Go through it together, room by room, and keep the best piece of each pair: the one that fits the new home, suits you both and is in better condition. Then sell or give away the true duplicates, and store anything you’d both like to keep for later but can’t fit in yet.
Merging two homes is exciting, and it can also be the first time you discover you both feel strongly about a sofa. Taking it slowly, and deciding as a team, keeps it fun.
Start with the new home
Measure the rooms, doorways and stairs before you decide anything, so you’re choosing what fits rather than arguing about what’s nicer. Then list both sets side by side: two sofas, two beds, two kitchen tables, two of almost everything in the kitchen drawers.
Questions for each pair
- Which one fits the space? A beautiful wardrobe that won’t go up the stairs isn’t an option.
- Which is in better condition, and which would cost more to replace? A good sofa or a solid wood table can cost far more to buy again than flat-pack.
- Does one of you love it? It’s often worth keeping the piece that matters most to one of you and letting the other choose the next one.
- Will we want it again? If you’re planning a bigger home, a spare room or a family, the second bed or dining table may have a place later.
Passing on the doubles
Furniture in good condition can go to a friend, be sold, or be given to charity. The British Heart Foundation offers free collection of furniture from your home where it collects in your area; it needs items it can sell, so they should be clean and complete, and sofas, mattresses and padded chairs need their fire safety label. Our guide to whether to store, sell or give away furniture has more ideas.
Storing what you’re not ready to part with
Storage suits the pieces you’ll want again, and the ones you can’t agree on yet. Our minimum stay is two weeks and notice to leave is normally 14 days, so you can store while you settle in and decide without rushing. One of you books the unit, and you can share access with the other through smart entry, so you can both get in. If you clear some of it, you can move to a smaller unit when one is free at your site. Everything stored needs contents cover, so add up what the pieces would cost to replace.
Our room-by-room size guide helps you pick a size. To see what it would cost, get a price online, or call us on 0800 2545585 and we’ll help you work it out.
Related questions
- How can I keep my storage costs down?
- Can I rent two storage units side by side?
- Can I share access to my storage unit with a family member or colleague?
Further reading