Moving can be stressful. Can we all agree on that?

It’s also true that the more stuff you own, the more stressful it could potentially be. Maybe you’re PCSing to your next duty station and you have to make weight limit. Maybe you’re moving across town and you don’t want to endure the stress of 17 trips back and forth. Will staging your home for sale necessitate renting a storage unit to hold your extra belongings? Is that the best use of your money right now?

Whatever the situation, it always helps to plan ahead by organizing and decluttering. There’s nothing worse than packing everything up, getting to your new home, and realizing that you just spent a ton of time and effort moving belongings that you haven’t used in years. Worse yet, have you ever gotten ready for a move and realized you still had unpacked boxes from the last move? I have.

You might be thinking, “I don’t have to worry about any of this because my company is handling the moving details for me.” Even if you decide to hire professional movers, or you’re one of the lucky ones whose job provides moving benefits, you may still want to take this opportunity to declutter. Did you know that household clutter has been linked to anxiety, stress, and depression? Couldn’t each of us use a little less of that?

So where do you start? Does decluttering and simplifying sound appealing yet overwhelming at the same time? Here are some tips that can help:

• Pick one room to start with. Try the kitchen or your closet first. It’s usually a good idea to tackle the garage last.
• Start small. Set a timer and work in 15-minute increments.
• Ask yourself these questions:
  1) Do I need it?
  2) Do I *really* want it?
  3) Do I use it?
• As you’re going through things, make three piles:
  1) keep
  2) trash
  3) donate
• When in doubt, donate.

Now that you have everything separated, are you left wondering what to do with the donate pile? You may be tempted to have a yard sale, but I beg you to ask yourself if it’s really worth the time, stress, planning, and headache. Consider donating to a charitable thrift store instead and consult with your accountant to see if your donation might be tax deductible. This way you’ll feel even better because you’re helping others and making a difference in your community!

Once you’ve decided to donate, here are a few of the local Augusta area options that you may want to consider:

1. Habitat for Humanity ReStore– If you have light fixtures or appliances still hanging around from a remodel, this is possibly your best option for donating those.
2. Catholic Social Services Thrift Store – located at 2108 Broad Street in Augusta
3. Salvation Army Family Stores – located in Augusta and North Augusta, you can also schedule a pickup of furniture or other large items
4. Community Ministry of North Augusta Thrift Store
5. Goodwill – the location on Furys Ferry Rd. is a great place to donate books
6. Golden Harvest Foodbank– if you have non-perishable food items that you’re not wanting to pack and transport with you.

Once all of the extra things have found a new home, you’ll have a much easier time with packing. If you have a move in your future and could use some extra handholding during this time, I’d love to hear from you! Reach out at 706-945-7649 or stacie@staciewells.com and let’s talk about how I can help.