Moving guide · Moving scenarios
How to Downsize Before a Move
Sorting is easier when you have a floor plan and harder when a truck is waiting outside. Make the decisions that affect space first, then work through the smaller belongings.
The short answer
Downsize by measuring the new space, choosing what will fit and assigning a destination to everything else. Separate items to keep, give away, sell or remove, and confirm those arrangements before moving day. Update the mover’s inventory only when the decisions are final, especially for large furniture.
Start with the rooms in the new home
Measure the main furniture against the rooms, doors and access route at the destination. A table may fit the dining room but leave too little room to walk around it. Sketch the intended placement before deciding which large pieces to keep.
For a condo or apartment, obtain building access instructions early. Send measurements and photos of awkward pieces to the moving team. The question is both whether the furniture fits the room and whether it can reach the room through the permitted entrance.
Give each item one clear destination
Use simple labels: new home, another address, donation, sale pending or keep here. Place labels where the crew can see them without opening drawers. Set aside documents, valuables and family items before anyone begins a clean-out.
For shared or inherited belongings, identify who is authorized to decide. Resolve disputed items before the crew arrives. Moving help can carry and sort according to instructions, but it cannot determine ownership or settle family decisions.
Confirm removal and donation arrangements
Contact the receiving organization before arranging a donation drop-off. Ask about the actual item, its condition, opening hours and whether collection is available. An organization’s general mission does not establish that it accepts your sofa or can collect it on your moving date.
Major Movers lists clean-out help, but hauling and disposal must be confirmed directly. Check Connecticut DEEP guidance for paint, fuel and other household products needing special collection. Keep them out of ordinary moving boxes while you arrange the appropriate destination.
Update the estimate when the decisions settle
Give the mover the final inventory, including any separate delivery address. Remove sold or collected furniture from the list and clearly mark items still waiting for a decision. Ask whether the revised scope affects the estimate or schedule.
On moving day, walk the property with the crew and point out the labels. Keep one clear path through the home. At the destination, use the floor plan so the items you chose to keep land in the spaces you planned for them.
Before you confirm the move
- Measure the new rooms and access.
- Settle ownership and destination decisions.
- Confirm donation or removal arrangements.
- Send the final inventory and stop list.
Common questions
General guidance. Your own route, date and access still need confirming directly.
Can movers decide what should be donated?
You or another authorized person should make those decisions. Provide clear labels and instructions for the crew.
Does clean-out help include disposal?
Confirm hauling, destinations, excluded items and fees directly with Major Movers before booking.
When should I remove sold furniture from the estimate?
Tell the mover when collection is confirmed or complete, and send a consolidated final inventory before moving day.
What if the new home cannot fit a piece?
Discuss the dimensions and access before the move. Arrange another destination or storage separately if you decide not to take it.
Sources and useful references
- Connecticut DEEP: household hazardous waste
Use the state guidance to identify household hazardous waste and find the appropriate local collection program.
Planning a move?
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