If you are someone who is planning on downsizing your home, or you have already purchased a new home and you are in the process of downsizing, chances are you are feeling a mix of emotions. While downsizing can be extremely exciting and a great way to start a new chapter, it can also feel overwhelming, especially if you have spent years building a home in a significantly bigger space.
People downsize for a variety of different reasons whether they are looking to save money, they no longer need as much space, they are relocating for a new job, or they simply want to change up their living situation. Whatever the reason for downsizing may be, it can be a very stressful process that can becoming challenging.
We have pulled together some tips on how you can most efficiently downsize in the least stressful way possible.
1 – Start early.
First, be sure that you are starting the downsizing process early, and pace yourself. The earlier you start to begin to think about all your belongings and what makes sense to keep and get rid of, the better. While this does not necessarily mean that you must start packing, you can begin organizing, lessen the amount of shopping that you do, and declutter little by little each day. The more you are able to check off the list in the beginning, the easier it will be for yourself in the long run.
2 – Sort and declutter your items.
Once you have a handle on everything that you have, it is time to sort your items and declutter. During this downsizing process, you will decide what you will be keeping and bringing to your new home, what you want to donate, and what can simply be thrown away. Set up some boxes for yourself in each room of your home and go through one room at a time. If you are finding that some items are too large to organize in boxes, stick notes on items so that you can easily reference what is staying and what is going.
3 – Start in smaller places throughout your home.
To avoid completely overwhelming yourself, start in smaller rooms throughout your home that you can knock out of the way before tackling the larger ones. For example, an office space or bedroom may be easier to work through than your bathroom or kitchen, which is likely filled with tons of products, toiletries, utensils, and other supplies. Try to aim to get a couple rooms organized and decluttered per week, depending on what makes the most sense with your schedule.
4 – Measure your furniture.
When it comes to your furniture, some people may be lucky enough to bring most of their furniture to their new space, however, it is likely that some pieces will not make the cut due to the downsizing. Take some time to measure your furniture and align on what will fit in each room of your new home and what might not work. This will give you enough time to either donate the furniture, toss it, or make some money back and sell it before your move.
5 – Think about how you can maximize storage in your new home.
If you have tons of items that you are planning on keeping and you are not sure how you will store it in your new space, it is time to get creative when it comes to storage. There are tons of ways that you can create storage throughout a home, whether you are utilizing open wall space, creating storage in closets or under the stairs, or choosing pieces of furniture that have built in storage.
6 – Do not buy anything new until you’ve moved in.
Lastly, try to not purchase any new, especially large, items before you move into your new home and you are sure of what you will need.