Purchasing a new home should be an exciting time, but all too often the annoyances of packing and moving damper the moment. If you're in the process of selling or plan to list your home soon, now is the time to start planning for an easier move. Here are items that you can start decluttering before busting out the moving boxes:

kitchen appliances and utensils

Most of us have an abundance of small kitchen appliances. Multiple crock pots, blenders, mixers, air fryers, etc. And your drawers likely have a few too many spatulas, tongs, and cutting boards. Take a look at each of these items and consider which ones you've actually used in the last year or whether multiples are necessary. Donate the appliances and utensils that haven't seen the light of day in awhile.

tools

While there's no arguing that tools are very important to have around, do you really need 5 of the same screwdriver? How many allen wrenches have you saved from furniture purchases and do you really need all of them at your new house? Go through all of your tools and get rid of duplicates or the ones that have hardly been used. 

home maintenance supplies

Like tools, it's always a good idea to have some maintenance materials lying around. But, if you're like most people, you probably have an unnecessary amount of caulk, paint brushes, primers, and WD-40 stashed in the shed or garage. If it's been awhile since you last used them, the materials might have gone bad in that time. And even if they haven't, is it really worth hauling multiple buckets of spackle to the new house versus keeping one or buying new when you eventually need it? It's time to purge your storage racks of the supplies that won't be used before the move.

cleaning supplies

How many half used cleaning solutions do you have stored around your home? Not only would these items take up more room than they're worth on the moving truck, but they pose the risk of spilling and ruining items you actually care about. Combine bottles and only take what you think you'll need in the first few weeks of moving into your new place. 

old kids items

If you have kids, it's almost a guarantee that you have storage boxes filled with old clothes, toys, books, sports equipment, and school work. These items most likely hold a lot of sentimental value, so give yourself some grace on this one. But the reality is, as long as your kids live at home, there will always be more boxes of stuff that they've outgrown and you can't hang on to all of it. Before your move, go through their old items and save the most important things, like their favorite toy as a toddler or their very first baseball mitt. Dig through the childhood drawings and writing and save a few to frame or put in a scrapbook down the road. Donate any usable items. 

electronics

Most of us have a lot of electronics that we've held onto over the years— just in case we were ever in dire need of an old laptop charger or 50 USB cables. It's time to get rid of them! Collect all the cords, cameras, remotes, old phones, batteries, etc. and figure out what's worth keeping. If you're getting rid of a gadget like a tablet, computer, or cell phone, make sure to do a factory reset and clear your data first. Check out Earth911 to find an electronic recycling center near you.

lawn and garden tools

Anyone else guilty of having an excessive amount of shovels, hoses, garden spades, and watering cans? If you have multiple lawnmowers or trimmers, ask yourself if you really need more than one or if you ended up with multiples because you purchased a new one and never got rid of the old one. It's time to eliminate all the duplicates and unnecessary equipment!

holiday decorations

We're not saying to pitch all or even most of it, but you know you've been saving some items that never actually make it out during the holidays. Whether that's due to lack of space or putting off disposing of the item, you need to decide what decorations will make sense in your new home and what items you truly plan to display. And we all have a box or 2 filled with tangled holiday lights that haven't been tested in awhile— take them out and make sure they work before they make it on the moving truck. 

clothes and shoes

When's the last time you did a full sweep of your closets? How many winter jackets in the coat closet went unworn last year? Do you really need 10 pairs of similar sandals? How many gloves or socks have a match? Most of us have stockpiles of clothing we'll never wear again. These items are bulky and take up a lot of space while moving, so now's the time to get a donation load ready for drop off.

patio furniture

We all know that patio furniture doesn't last forever, especially in our area if it gets left out through the winter. After a couple seasons it's bound to look worn and weathered. Patio furniture will take up an enormous amount of space in your moving truck, so really consider what's worth taking and what can be replaced after moving into the new house.

attics

Attics tend to become a dumping ground for seasonal items or stuff we don't really need but decided to put out of sight so we didn't have to deal with it. Forgetting to clean out the attic happens more often than you'd think and, trust us, the buyers of your home don't want to be stuck with your junk. So make sure you add the attic to your decluttering list!

While packing, keep in mind that some of the objects that work in your current house might not be a good fit in your new home. Even if it's an item or piece of furniture that's had a lot of use over the years, a new place often calls for new stuff! Before boxing something up, make sure what you're packing fits your vision for the new space. You're guaranteed to have a less stressful move if you take the time to declutter before packing.