Spring Cleaning with a Purpose: Decluttering to Move (Someday)

You don’t have to have a “For Sale” sign in the yard to start preparing for a future move. In fact, the best time to declutter is before you’re on a deadline.

Here’s a simple approach:

1. Start with the easy wins
   Linen closets, junk drawers, expired products, and old paperwork are low-emotion areas that build momentum.

2. Think like a future buyer
   What would you want to see? Clean closets, less furniture, and open surfaces all signal that a home is cared for and spacious.

3. Use three categories
   Keep, donate, discard. If you wouldn’t pack it and move it, why hang onto it now?

4. Take photos
   Sometimes, seeing a room in a photo helps you notice visual clutter you don’t pick up on in person.

Whether you’re moving this year or five years from now, decluttering is one of the best gifts you can give your future self — and your future listing photos.