Preparing For Your Relocation: Sell, Keep or Toss

June 2023

Author / Michael Molinaro, Publisher / Kenneth Godby

Whether you’ve got a new job, looking to see the world, or returning home to be with family, there are many reasons people choose to, or are required to, relocate. No matter the reason, a relocation across town or across the world is going to be stressful and challenging.

One way to make this process a bit easier is to lighten your load by selling, donating, or throwing away as much as you possibly can. Yes, there are things you’ll need to keep, such as important documents and family heirlooms. But you will also have to make some difficult decisions as well.

Here is some advice for deciding what to keep, what to sell, and what to donate (or throw away) before you start the relocation process.

Items to Sell During a Relocation

It is amazing how quickly things pile up in our homes over the years. Perhaps a budding gardener picked up a variety of gardening tools and then quickly lost interest. Or maybe the aspiring chef in your home bought every kind of kitchen gadget and appliance on the market – most of which have never been used. If everything is in good shape, they may be able to help cushion the cost of the move.

Exercise equipment also tends to fall into this category for many of us. Take the hanging clothes off that treadmill, wipe it down, and put it on Craigslist or Marketplace. If it hasn’t been used for three months or more and it’s in good condition, someone will want it.

Take a moment to think ahead and make some extra money to help with your move while you’re at it.

Items to Keep During a Relocation

As liberating as it may be to purge your home and your life of extra clutter, there are some items you shouldn’t do away with. The first thing to think about is legal documents. The Internal Revenue Service recommends keeping tax documents for seven years. It is also a good idea to hang on to warranty and repair documents (appliances, automobile, etc.) If you’re leaving your appliances behind and you have warranty documents for them, leave those in a folder for the new residents. Many warranties are transferable.

Not everything you’re encouraged to keep is a legal or financial necessity. For example, always save room in the closet for that classic suit, little black dress, designer bag, dress shoes, etc. These things never go out of style and are a must in every wardrobe.

Another group of items that will travel with you are unique keepsakes, photos, family heirlooms and other mementos that cannot be replaced. While they may take up space, the memories are priceless. While you don’t want to hold onto too many things because of nostalgia or sentimentality, there are some things that simply must stay.

Throwing Away Items Versus Donating Items: Which Should You Do?

You may be wondering how you’ll know if an item should be tossed or donated, and the answer is simple: what condition is it in?

When it comes to clothing, there will always be families who need help. If you have old clothes that haven’t been worn in ages and still have some wear in them, we recommend donating those items. On the other hand, those old band T-shirts with holes running through them should be thrown away.

Older phones and tech gadgets can be donated as well. If you’re the type of person who gets all the newest tech when it becomes available, wipe your personal information from your old devices and donate them to someone who may not be able to afford to keep up with the current tech. If the device no longer works, check with your local city government to learn what options you have in your area for disposal. Some electronics cannot simply be thrown in the trash.

Books and toys that have remained in good shape are certainly worth donating. Think of the years of enjoyment you and your family got from them, and pass that forward to a new family. They can make a new set of memories with these items just as you and your family did. If the books are beaten up with pages missing, or if the toys have broken or are no longer functional, it would be best to throw them away.

The same goes for old furniture, either donate or toss based on the wear and condition it’s in.

Keep in mind as well, expired foods and medicines should be disposed of properly.

Getting Started

Relocating is always a chaotic and stressful experience. The fewer items you take with you, the less costly, time-consuming and stressful it will be. It is best to find that balance between what to bring with you and what to leave behind. If the item cannot be replaced, bring it to your new home. If the item is in good condition and can be of use to someone else, sell it or donate it to a charitable cause. Everything else belongs in your Bin There Dump That roll-off dumpster.

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