Introduction
Moving is stressful enough without hauling a garage full of things you no longer need to your new home. If you are planning a Chicago move, the weeks leading up to moving day are the perfect opportunity to lighten your load, save money, and start fresh. Decluttering before moving is one of the smartest things you can do — every item you get rid of is one less thing to pack, carry, and unpack on the other end.
But figuring out what to keep, what to donate, and what needs professional junk removal in Chicago can feel overwhelming. Where do you even start? What do you do with old mattresses, broken appliances, or that treadmill collecting dust in the basement?
This guide walks you through the entire process room by room. You will learn exactly what to get rid of before moving, where to take it, which Chicago-specific resources can help, and how to schedule junk removal so everything is cleared out before your movers arrive.
Why Decluttering Before Moving Saves You Time and Money
Every item you move costs you something — in packing materials, truck space, and labor time. When your movers charge by the hour, a pre-move cleanout can directly reduce your moving costs. Fewer boxes mean fewer trips between the truck and your home, and a faster move overall.
Beyond the savings, decluttering before moving gives you a psychological head start. Walking into your new home with only the things you actually want and use feels completely different than unpacking boxes of clutter you should have dealt with months ago.
Here is a simple rule of thumb: if you have not used something in the past 12 months, and it does not have genuine sentimental value, it is a strong candidate for removal. Keep that standard in mind as we go room by room.
The Room-by-Room Decluttering Framework
For every room, use this simple four-category system: Keep, Donate, Sell, or Remove. Keep what you love and use. Donate items in good condition. Sell anything valuable enough to be worth the effort. Remove everything else — broken, worn out, or too bulky to deal with on your own.
Kitchen
Kitchens accumulate more unused items than almost any other room. Open every cabinet, every drawer, and be honest with yourself.
Keep: Daily-use cookware, your favorite knives, appliances you use weekly
Donate: Duplicate utensils, that bread maker you have not touched in two years, mismatched dishware, specialty gadgets still in good shape
Sell: High-end appliances, quality cookware sets, cast iron pieces
Remove: Chipped plates, warped pans, broken small appliances, expired pantry items
A good test for kitchen items: if you forgot you owned it, you do not need it at your new place.
Living Room and Family Room
Living areas often hold bulky furniture that may not fit your new space, especially if you are moving from a house in the suburbs to a Chicago high-rise — or vice versa.
Keep: Furniture that fits your new layout, electronics you actively use, meaningful decor
Donate: Books you have already read (unless they are keepers), DVDs and CDs, furniture in good condition that does not suit your new space
Sell: Quality furniture pieces, gaming consoles, sound systems
Remove: Broken electronics, stained or sagging couches, outdated entertainment centers, tangled cords to devices you no longer own
If you are downsizing, measure your new rooms before deciding which furniture to bring along. A couch that dominated your old living room might not even fit through the door at your new place.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms tend to be emotional — closets full of clothes you “might wear someday” and nightstands stuffed with random items. Be ruthless here.
Keep: Clothes that fit and that you have worn in the past year, quality bedding, furniture that suits your new bedroom
Donate: Clothing in good condition that no longer fits or suits your style, extra linens, gently used shoes
Sell: Designer clothing, quality bedroom furniture, jewelry you no longer wear
Remove: Worn-out mattresses, broken bed frames, stained pillows, clothes that are damaged beyond donation
Mattresses deserve special attention. They are heavy, awkward to move, and expensive to transport. If yours is more than seven to eight years old, this is the time to replace it. Professional junk removal in Chicago can handle mattress pickup so you do not have to wrestle it down three flights of stairs.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are quick wins — most of what you need to purge is small and easy to toss.
Keep: Current toiletries, medications (check expiration dates), towels in good condition
Donate: Unopened toiletries, extra towels
Remove: Expired medications (bring these to a pharmacy for safe disposal), old cosmetics, rusty razors, dried-out products, worn towels
Garage, Basement, and Storage Areas
This is where the real work happens. Garages and basements are where things go to be forgotten.
Keep: Seasonal items you actually use, tools in working condition, holiday decorations you put up every year
Donate: Sporting equipment your kids outgrew, duplicate tools, working power equipment you no longer need
Sell: Power tools, bikes, lawn equipment, workout gear
Remove: Dried-up paint cans, broken lawn equipment, mystery boxes you have not opened since your last move, old chemicals
Garages and basements often contain items that require special handling — paint, chemicals, old electronics. We cover those in the next section.
Chicago Resources for Donating, Recycling, and Disposing
One of the best parts about decluttering in Chicago is the number of local resources available to help you do it responsibly. You do not have to send everything to a landfill.
Donation Pickup Services
Several Chicago organizations will pick up gently used items directly from your home:
The Salvation Army Chicago: Accepts furniture, clothing, household goods, and small appliances. Schedule free pickup through their website or by phone.
Brown Elephant (Howard Brown Health): Operates resale shops across Chicago. Accepts furniture, housewares, clothing, books, and electronics. Drop-off locations in Andersonville, Lakeview, and Oak Park.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Accepts building materials, appliances, and furniture in usable condition.
Scheduling donation pickups two to three weeks before your move gives you a firm deadline to sort through everything.
Electronics Recycling
Old computers, TVs, and electronics should never go in regular trash. Chicago makes responsible disposal straightforward:
Chicago Household Chemicals and Computer Recycling Facility: Located at 1150 N. North Branch Street, this city-run facility accepts computers, TVs, printers, and other electronics for free recycling. Open select Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Best Buy and Staples: Both accept small electronics for recycling at their Chicago-area locations.
The EPA provides detailed guidelines on safe electronics disposal, including data security recommendations before recycling computers and phones.
Hazardous Materials Disposal
Paint, pesticides, cleaning chemicals, and automotive fluids require special handling. Never put these in regular trash or pour them down drains.
Chicago’s Household Chemicals and Computer Recycling Facility (same location as electronics recycling) accepts paints, solvents, pesticides, batteries, and other household chemicals at no cost. Check the City of Chicago website for current hours and accepted items.
Special waste drop-off events: The city periodically hosts additional collection events in various neighborhoods. Check Chicago’s 311 services portal for upcoming dates and locations.
Bulk Trash Pickup Through Chicago 311
For large items that cannot be donated or recycled, Chicago’s 311 system handles bulk pickup requests. You can place a request online, through the CHI 311 app, or by calling 311.
Here is what you need to know:
Eligible items: Furniture, mattresses, large appliances (doors removed), and other oversized household items
Scheduling: Requests are typically fulfilled within seven business days, though timing can vary
Placement: Items must be placed in the alley or at the curb on your scheduled pickup day
Limitations: There are limits on the number of items per pickup, and certain materials (construction debris, hazardous waste) are not accepted
If your move timeline is tight, city bulk pickup may not be fast enough. That is where professional junk removal comes in.
What Professional Junk Removal Chicago Services Include
When you have more than a few items to remove — or when you are on a deadline — professional junk removal is the most efficient option. Here is what a typical junk removal service in Chicago covers.
Standard Junk Removal Items
Old furniture (couches, tables, dressers, desks, bookshelves)
Mattresses and box springs
Appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, microwaves)
Electronics (TVs, computers, monitors, printers)
Exercise equipment (treadmills, weight benches, ellipticals)
General household clutter (boxes, bags, miscellaneous items)
Yard waste and outdoor furniture
Items That Require Special Handling
Some items need extra care or specific disposal methods:
Mattresses: Chicago requires mattresses to be properly disposed of due to bedbugs and sanitation concerns. Professional removal ensures compliance.
Appliances with refrigerants: Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners contain refrigerants that must be recaptured by a certified technician before disposal.
Electronics: Responsible junk removal providers ensure e-waste is recycled properly rather than sent to landfills.
Large or heavy items: Piano removal, hot tubs, and oversized furniture often require specialized equipment and experienced crews.
The Advantage of a Moving Company That Also Handles Junk Removal
Here is something most people do not think about: hiring a company that handles both your move and your junk removal simplifies the entire process. Instead of coordinating with two separate services, you work with one team that understands your full timeline.
At The Professionals Moving Specialists, we have been helping Chicago families with junk removal and moving for over 20 years. Being a family-owned company with 4,500+ Google reviews, we treat your pre-move cleanout with the same care and professionalism we bring to every move. One call handles everything — no juggling schedules between different companies.
If you are also thinking about how to make your move more environmentally friendly, ask about our green moving options. We partner with The Chicago Green Box to offer reusable packing materials, and our junk removal team prioritizes donation and recycling over landfill disposal whenever possible.
How to Schedule Junk Removal Around Your Move Date
Timing your pre-move cleanout correctly makes everything smoother. Here is a suggested timeline:
Four to six weeks before your move: - Walk through every room and start sorting using the keep/donate/sell/remove framework - Schedule donation pickups for items in good condition - List valuable items for sale online (Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp)
Two to three weeks before your move: - Finalize what needs professional removal - Schedule your junk removal appointment — ideally five to seven days before moving day - Drop off hazardous materials and electronics at Chicago recycling facilities
Five to seven days before your move: - Junk removal day — have everything you want removed gathered and accessible - This gives you time to do a final walkthrough and clean before the movers arrive
Two to three days before your move: - Final sweep for any last items - Confirm your moving day details with your packing and moving team
Scheduling junk removal about a week before your move gives you a clean, clutter-free home for your packing services team to work in. It also means your movers only handle the items you actually want at your new place, keeping your move faster and more affordable.
If you have items you are not ready to part with but do not need right away, consider a storage solution. Our 45,000-square-foot temperature-controlled facility in Lincolnwood gives you the flexibility to sort things out after the move without cluttering up your new space.
Final Thoughts
Decluttering before a move is not just about getting rid of stuff — it is about making your entire move simpler, faster, and less expensive. Every bag you donate and every old couch you have hauled away means less work on moving day and a cleaner start in your new home.
Chicago gives you plenty of options for doing this responsibly. Between donation pickups, city recycling facilities, the 311 bulk pickup system, and professional junk removal services, there is a solution for every item in every room. The key is starting early and working through it room by room rather than trying to handle everything in a last-minute panic.
When you are ready to clear out the clutter and get moving, The Professionals Moving Specialists can handle it all. As a family-owned Chicago company since 2004, we have helped thousands of families with junk removal, packing, moving, and storage — all under one roof. Get your free moving estimate and let us take the stress out of your next move.