Very obvious statement: Moving is hard, and I can honestly say that one of the most difficult things about it is the whole packing and unpacking aspect of it. And having just moved myself, I'm here to give a bit of my own perspective. Although I was fortunate to be moving into a bigger space, I still felt the need to really weed out all of my stuff, as the last thing I wanted to do was fill up our new house with a bunch of stuff I was never going to use again. And since my clothing and accessories, beauty products, and home décor items are probably of the most interest to you (just a hunch), that's what I'm focusing on.
By the time we moved out of our apartment, my husband and I had pretty much given up on keeping things neat and organized, so it was admittedly hard to even see a lot of what we had. And yes, it was slightly miserable going through every little thing, but I relished in the opportunity to finally put a few things in the donation pile. Scroll away if you're preparing for a move yourself or just find yourself in need of a little weeding out (i.e., all of us).
Fashion Items
PURGED:
Light-wash skinny jeans
Round-toe heels
Tunic sweaters
Ultra-short skirts and dresses
Pilled sweaters and coats
Stretched-out bras
Old graphic tees
Colorful printed leggings
Kept:
"Boring" Shoes
The shoes I wear on a daily basis—sneakers, ankle boots, simple flats, etc., were a no-brainer to keep.
Straight-Leg Jeans
Light-wash skinny jeans feel dated to me, so they didn't make the cut. Straight-leg jeans like these, on the other hand, will likely be cool forever.
Cropped Cardigans and Sweaters
Given how often I wear cropped cardigans and sweaters with high-waisted jeans, they made the cut. On the flip side, tunics are a sweater style that didn't.
Camel Coats
Camel coats are beautiful, versatile, and timeless.
Slip Skirts
I may not be into super-short skirts and dresses anymore, but I love a pretty slip skirt.
White T-Shirts
I got rid of quite a few old graphic tees, but not my beloved white T-shirts.
Midi Dresses
Simply put, a midi dress always feels appropriate.
Special Blouses
Those tops that I actually look forward to wearing (even when they're not new) are a staple IMO.
Classic Accessories
I'm hanging on to my classic accessories (winter and otherwise) for as long as possible.
Beauty Products
PURGED:
Expired sunscreen
Cosmetics more than two years old
Foundations that don’t match my skin
Cheap makeup brushes
Products that just didn’t work for me
Unused travel sizes and samples
Separated nail polishes
Kept:
Vitamin C Products
Highly effective vitamin C serums like this highly effective one from Tatcha are an everyday essential for me.
Face Oils
My dry skin drinks face oils right up, and I always use them up prior to expiration.
Lash and Brow Serums
I've yet to find anything as miraculously effective for lash and brow growth as the Revitalash products.
Simple Hair and Body Care Products
Verb's Ghost line does everything you want from an everyday shampoo and conditioner and more. My hair always looks better after using it.
This is the perfect body lotion. It sinks right in sans stickiness and makes skin feel incredibly soft. Plus, the packaging is so chic.
Cream Eye Shadows
I find cream eye shadows to be the most natural-looking, so that's what I always find myself reaching for.
Everyday Fragrances
While I did get rid of some old, rarely worn fragrances, my go-to scents for every day aren't going anywhere.
Retinol
I'm 35, so retinol is very important to me, and this Shani Darden formula is a permanent fixture in my medicine cabinet.
Bold cosmetics are a bit of a tough sell for me, but wearable items like my trusty collection of nude lip colors made the move with me.
Home Décor Items
PURGED:
Matchy-matchy furniture
Old, cheap picture frames
Store-bought art
Dated décor and lamps
Threadbare bedding
Discolored towels
Kept:
Storage Bins
I kept all of my storage bins when moving and have found ways to repurpose all of them, so I highly advise hanging on to them, even if they are kind of bulky to move.
Decorative Vases and Bowls
I've realized since moving into a house that you can really never have enough vases, bowls, and decorative items to fill blank spaces.
Fine Art Prints
While I may not have room in my budget for original art right now, fine art prints are a huge step up from store-bought art.
Uprise Art is a great place to jump-start your art collection.
Coasters
The last thing you want when contending with new furniture is ring marks. Take my advice and lay coasters everywhere they might be needed.
Fancy Candles
While your new home may not feel like yours right away, candles will instantly make it feel familiar and cozy.
You can't go wrong with Diptyque Feu de Bois.
Plants
I've only recently discovered the joy of plants, but the comfort they've brought me since moving is vast.
Dried Flowers
Believe it or not, dried flowers can look incredibly chic. I don't even miss fresh flowers.
Next: I'm 35 and still get carded—here's my exact beauty routine.