Moving house
Decide what to keep before paying to move it
Moving something costs money and space, so weigh that against what it would take to replace it. You need each item's rough size, a replacement cost from your own research, the new place's room sizes, and any pickup or donation deadlines.
A text to start with
I'm moving to a smaller apartment on [date] and paying movers by the hour. Help me decide what to do with a full-size dining table, a second dresser, about six boxes of books, an old treadmill and a guest bed. The new living room is [dimensions] and there's one bedroom closet. I've noted what replacements cost locally. Sort each item into keep, sell, donate or toss, with deadlines for anything leaving.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Space first, then cost
Start with space. If an item won't fit the rooms you described, its price barely matters. Replacement costs should come from your own notes, so cross out any resale or replacement value the reply supplied on its own, because it's a guess. Deadlines are the usual trap. Charity pickups and resale listings take days to arrange, and anything marked sell needs a backup plan in case it doesn't go. Books and sentimental items shouldn't get the same treatment as furniture, since those decisions are usually yours alone.
Work backward from move day
Look up donation and bulk pickup options in your area and note the earliest available dates. Count back from move day so every sell item has a fallback date for donation. Once your decisions are final, send your movers the updated item list, since it may change their estimate.