How To Handle Downsizing

Moving always has the tendency to sound stressful, but adding downsizing to the mix can seem daunting. There are certain challenges that come with downsizing, but that doesn’t mean it has to be more stressful. By changing the way you approach downsizing and moving, the experience can actually be a positive one. Downsizing gives you the freedom to get rid of things that no longer have a place in your life, freeing up room for what you love and what brings you happiness. Here are the steps to follow to downsizing your property and keeping your sanity.

1. Take an inventory of what you own.

Often, we don’t realize what we have. It is easy to feel like we don’t have a lot of ‘things’ when those items all have a place in our current home, but many of those items may just be filler. Taking an inventory of what you have will force you to look at a list of what you own, helping you reflect on what you actually care about keeping. Using this inventory as a master sheet will also help you keep track of what you’re moving once you’ve gotten rid of items that you no longer love or need.

2. Get the floor plan of your new home.

Being able to visualize where your items will go can be extremely helpful when downsizing. Will that old dresser fit in the guest bedroom? Will you have room for that pool table? If you can’t find space for it when looking at your floor plan, it is probably time to donate or recycle those items.

3. Consider the details of your new home.

Are you moving to a different climate? If you’re heading to Florida or somewhere known for the weather, you may not need those full boxes of winter gear or that snowblower already collecting dust in your garage. Will the items you are on the fence about keeping be practical and useful in your new home when your situation changes? Keep in mind what your life will look like in your new home and take the time to decide where the items you want to keep will fit in.

4. Create a keep/donate/toss system when sorting through your items.

Designate a room in your house for each category. Boxes in the living room are ‘keep’, the dining room has your ‘donate’ items, and so on. This way, there will be no mix-up and you will be able to have a visual idea of what you are hanging onto and what you are letting go.