Declutter your life before moving

As with most things in life, it’s important to keep a little perspective when you’re on the move. As you prepare for life in your new Pegasus home, it’s time to start thinking about what to take with you. You’ll want to surround yourself with just the right amount of furniture and possessions for your new living space.

Decluttering is not only therapeutic, it makes sense to start your new life in your new home a perfect fit. Now is the time to declutter your old home and decide on what to pack - and what to get rid of.

Making your possessions look at home in your new abode is a creative challenge - so here are a few tips for rightsizing right now:

Where to start?

Have you been storing items away in the attic, your shed, garage or spare rooms? You may want to consider whether they are necessary to bring with you. Starting afresh is so much easier if you’re not swamped with boxes of books, music collections, old clothes and ’just in case they’re needed’ items.

Surplus to requirements

When considering what furniture to take to your new home, select the right amount of bedroom furniture, tables, chairs, sideboards, etc for the number of rooms you will have - it’s likely you may have less rooms in your new apartment than where you currently live, so not everything will be able to fit. You may want to purchase new furniture for your new apartment, so take this into consideration too.

When sorting out kitchen and dining items - such as dinner services and cutlery - be realistic about the amount of entertaining you will be doing in your new home. You may have accumulated several sets of the years - will you really need three afternoon tea sets or a 50-piece canteen of cutlery for a large dinner party? Select the best for when friends or family come around for dinner at your new apartment - and get rid of the rest. Of course, there’s always the lovely option of dining out at a local restaurant when entertaining guests.

Think about your new space

White goods, such as fridge-freezer and washing machines, may be integrated appliances in your Pegasus apartment - check with your dedicated sales manager exactly what comes with your new apartment, and remember to sell or dispose of your current ones.

You may be swapping your garden and shed for a balcony - so this will mean a purge of your garden tools and equipment, as well as some furniture, such as benches or a large dining set and parasol. Downsize to a neat bistro dining set and some nice pots and troughs to fill your outside space.

Sort out your treasures

When decluttering spare rooms or bedrooms that are no longer used by your family, ask your children to help you sort out those contents and take away anything that they would like to keep. You may still have some items from when they were growing up, but it’s time to decide what needs to go.
Having a good sort-out of your cupboards and storage areas will give you a real sense of being in control of the move and help you look forward to surrounding yourself with the things you treasure most.

Pegasus properties are designed to nurture wellness in every resident and so, as you enter the exciting next chapter of your life, make a conscious decision to surround yourself with possessions that make you happy.

Must-haves

If you do have a treasured collection that is absolutely coming with you - perhaps delicate china or vintage wine - consider where you can display these items in your new home. Alternatively, if you’re ready to let a collection go - for instance, dolls, glassware, books or records - think of anyone you know that will love it as much as you have.

Be ruthless

Discard anything that is broken, torn, stained or chipped - it can be hazardous as well as creating a negative impression in your clean and fresh new environment.

Clear out cupboards of odd mugs; old table, bathroom and bed linen; unused toiletries and under-the-kitchen-sink products; unloved ornaments and suitcases or wardrobes filled with of clothes you haven’t worn for years. Pick out just a few favourites for your new apartment.

Go digital

If, like most householders, you have boxes, files or shelves filled with old paperwork, documents, photographs, music CDs, cassettes or records, books, and videos or DVDs, you can streamline most of these items by storing them digitally - and then disposing of the hard copies (unless they are of particular value or importance). 

You may need to enlist the help of a professional IT expert or a savvy friend who knows how to reformat your treasured photos, letters, documents and paper keepsakes onto digital files for storage on your computer and, preferably, the iCloud too.

Your favourite music, books, TV programmes and movies can be streamed or downloaded - there are numerous ways of listening and reading online. When you’re settled into your new home, you’ll have time to learn how to access and build up new libraries of your favourite entertainment. 

While you do need to keep paper copies of important documents, make some time to shred unnecessary paperwork before you move.

What now?

Now that you’ve decluttered, think about if anyone you know can benefit from the possessions you’re getting rid of - and then sell or donate the remaining items to charity. You could also see if the new owners of your current home would like you to leave anything - for an additional fee of course!

We are here to help

If you would like more help with moving to your new apartment, Pegasus offers SmoothMove, a complimentary decluttering and packing service for everyone who purchases an apartment.