When sorting through your belongings, it’s a good idea to have a garbage bag and recycling bin nearby your packing supplies so that you can immediately get rid of unnecessary items as you’re packing. Think of it as a cathartic activity. You’ll feel so much lighter! You’re shedding your old skin for a shiny new one! What you decide to leave behind is obviously a very personal decision. As the saying goes: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. But if you haven’t used something for the last 3 years, it’s highly unlikely that you will use it again.

If you’re feeling undecided about certain things, set aside a spot for “maybe” items that you can decide upon later. You can go back to this pile a few hours or days after your initial sorting, once you’ve had some time to think and figure out if an item is really important to you. If you’re still undecided, ask a good friend to come and help you decide what to bring or leave behind.

On the practical side, there are some things that you definitely shouldn’t pack away into the moving van either for safety or security reasons. Toxic or flammable items like aerosol cans, paint thinner, propane or fertilizer should never be moved. Check with your moving company for a full list of hazardous materials that cannot be transported. Give things like fertilizer or propane to a neighbour or pass them along to the new resident of your former home.

Keep your valuables, such as furs, expensive jewelry or cash near you, and move them yourself. Personal files including passports, wills, insurance papers and receipts and health-related documents also shouldn’t be packed. It would be a disaster if any of these items were misplaced or stolen. If you keep these items with you, at least you are personally responsible for their safety.

Perishables like food that needs to be refrigerated or plants should not be packed because they could go bad or die while in transit. If you decide to pack other liquid foodstuffs, be sure to wrap them in plastic bags in case a bottle breaks en route.

Once you’ve sorted, packed and discarded or given away all of your useless stuff, give yourself a big pat on the back. You’ve just guaranteed that your move will be a little less stressful, and your new home a little less cluttered.