Create a sorting system
There are two boxes you should set up immediately: give away and sell. The rubbish bag is for stuff that just has to go, of course! Once the giveaway and sell boxes are full, consider what you’d like to do with them. We recommend asking family and friends if they want to rummage, considering a garage sale or eBay/Gumtree listings and then taking whatever is left to your local charity shop.
Call the council
Hard rubbish can be a pain, but it’s easier to get rid of it before you move than after – because that dead fridge could easily add an hour onto your move and that’s money you don’t need to spend unnecessarily. As far in advance as possible, we recommend finding out your next hard rubbish day and take advantage of it. Even better is to put the items out a few days early, as you may even find someone pops by and takes it for themselves.
Host a garage sale
As mentioned above, a great way to get rid of items quickly is to host a garage sale. If you’re well positioned for cars to park nearby, post an ad on Gumtree and in the local paper and get rid of the majority of your unwanted items by midday! Remember: bargaining is part of the fun of a garage sale, so don’t be too rigid on your prices and consider the cost of taking it to the tip versus just letting it go for $20 less than you originally wanted. More often than not, it’s worth it.
Consider mending it
If you’ve got an item that you’re attached to but it’s in dire need of repair, then look into the costs of repairing it. While many items aren’t worth the extra effort, especially fridges and washing machines, furniture is often quite reasonable to have reupholstered. Even better? In the case of dining chairs and other smaller items, it might be possible to DIY it with a little ingenuity.
Organise packaging collection
When you’re purchasing boxes, ask your removalist or box supplier about recycling after the move. Many will have a buy-back program that allows you to sell the boxes back to them and others may even take any bubblewrap and butchers paper off your hands too. Butchers paper can easily be popped in your home recycling bin, should they not be interested.