Living in a large and spacious home is always a great experience to some families but not for all. For other families, the effort and costs of maintenance that comes with it pose a huge burden, especially when the kids have grown up and moved out. If you feel overwhelmed in your current massive home, moving to a smaller space or in other words downsizing, can be a great move both mentally and financially.
However, let me remind you that downsizing often means sorting through items that have been accumulating over many years and making challenging decisions about what to keep and what to throw away. SO, how do you do make sure you’re doing it right? The process may not be a walk in the park, but there are plenty of tips that you can borrow to make it easier and do it right.
- Start soonest possible.
There is no general rule of when you’re supposed to start preparing for your downsizing process, although some like to put it at at least 3 months prior. However, the sooner the better. Start the process as soon as possible to give yourself room and time to sort through your house slowly and carefully without getting overwhelmed.
Starting the downsizing process early gives you enough time to keep your home free of clutter and things you no longer need using your preferred organization method. Some of the most popular organization methods include One-A-Day method, KonMari Method, Four-Box method, and the Closet-Hanger method. No matter the method you choose, the aim is to find a balanced workflow and end up with items you actually need.
- Deal with one step at a time.
The thought of decluttering your whole home may seem overwhelming. However, dealing it one step at a time could make the whole thing very much easier. You’re more likely to easily handle the whole process if you divide it into multiple and more manageable sub-tasks. You should also consider creating a schedule broken down into the identified sub-tasks or by rooms to ensure you stay on track without getting overwhelmed. For example, you can break down the project into the sub-tasks as shown below:
- Sort through your DVDs and video games.
- Separate your clothes and shoes you plan on giving away from those you want to keep.
- Put small kitchen items in one place.
- Deal with your dresser drawers.
- Determine the size of your new space.
For you to properly downsize, you need to determine the size of the space you’re planning to move into. You’ll need to ideally know the size in square foots and shape of every room so that you can easily figure out which large pieces of furniture to do away with before moving. If you don’t have the accurate measurements of your new house or haven’t identified a new place yet, focus on sorting through the things you need and those you don’t.
- Contemplate on your new lifestyle.
Besides considering the square foot measurement of your new place, you should also give the bigger picture a thought of what you’re looking to gain from downsizing. In other words, consider not just what item will physically fit in your new space, but also if they will fit into your new lifestyle in your new space. Downsizing presents an excellent opportunity to reset and revamp, and you shouldn’t miss taking advantage of it.
- Consider selling or donating the non-sentimental items.
For the non-sentimental items you don’t plan on moving with into your new home, consider selling them to help you settle some of your moving costs or get new items you need such as for décor. Plenty of online marketplaces such as eBay and Craigslist are in place that will make selling your items online easy. On the other hand, if you lose interest in some items as you approach your moving day, consider donating them to the nonprofits and charities that accept and pick up home items and clothing including Goodwill, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, The Arc, among others.
The process of downsizing doesn’t have to overwhelm you anymore if you follow the tips discussed in above.
