The short answer
Declutter before you pack, not after you arrive. Start with the garage, roof washroom and storage, then work through the living areas and finish with bedrooms. Decide keep, sell, give away or clear for each item, and book a clearance or collections early so everything is gone before moving day.
Why declutter before you move
Every item you move costs time, boxes and effort. Packing things you do not want, carrying them down a Maltese staircase and up another one, and then unpacking them only to throw them away is the most expensive way to get rid of anything.
Decluttering first means:
- fewer boxes and a smaller, quicker move,
- an emptier home to show to buyers or tenants,
- a fresh start in the new place,
- less to sort later, when you are tired and busy.
Start with the garage and roof washroom
The garage and the roof washroom are where most families keep the things they have not decided about. Start there because:
- decisions are usually easy (old paint, broken chairs, boxes from the last move),
- clearing them gives you space to sort the rest of the house,
- they take the longest to empty.
Set aside hazardous items, such as paint, chemicals and gas cylinders, at the start. See garage and roof washroom clear-outs and hazardous household waste.
Room by room
Storage first
Cupboards under the stairs, top shelves, wardrobes in spare rooms and the space under beds. Be ruthless. These are the things you forgot you had.
Then the busy rooms
Kitchen: duplicate utensils, chipped crockery, appliances you never use and out-of-date food. Living room: books, DVDs, cables, ornaments and furniture that will not suit the new home. Bathroom: old toiletries and medicines (ask your pharmacy about medicines).
Bedrooms last
Clothes, shoes, bedding and personal items take the most emotional energy, so leave them until you have momentum. Keep only what fits, what you wear and what you love.
Keep, sell, give or clear
For each item, ask:
- Have I used it in the last year?
- Does it fit the new home? Measure furniture against the new rooms, doors and stairs.
- Is it worth moving? Cheap, heavy or bulky items often cost more to move than to replace.
Then sort into:
- Keep: pack it.
- Sell: furniture, appliances and items in good condition. Start early, as selling takes time.
- Give away: offer usable items to family, friends, neighbours or people who can use them.
- Clear: everything else.
Getting rid of what you do not want
- Council bulky refuse collection for large items you can get to the street. Book early. See how to get rid of old furniture in Malta.
- WasteServ civic amenity sites if you have a vehicle. Check what each site accepts.
- Appliances: see disposing of old appliances.
- Mattresses: see how to dispose of a mattress.
- A clearance service for whatever is left, in one visit. See skip hire or a clearance service.
For usable furniture, see where to donate furniture.
A simple timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6 to 8 weeks before | Garage, washroom and storage. List items to sell. |
| 4 to 6 weeks before | Kitchen and living areas. Book collections or a clearance. |
| 2 to 4 weeks before | Bedrooms and wardrobes. Give away what has not sold. |
| 1 to 2 weeks before | Final clearance. Pack only what is left. |
| Moving week | Clean the empty home. |
Leaving the old home ready
Once it is empty, the old home needs a final clean, and possibly a window clean before handover or viewings. If you are selling, see preparing a property for sale in Malta. If you are a landlord between tenants, see the landlord checklist between tenants.
For the rest of the move, from booking movers to meter readings and keys, see our moving home in Malta checklist.
Booking a clearance
We arrange house clearance and junk removal across Malta and Gozo, timed around your move. Get a quote and let us know your moving date.