We tend to have a love and hate relationship when it comes to moving in that we love the sense of excitement we get when envisioning ourselves in a new space but do not look forward to the actual organizing, moving and unpacking that has to happen beforehand. It is a tedious process for sure, and it can become even more difficult if you happen to be downsizing to a smaller home. You may be downsizing for various reasons - perhaps you are nearing retirement or simply do not need as much space as you did before. Whatever the case, read on for five tips on how to make downsizing a success and as painless as possible.
1. Begin the weed out process
Because you are downsizing, you already know that everything you have cannot go with you to your new spot because there simply is not enough space. So take a look at every single item you have and determine if you will still have a strong use for it. Items that you have not used for months on end should be tossed, and for the more questionable items, pick those that you use and are drawn to the most and give those highest preference.
2. Numbers are your friends
Before you begin moving a single piece of furniture, get the dimensions of your new space and then start taking measurements of your current pieces of furniture. There is no use moving pieces that will take up too much space or will not fit, so assessing these limitations before you make the move will save a lot of time and effort.
3. Use technology to plan your new layout
Several home builders and home improvement experts have online tools that can help you envision, design and plan out the look of your downsized space. This can be helpful as you can already have a plan for how you want everything set up before you start moving actual furniture into your place - once it is in there, it can sometimes be difficult to move everything around and get it like you want it.
4. Take a look at available storage space
Do not use this as a cop out to avoid getting rid of your junk and clutter - you will need to get rid of some things in order to make the move and live comfortably. But you should take a look at how much storage space is available in your new home so that you can determine how you can best make use of your space and store key items.
5. Have a sale
Although it is sometimes sad to get rid of your belongings, leverage the opportunity to bring in cash for new things in your home. People love to shop and get a good bargain, so consider throwing a garage sale to get rid of things you no longer need but that others might. You can use the money that you bring in for projects in the new home or save it for future use.
1. Begin the weed out process
Because you are downsizing, you already know that everything you have cannot go with you to your new spot because there simply is not enough space. So take a look at every single item you have and determine if you will still have a strong use for it. Items that you have not used for months on end should be tossed, and for the more questionable items, pick those that you use and are drawn to the most and give those highest preference.
2. Numbers are your friends
Before you begin moving a single piece of furniture, get the dimensions of your new space and then start taking measurements of your current pieces of furniture. There is no use moving pieces that will take up too much space or will not fit, so assessing these limitations before you make the move will save a lot of time and effort.
3. Use technology to plan your new layout
Several home builders and home improvement experts have online tools that can help you envision, design and plan out the look of your downsized space. This can be helpful as you can already have a plan for how you want everything set up before you start moving actual furniture into your place - once it is in there, it can sometimes be difficult to move everything around and get it like you want it.
4. Take a look at available storage space
Do not use this as a cop out to avoid getting rid of your junk and clutter - you will need to get rid of some things in order to make the move and live comfortably. But you should take a look at how much storage space is available in your new home so that you can determine how you can best make use of your space and store key items.
5. Have a sale
Although it is sometimes sad to get rid of your belongings, leverage the opportunity to bring in cash for new things in your home. People love to shop and get a good bargain, so consider throwing a garage sale to get rid of things you no longer need but that others might. You can use the money that you bring in for projects in the new home or save it for future use.
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