3 Easy Steps To Downsizing
When it time comes to downsizing, these tips will help you save memories while eliminating clutter in your new home.
Moving into a new home is often a melancholy experience. You’re looking forward to the transition, but it’s bittersweet to leave behind a home that holds so many memories for you. Downsizing can be much more difficult because a smaller space means you won’t be able to keep all of your current belongings.
Downsizing, on the other hand, provides an opportunity to reset and restart. If you clear out the clutter, you’ll be able to fill your new home with the things you really enjoy, making it feel like home.
Here are 3 easy steps to downsizing without giving up your valuable possessions.
PLAN AHEAD OF TIME
Visit your new home and calculate the size of your rooms and storage areas. This will serve as a guide on how much you can bring with you. It is safer to underestimate rather than overestimate.
Do one section at a time when you decide what to hold onto and what to get rid of. Moving is a huge amount of work, but you don’t have to do everything in one go. Plan ahead and do a little bit each day and this will give you enough time to avoid feeling hurried.
Next, choose your furniture. Moving from large to small will help you better understand how much room you still have to spare. If you can’t take that bookshelf with you for instance, you don’t want to have to reorganize everything.
ORGANIZE YOUR THINGS
Do you want to use it? It’s quick to persuade yourself that you’ll wear that 10-year old shirt with the labels still attached someday. However, if you’ve never used it in the last year, chances are you won’t. Get rid of duplicate items as well. Do you have a number of coffee makers or food processors? You don’t have to keep both if you will only use one at a time.
Follow a strict yes/no policy when sorting — no “maybes” allowed. Start making a “yes” and a “no” pile and push yourself to choose which. If you’re not sure the item gets a yes, it’s a no. “Maybe” piles simply mean more work for you later.
Evaluate how to divide your “NO” pile. You may no longer want or need these things, but they are likely beneficial to somebody else. Friends and family members can receive special items as thoughtful gifts. Good quality furniture, housewares, clothes, and other pieces may be sold at a yard sale or on platforms such Craigslist.
Alternatively, you should donate recycled goods to groups such as Goodwill, which often provide community or even suburban pickups, making the mission that much easier. Anything that is broken or worn beyond repair should go to the recycling bin or the landfill.
KEEP MEMORIES ALIVE
Digitize pictures to save space and make it easier to share with friends & loved ones. Photo albums take up a lot of space, and how frequently do you go through them? Choose a digital frame to display all of your images in a revolving slideshow, or make a photo video background image for your TV or computer.
Take pictures of things that carry back memories but that you no longer have space for. This will allow you to relive the memories without having to hold onto the physical items. Pass on your precious possessions to your children, grandchildren, or close friends to ensure they are in good hands. They’ll appreciate the gift, and you’ll get a lot of joy in getting to see how they use them.
Another technique is to repurpose sentimental items. If you enjoy crafting, objects such as old movie stubs, notes, and pictures are ideal for arts and crafts, allowing you to keep a journal of your memories. Alternatively, use shadowboxes to create three-dimensional artwork. Having all of your moments in one place will make it easier than ever to remember them.
Downsizing is an overwhelming journey. You’ll come across things you haven’t seen in ages and must evaluate what to do with them. Allow yourself enough time to reflect before making a choice. Bear in mind your available space. Move only what is really necessary with you — only you know what you can’t live without.
For more advice on downsizing, contact us today. We are senior real estate specialists and are here to assist you every step of the way.
