Start 4–6 weeks before moving day
Give yourself plenty of time so decluttering doesn't become overwhelming. Work through one room at a time, starting with the areas you use least — the loft, garage, spare room, and storage cupboards. Sort everything into four categories: keep, sell, donate, and bin. If you haven't used or worn something in over a year, it's a strong candidate for going. This will make packing much faster when the time comes.
Sell what has value
List valuable items on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Vinted (for clothes), or Gumtree. Price to sell quickly — you want things gone before moving day, not lingering. For furniture, try local Facebook selling groups. Set a cut-off date (a week before the move) — anything unsold by then gets donated or goes to the tip.
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Charity shops, including British Heart Foundation and Emmaus, will collect larger items like furniture for free. Freecycle and local 'free stuff' groups are great for giving things away quickly. For anything that can't be sold or donated, check your council's bulky waste collection service — most offer this for a small fee. Recycle what you can through kerbside collections or your local recycling centre.
The kitchen and bathroom
These rooms accumulate the most clutter. Check expiry dates on food, medicines, and toiletries. Don't move half-empty bottles of cleaning products — finish them or bin them. Recycle old phone chargers and cables. Go through your Tupperware drawer and match lids to containers — anything without a match goes. See our moving day survival guide for what to keep accessible on the day.