Downsizing? We'll Help You Decide What Goes
So you’ve decided to move into a smaller place, and now you might be wondering what to take with you and what to leave behind. Though it may seem easy enough to just get rid of stuff, downsizing can be more daunting than you realize. You’ll need to be thoroughly prepared and properly organized in order to make moving efficient and maybe even a little fun. Here are some ways you can downsize with ease and make your transition as smooth as possible.
Consider your new storage space
You won’t know exactly what to get rid of unless you have a good understanding of the storage you’ll have in your new home. When you take a tour, check out the closet, cabinet, shelf, and attic space and make a mental note of what you’ll have available from here on out. Knowing your storage limitations will help you better assess what you’ll keep and what you’ll get rid of, and it’ll also keep you from being on the fence about things you don’t actually need.
Measure once, then measure again
Bring a measuring tape along with you and, as you take a tour of your new home, measure areas where you plan to place larger furniture items. The last thing you want is to keep your old furniture and find out it won’t fit in your smaller space, so measure first and then determine whether you should get rid of the furniture you have. If you’re unable to walk through your new home, ask for a floorplan and decide what will fit. Bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms are all areas where every square inch counts.
Assess what you actually need
Ask yourself this question: if everything in your house suddenly disappeared, what would need to be replaced? Another way of thinking of it is taking inventory of your belongings. Go through every closet, drawer and bin and determine whether you really need something or whether you can live without it. It might also be helpful to divide your things into categories like “Need,” “Toss” and “Replace,” which will help you better determine what stays and what goes.
Sell what you can, donate what you can’t
Maybe you own something valuable that you don’t necessarily have to bring with you to your new place. Some of your things may be collecting dust, but cost too much to just throw away. Selling or donating these items can make downsizing easier and potentially put money back into your pocket. If you have more than a few items to get rid of, start a yard sale or use an online reseller. If you’re unable to make a sale on something or you know it’s not worth much money, donate it to a person or place that could use it.
Don’t forget – you’re downsizing!
After living in a larger space for so long, it can be easy to forget that you don’t in fact have the same amount of space that you used to. So when you’re out shopping for your new home, always remember that you have limited space to come back to. Besides, you didn’t get rid of stuff only to buy it all again once you moved! If you shop within the constraints of your new home, you’ll feel more organized and less cramped.