Living in a large home is great until it’s just not. Large homes come with more space to clean. As well as, higher utility costs, higher maintenance costs, and can become more of a burden than something you enjoy. Many people choose to move into a small home but may feel overwhelmed when they start packing. After all, a larger home means many things you may not have room for at your new place.

Here are five tips to help you effectively downsize your items minus the stress.

Minimize your Duplicates

We all have duplicates and once you get packing you may be surprised to see just how many duplicate items you have. Kitchens are one of the most common places you’ll find duplicates and are a great place to start when you’re looking to downsize. Think about this-do you really need 5 spatulas and 10 wooden spoons? Probably not. So keep your favourites and place the others in a giveaway box. Cups and silverware are another thing people tend to have a lot of. If you don’t regularly host multiple people for dinner parties chances are you don’t need 2+ sets of cups and silverware.

Make a Profit

One of the most important things you can remember when downsizing is that you may have items valuable to others. Sure, there are going to be items you put in a giveaway box or toss but chances are you have some items to get rid of that others would pay for. Consider having a yard sale or selling your items online through Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist. Some of the best items to sell are furniture, toys, clothing, home decor items, movies, and more. Making a few extra dollars before your move can help to offset your moving costs, or bulk up your savings.

Measure

One of the biggest challenges we face is moving furniture into a space that is too small to accommodate it. When you’re downsizing, be sure to measure your living room, dining room, and bedrooms to ensure your current furniture will fit well in the space. If you find you have items that are just too big or bulky, you’ll be able to sell or donate them before the moving which saves you space in the moving truck and the headache of trying to rehome your furniture upon your arrival at your new place.

Keep the Clutter Out

It’s important to remember the size difference from your current home to your new space when you’re packing your belongings. With less square footage, you will clutter up a space faster with fewer items. Where you can, keep your space as clutter free as possible. Consider hanging your TV on the wall instead of using a bulky TV stand, and utilize floating shelves instead of a large bookcase just as a couple of examples.

Think Multipurpose

In your current home, you may have a couple of spare bedrooms, a home office or crafts room, and a master bedroom. When you downsize you’ll need to consider how to make your new space work with fewer rooms. You will still have your master bedroom, however, may be down to just one spare bedroom. When looking at the space, think multipurpose. There are some great ways you can have a spare bedroom double as a craft room or home office. Choose a space-saving desk, create a storage system in the closet, and utilize nightstands and under the bed storage too. If you’re looking to invest in new furniture, there are some amazing Murphy bed options now too!
If you or a loved one is looking to downsize, Relocate Stress Free can help! We have extensive experience assisting with downsizing and would love to speak with you!