How to Decide What Does and Doesn’t Work in Your New Home

Whether you’re downsizing to a smaller place or upgrading to a larger home, chances are good that not all of your furniture is going to work well in the new space. Whether it’s a sectional that no longer fits in a living room or a dining table that is now too small for the kitchen, you may end up needing new household items to accommodate the new room sizes and styles. So, do how do you decide what works in your new home and what doesn’t? Here are 7 tips to help you figure out which items to keep and which items to toss before a move.

How to decide what works in your new home

Look at a floorplan

Take measurements

Consider the style of your home

Think about reupholstering furniture

Decide what you can make work temporarily

Determine your budget

Consider getting a designer opinion

What to do with your old stuff that doesn’t work in the new home

So you’ve studied your floor plan, taken measurements, assessed your items and decided what does and doesn’t work in the new home. Congrats! Now, you just have to figure out what to do with all of the stuff that doesn’t work in your new place. From selling items to storing them, here are four suggestions for getting rid of items that don’t fit or work in your new house.

• Sell items – Thanks to a number of online marketplaces and mobile apps, there’s never been an easier time than now to sell pre-owned furniture and household items. Several popular online marketplaces include LetGo, OfferUp, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and Nextdoor.com. For a more comprehensive list of where to sell your stuff before you move check here.
• Donate it – Prefer to donate pre-owned furniture and household items to a charity or non-profit? Consider donating used household goods to your local Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army or eBay. Check here for a list of other places to donate gently-used items.
• Store it – Not quite ready to say “goodbye” to your household goods? For items you wish to keep (even if they don’t work in your new home), we suggest placing in a self-storage unit. To find self-storage in your area, use Moving.com’s Storage Center. Just type in the zip code or your city and state of residence and click the ‘find storage’ button. Moving.com will pull quotes from the closest storage unit facilities near your new home to compare.
• Trash it – Sometimes items simply aren’t worth selling, donating or keeping. If you wish to get rid of junky furniture and household goods, we recommend hiring a professional junk removal service to responsibly dispose of your items. For a list of four popular junk removal services, check here.

Moving soon?

To find a reliable moving company, check Moving.com’s extensive network of movers. Our website makes it easy to find and book the best moving company for the job. All relocation companies in our network are licensed and insured, so you can rest assured that your move will be in good hands. Best of luck and happy moving!