How do you declutter before moving house?
The simplest way to declutter before a move is to start early and chip away at it, a box or two a day, deciding what stays as you go rather than dragging everything to the new place. That's what Sarah Horgan, host of the SIMPLE + INTENTIONAL podcast, relearned during her own four-month move. In episode 180 she shares what worked, what surprised her, and why she now believes you matter more than the stuff.
A box a day beats a frantic weekend
Sarah's move stretched across four months, and she's clear that this was a feature, not a failure. Packing a box or two a day never felt like an overwhelming task. It fit around normal life, and it left her with the mental space to actually make decisions about each item instead of shoving everything into boxes to deal with later.
She describes herself as a believer in chipping away at things slowly and giving yourself extra time and space. If you know a move is coming, start with the rooms and cupboards you use least. Seasonal gear, the spare room, the back of the garage. Those boxes can be sealed weeks before moving day, and every one you finish lowers the pressure on the final stretch.
"Packing a box a day or a couple of boxes a day doesn't feel like an overwhelming task."
Decide now, not at the other end
The biggest mistake people make is moving their clutter. Sarah's approach is to treat packing as a decision point. Every item you pick up gets one question: am I making this easy for myself, or am I keeping this thing?
Letting go before the move means fewer boxes, a cheaper move, and a new home that starts clear instead of buried. Sarah's honest observation is that for most of what she released, she probably won't even remember owning it in six months. That's a useful test. If you can't picture missing something half a year from now, it doesn't need to come with you.
She also reminds listeners that not everything you own can matter to you. There's a physical limit to how many items you can interact with, love and use. Moving forces you to face that limit, which is uncomfortable but clarifying.
"Not everything that you own can matter to you because you can't interact with, love, and use that many items."
What clutter was quietly costing her
One thing the move made obvious to Sarah was how much a cluttered environment had been draining her. Everything around you is demanding something from you, she explains, even if it's only the visual clutter you look at all day.
She noticed the knock-on effects in her habits. When the house was in disarray, exercise slipped, focus got harder, and she had less capacity for the things she actually enjoys. Clearing clutter, in her experience, is what makes it possible to build better habits consistently, because you're no longer fighting your surroundings to get to the things you need.
So if you're decluttering for a move, you're not just lightening the load for the truck. You're removing a layer of low-grade demand from your daily life.
"Everything around you is demanding something from you, even if it's that visual clutter that you're looking at."
Rest is part of the plan
Moving is a major life disruption, and Sarah is candid that she needed more rest than usual during those four months. Her advice is to give yourself the time and space to rest a bit more and to let go of what you can, rather than trying to keep every routine running at full speed while also relocating your entire life.
That means lowering the bar elsewhere. Simpler meals. Fewer commitments. Accepting that some weeks the only progress is two boxes and a trip to the donation drop. The guiding principle she keeps coming back to is that you matter more than the stuff. If a decision about an object is costing you sleep, let the object go.
What to remember
- Start months ahead and pack one or two boxes a day so no single weekend has to carry the whole job.
- Make the keep-or-release decision while packing so you don't pay to move clutter.
- Use the six-month test: if you won't remember owning it, it doesn't need to come.
- Clutter drains focus and habits, so decluttering before a move pays off after it too.
- Plan for extra rest and lower the bar on everything else during the move.
People also ask
How early should I start decluttering before a move?
Sarah's own move took four months at a pace of a box or two a day. Starting as soon as you know a move is likely gives you room to make real decisions instead of rushed ones.
What if I can't decide whether to keep something?
Ask whether you're making things easy for yourself or just keeping the thing. If you can't imagine missing it in six months, let it go.
Is it better to declutter before or after the move?
Before. Every item you release early is one less to pack, pay for and unpack, and the new home starts clear instead of cluttered.
Based on SIMPLE + INTENTIONAL episode 180, "What I Relearned About Clutter From Moving," released September 3, 2026, hosted by Sarah Horgan.
