Since you have to pack up the entire house eventually, now is a good time to go through your possessions to determine what you really need.  If you aren’t using it now chances are you won’t use it in your new home either.  Rather than pack it up, sell or donate it instead.

Decluttering now will help streamline your move and, more importantly, make your home much neater while it is being shown.  If those hundreds of salt & pepper shakers made the cut, they should be boxed up and stored.

Storage does not = shove it in a closet or the garage or the basement.  You will need to store all of those boxes off-site.  The expense of a short-term rental unit will be worth it.  Make sure you label each box carefully.  You think you’ll remember what’s in each one now but it gets more complicated when you have 75 boxes of stuff!  

Another good reason for packing your collectibles, especially those of great value, is to eliminate the chance of breakage or theft during the open house.  Children often accompany their parents on house tours.  Small, portable items are easy to slip into a pocket or purse. If you pack them safely away now you won’t have to worry about them.  

Not sure how to go about getting your home ready?  Help is available!