Moving always seems to make your belongings double and triple in amount by themselves; it's like there's some weird wormhole of stuff that opens up in your house. As a result, you have likely begun planning a decluttering binge to mercilessly reduce what you have to make moving easier and cheaper. This is actually a very good plan, but be aware of some decluttering issues that could make you regret your zeal.

The One-Year Rule

A classic decluttering rule is to get rid of anything you haven't used in a year or more that isn't a seasonal or special-occasion item. There is some logic behind this; if you haven't used something in a year or more, then it's not something you definitely need to function in your daily life.

But take extenuating circumstances into account, too. Maybe you've been so busy over the past year that you haven't had a chance to really look at all your books or listen to all your CDs, for example. Instead of getting rid of them, go through all of them carefully and think about how seeing them again makes you feel. Some you'll be happy to see; keep those. Others may seem to be of passing interest; those you can sell or donate. And it is perfectly fine to have a pile of "consider these over the next few days" if you have some items that you're not sure about.

"Just in Case" Is OK

Another classic decluttering rule, much to everyone's chagrin, is that you'll get rid of items that you were keeping just in case you needed them, only to find that a few weeks later, you need them. If certain items really speak to you as being ones that you don't want to let go of yet, just in case, that's fine. Cheaper or easily replaced items should really go; you don't need to haul all those extra paper towels if you're moving across the country, for example. But those spare pairs of slippers? You might want those one day and not be able to find another pair you like. Keep those, and other items that you think you might not be able to replace.

Cost and Time

You may also want to consider the cost of moving certain items versus the cost of replacing them, and include travel time to the store in that calculation. For example, if you have a lot of pots and pans, shipping all of them could cost more than it would to go to a big box store and replace them all. Keep the trusty ones you use all the time, but those duplicate sizes and random old mugs? They can go because they are easy and cheap to replace.

Packing is not really a fun activity, but it doesn't have to be terrifyingly endless. Decluttering helps, and approaching decluttering sanely will help you get through the move without major issues. 

You can get more tips and help with moving by clicking here.