How many times have you moved home in the UAE? Twice, four times… perhaps even 10 or more! Because the UAE draws many expats to its sunny shores for lucrative career opportunities it can be a transient place, and even if it has become your ‘forever home’ you’ll no doubt have moved a few times while residing here (and will move a few more)! This year, many people’s circumstances have changed due to the pandemic, and if you find yourself downsizing, leaving the country, or perhaps upsizing or buying, you’ll need to declutter your belongings ready for the big move. Make the task easier and stress-free by following this helpful advice from our resident decluttering expert Shelina Jokhiya, founder of DeCluttr ME  in Dubai. 

How often do you move into a new home and wish you had not brought everything from the old house? You may even have boxes filled with things from the last move that have never found a place or a purpose in your current home and they’re simply sitting there cluttering up your space. If you are sticking your hand up whilst you read this, now is the time to start decluttering in preparation for your next move. 

If you are packing up soon and time is of the essence, focus on the areas that are the most cluttered, which will likely be your storeroom or spare bedroom, then your kitchen and bedroom. 

As it can get overwhelming spending too many hours decluttering on your own, do a mini-declutter by spending 15 to 20 minutes a day clearing out a particular area. Put items that you do not want into four bags: for rubbish, for recycling, for things to sell and for donations. When a bag is full, remove it out of your home and throw, recycle, sell, donate. None of these bags should be taken with you to your new home.  

When considering whether to bag-up certain items, ask yourself the following:

–    Does it fit?

–    Do you use it? 

–    Do you love it? 

–    Do you need it? 

–    Is it your only one? 

–    Is it incredibly ugly?

If you answered in the negative to these questions (and yes to ugly!), then remove it from your life. 

If you are going to sell items, do it straight away. Don’t procrastinate and hold off until the last minute when you have too much on. Sell the items immediately and earn some money from them. If your pile of donations is big enough you can call a national charity to come and collect the items. 

Be methodical when going through a room; start with one shelf, then the next one or the next area, like a cupboard. If you can organise the space while you declutter then that will help with the packing and organising on the other side of the move. 

Unopened boxes can be daunting to deal with; go through them one box at a time, one day at a time, and don’t spend too much time deciding what to do with the items. Unless they are important documents, keepsakes such as photos or heirlooms, you probably don’t need the items in your life. The fact that the items were in an unopened box in your home tells you what you need to know. Remove those boxes as quickly as possible before your next move. 

If you know you will be moving in the next few months, start the process now. This will help you feel less overwhelmed during the moving month and will give you time to remove the unwanted items from your home. 

If it still feels overwhelming — perhaps you do not have time or you have a large home — book a day with a professional organiser like DeCluttr ME to blitz through your home and remove the unwanted items before your next move. 

Discover more insights into home organisation with DeCluttr ME’s articles on Home Club ME. If you need more moving advice, read our series following a Dubai expat who moved apartments in Dubai, and share your moving stories with us on Instagram and tag @homeclubme!