When preparing for a move, it is the perfect time to declutter and go through your drawers, boxes, and closets to find items to get rid of before moving day. Donating, selling, or tossing items that don’t add positive energy to your life will save you time and money in the moving process. I always find that when things don’t have a purpose, they create stress and anxiety by adding to the clutter.

It’s also important to note that there are items you cannot put on the moving truck because they may pose a risk to other objects in the truck or people helping with the move. Here are 28 things you legally cannot put on the moving truck.

I cleaned out a makeup case that I rarely used this past move. I found many random things, including 16 old nail polishes, four pairs of tweezers, three eyelash curlers, eight used nail files, and five fingernail clippers. I had not opened this makeup case since the last time we moved three years ago. Therefore, all those products had sat for more than 1,000 days without being used. So, I knew it was time to get rid of the things I did not use in the case. By emptying the makeup case, I repurposed it for first aid supplies.

Do yourself a favor and sort through the clutter before the move, so you don’t have to pack the clutter, unpack the junk and find a space in your new home for the unwanted items.

Items To Get Rid of Before You Move:

• Old recipe books you no longer reference
• Unmatched earrings
• Worn out, unmatched, or holey socks
• Worn out panties
• Bras that are tattered warped or stretched out
• Purses you no longer use

• Pens and markers that are out of ink
• Uncomfortable, old or lumpy pillows
• Clothes you no longer wear nor feel confident wearing
• Expired makeup products
• Old hair products
• Outdated skin care products

• Expired medications
• Old nail polish
• Unused makeup bags
• Empty bottles of products
• Old makeup brushes
• Tattered tablecloths

• Old magazines
• Old CDs & DVDs you no longer enjoy
• Electronics you no longer use
• Candles no longer light
• Old receipts you don’t need
• Junk mail

• Expired coupons
• Textbooks you no longer need
• Books you no longer use, enjoy, or reference
• Christmas lights that no longer light up
• Empty boxes, jars, containers
• Plastic food containers without a matching lid

Remember, the fewer items you own, the less time you spend packing and the less money you spend on moving supplies and services. Get rid of the stuff you don’t need before moving to your new.

Some items like clothing, books, containers, and magazines can be easily donated. To keep things local, check if you have a local BuyNothing Group, a Nextdoor community, or a different local donation site. 

Do you want to stay organized during the moving process? Check out the Move Mama Move Relocation Planners to keep you on top of it all. Subscribe (in the sidebar →) to Move Mama Move, and you will receive a special offer on items in Move Mama Move’s shop, including the Relocation Planners.