As autumn approaches, many of us will be taking the opportunity to declutter our homes and give everything a refresh – be it the 'back to school' mentality or the knowledge that we'll be spending more time indoors.
And in perfect timing, I recently learnt of a professional decluttering method that sounded too good to miss. It feels like the 'move out' decluttering method was designed with people like me in mind: indecisive, prone to procrastination, and guilty of holding on to things I know I no longer need.
The method, which encourages us to consider whether or not we'd want to take something with us if we were moving, is often recommended by professional home organisers. "It's a fantastic way to reset your perspective, helping you identify what truly belongs and what's simply taking up valuable space in your home," says Max Wilson, Co-Founder of Pocket Storage.
I tried the 'move out' decluttering method – here are my thoughts
Whether you're ticking things off a moving day checklist or simply looking for ways to declutter that feel more manageable, the 'move out' declutter method can help. To see how valuable this method really is, I decided to put it to the test in my own home.
Here's everything you need to know about the 'move out' declutter method – plus whether or not it's one I'd recommend.
What is the 'move out' decluttering method?
"The ‘move out’ method is a simple but powerful way of seeing your home with fresh eyes," professional home organiser Rebecca Crayford explains. "The idea is to imagine that you’re moving house — even if you’re not — and to use that mindset as a filter for what stays and what goes."
I've made concrete plans to move in a year, so you can see why this method appeals. But even if you're not planning on moving any time soon, I think the concept can still be really helpful. It's going to encourage you to be a bit more ruthless with your decluttering, and let go of the 'just in case' mentality – one of the biggest decluttering mistakes you can make.
"When you picture packing up every single item, paying to move it, and then unpacking it in a new home, you quickly realise which things you truly value, and which you’re only holding onto out of habit, guilt, or indecision," Rebecca adds. "It’s a great way to cut through the emotional noise and make clearer decisions."
How to try the 'move out' decluttering method
If you're struggling with decluttering motivation, the 'move out' method could well be worth a go. My advice would be to use this technique alongside another, such as the 1-3-5 decluttering method, where you choose one area to focus on, split this up into three main tasks, followed by five micro-tasks. When you're working through your tasks, keep the following question in mind: Would I want to take this with me if I were moving?
"Picking one area, like a wardrobe or a kitchen cupboard, is definitely helpful," Rebecca agrees. "The key is to imagine you’re packing up for a move while working through it. Having a few 'moving boxes' or bags on hand can help reinforce the process: one for 'keep,' one for 'donate,' and one for 'let go.'" This leans into the four-box declutter method, another one of my favourites.
While pairing the 'move out' declutter method alongside another technique is helpful, you don't need to do this if you don't want to. Simply work through the decluttering process as you normally would, and whenever you get stuck on something, ask yourself whether you'd want to take it with you when you move.
Most of us have gone through the process of moving house before, and it's safe to say that the less stuff there is on moving day, the better. Therein lies the beauty of the 'move out' declutter method: it encourages us to streamline our home's contents to make our lives easier down the line.
And as I've touched on, this method isn't just for people who are planning on moving soon. The point is to get real about what you do and don't need, and let go of items now, instead of at some point in the future.
"It can even be helpful to set a metaphorical moving date," Max Wilson suggests. "This creates a sense of urgency and helps to avoid procrastination."
Putting the 'move out' declutter method to the test
I may have gotten pretty serious about my efforts to declutter this year, but there's always more to be done. And even though I pretty much doubled my small kitchen storage space with organising solutions from Amazon recently, there's still one cupboard which gives me anxiety every time I open it. I completely skipped it on my last decluttering mission for that exact reason.
But, in the spirit of trying the 'move out' declutter method, I decided now was the time to face it.
In this cupboard, we keep shopping bags, old birthday cards, gift wrap, and other "miscellaneous" items (namely, my partner's protein powder and bottles, which are too bulky to put anywhere else). It's roomy, because it's one of those awkward corner cupboards that disappear around the side. Handy for storage space, but not so great if you want to keep your kitchen cupboards organised and know where everything is at a glance.
I started by pulling every item out of the cupboard one by one. This was a stark indication of how much stuff I'd been storing in there (how many plastic bags can one person need?), but also, how much the cupboard itself needed a clean — something I hadn't noticed previously because of all the clutter.
Once everything was out of the cupboard, I could feel the overwhelm start to creep in. I'm not the best at making quick decisions, and I feared the amount of "stuff" I had to work through would end up taking the full afternoon.
But I went back to what the experts had said about the 'move out' declutter method. "If you wouldn’t want to box, move and unpack an item in a new home, it probably doesn’t deserve a spot in your current one," Max said. "Be honest."
With that in mind, I started to work through the cupboard's contents. Some of it was easy enough to let go of (plastic bags and bubble wrap hold zero sentimental value), but other items did require me to get honest about whether or not I'd want them in my future home.
As nice as old birthday cards are, I know that I can't hold on to them forever, and once I was truly honest with myself, I knew I wouldn't miss them in the future. So, I managed to let a lot of them go.
It really was a game-changer to keep the moving house process in mind. Aside from old birthday cards, I decluttered gift wrap, random memorabilia from over the years, and some old paperwork. They were small wins by themselves, but they added up to a full cupboard transformation by the end.
The cupboard still might not be picture perfect, but it's 100x better than it was before. I actually know what's in there now, and I've kept the stuff we use frequently at the front for easy access.
All in all, I'm a fan of the 'move out' declutter method. It's perfect if you struggle to let go of items you know you don't really need. Next up, I'll be using it to declutter the bedroom.
I don't know where I'd be without storage boxes. Clear ones are some of the most useful, because you can see what's in them at a glance. Perfect if (like me) you're always forgetting what you've put where.
These would be especially helpful when moving house, but regardless, they'll come in handy. For instance, if you need to declutter the loft and don't know where to start — you could use this to separate items you want to keep, donate, or throw away.
Books on decluttering can be a useful aid, as they tend to dive a little deeper into why we think we need so much stuff. This one by Tracy McCubbin is highly raved about on Amazon, and looks well worth a read.
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