Essential Tips You Need to Know When Downsizing

Every year, many people in many situations decide to downsize their homes. Whether for financial purposes or because of changes in your family, there are many reasons why you may want to cut down on what you own and move into a smaller space. 

While reducing the size of your home can present many benefits, downsizing is often a long, and sometimes tedious, process. It requires a strong commitment to not only sorting through all of your things but categorizing and organizing them in great detail. This could take a while depending on the size of your current living space. 

While downsizing your home may seem like an uphill task, it is not impossible. By preparing yourself ahead of time and exercising determination throughout the process, you can ensure that your downsizing efforts result in a clearer, more efficient home. Here are some downsizing tips and tricks from the experts at an Absolute Managed Property to help you along the way. 

Mentally Prepare Yourself 

Deciding to downsize can feel overwhelming at first. If you’ve lived in your home a long time, you likely have developed a strong sentimental attachment to the memories you’ve made over the years. If you’ve never lived in a smaller home, you also might be anxious about feeling cramped. 

To avoid these feelings becoming too much to handle, focus on the positive aspects of this transition. Living in a smaller home will be much easier to clean and maintain, giving you more time to do the things you enjoy. You’ll save quite a bit of money too, not only on rent or mortgage expenses but also on utility bills and maintenance. In general, living in a smaller home will allow you to get more out of your space and the money you put into it. 

Plan What’s Going Where 

One of the most helpful downsizing tips for people starting the process of moving is to make a mental (or physical) plan of where you will be putting your things in your new home. Think of the large things you own and where they’ll go – your bed, television, kitchen table— and then fill in the rest from there. If you have access to the floor plan, printing out a copy and sketching out ideas is a great way to visualize how much stuff you actually need to get rid of. 

Identify Target Areas 

Once you’ve got an idea of what your new home is going to look like, do another lap around your current place and take note of areas that could easily be downsized. For instance, if you plan on moving somewhere with less closet space, consider what clothes could be stored away during out-of-season periods. If you will have a smaller kitchen, prioritize which appliances you use the most and which you could live without. Doing this will give you a clearer picture of what needs to be done and how long it will take you to do it. 

Set Attainable Goals

As is the case with any renovation, home upgrade, or other housing change, it’s vitally important that you set reasonable expectations and exercise realism while downsizing. One of the best ways to guarantee success is to set several reachable goals, as incremental progress is easily repeatable. Work your way through the home one room at a time, stopping for as long as you need between. Once you realize how much this optimizes the process, you’ll understand why it’s one of the most frequently suggested tips for downsizing.

Declutter and Donate 

At the root of every successful downsizing effort is effectively decluttering what you own. We’re all guilty of having unnecessary things in our homes but when you’re moving, you can’t bring everything with you. One of the easiest downsizing home tips before a move, is to sort through things that can be thrown away or left on the curb, such as old furniture or electronics that are no longer in working condition. 

After you’ve weeded out the junk, examine the rest of your property and (at least mentally) sort it into three groups: keep, donate, and store. Since you’ve already started to plan what you’re going to put in your new home, it should be easy to identify what belongs in the “keep” pile. If you have clothes or other items that are still in good shape, consider donating them to your local thrift store or a charitable organization in your community. You may also find things with resale value; in which case you can list them on a site like Facebook Marketplace. 

Rent a Self-Storage Unit 

For the things you can’t donate or take with you, consider investing in self-storage. Renting a storage unit gives you a place to store the stuff you don’t want to get rid of but can’t find a place for in your new home. This is one of the most valuable downsizing tips for empty nesters in particular, as you probably have a lot of sentimental items you don’t use but want to keep for familial importance like dishes, clothes, children’s toys and books. Many folks store these items away until they become grandparents, as passing things down through generations is a special feeling. 

When you decide it’s time to acquire a little extra space, find a property managed by Absolute Storage Management. ASM operates a wide-reaching network of self-storage facilities all across the country, with locations in more than a dozen states. Self-storage units are affordable and come equipped with many enticing amenities, including climate-controlled storage and month-to-month rental plans. Find the closest Absolute Storage Managed facility to you to get started today!