thinking about what really matters,
Organising Unpacked walks you through the mindset behind a calmer, simpler life — the thinking that makes letting go easier, move after move
