Downsizing and starting over to a new home is a stressful process. Whether you’re an empty nester, a retiree, or simply want to be a minimalist, being organized about how you downsize is crucial for a fresh start. Check out this downsizing checklist of things you need to do when moving to a smaller home.
Tips on Downsizing to a Smaller Home
There are milestones in life when we have to make significant life changes and move on to the next chapters of our lives. Retirement is one of the most important stages that involves moving to a new home. According to research conducted by Merrill Lynch on retirees, three-fourths of the subjects were willing to downsize to a smaller house to have a more financially comfortable retirement.
Here we list down the important steps to help you move to a new house:
Make Sure You Have Sufficient Time
Moving to a new home is an emotional and nostalgic process. Generally, allocating at least three months or more is ideal for giving yourself ample time to make plans and organize your schedule so you can eliminate the stress of rush and procrastination. When you have enough time, you will be able to make necessary arrangements such as changing the address in your documents, paying utility bills, and hiring a moving truck. Starting as soon as possible and planning can help you stay organized during the process.
Take Inventory of Your Belongings
There are many reasons why doing an inventory of your possessions is one of the essential items in the checklist. For one, it provides transparency on how many things you own. You will be amazed at how easy it is to accumulate and duplicate household items. Indeed, you will have to get rid of many things when moving to a smaller home. This process allows you to sort which stuff you want to bring with you and which ones you have to leave behind.
Focus On One Room At A Time
Moving out can be overwhelming, especially when you have multiple rooms, and by rooms, we mean bedrooms, kitchen, living room, and bathroom. Focusing on one area at a time allows you to simplify and make progress without disrupting the entire house you are currently living in.
Tip: When organizing a room, label the items accordingly per room so it will be easier to place them in the designated spaces in the new house.
Measure Out Your New Space
Downsizing means having smaller space. Knowing how much space you have in your new home gives you an idea if you can bring your furniture or buy a new set. Having a floor plan ready is a way to go. You can also measure the dimensions of each room in your new space and take note of your furniture size. When it comes to choosing furniture, always choose quality over quantity to avoid clutter.
Consider Your New Lifestyle
What lifestyle do you envision in your new home? If you are an empty nester or a retiree, which space do you think you will use more than others? Are there any hobbies you want to explore, and do these hobbies take up your space?
What you take with you must accommodate your new lifestyle. You need to let go of items and some items you have to purchase to fit in your new life.
Sort Which Keepsakes are Worth Keeping
Sorting out nostalgic items is one of the most challenging parts of downsizing and is where most of us get stuck. Father’s day and mother’s day gifts, letters, photos, cards, and dried flowers – the list goes on. At this time, emotions may get the best of the decluttering process, and you might end up keeping all of them. While this is not all that bad, there are some methods you can use if you want to keep the most important ones.
One of these methods is the KonMari method which involves keeping the things that “spark joy.” If the item makes your heart glow, it is worth keeping it.
On the other hand, you can make bucks off non-sentimental items. You can organize a garage sale or post the items on eBay, Etsy, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace. After segregating the non-sentimental items, you can donate them to charity or people you know who need them.
Lastly, you can always ask for help from your friends or family members when moving out. You can also consider hiring professional organizers and movers to help in the downsizing process.
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