The trend towards downsized living has been slowly taking over the real estate industry in the past decade. With a huge Baby Boomer population looking for a simpler life and smaller home, combined with the desire of younger people to purchase more affordable housing, it’s no wonder that smaller or downsized homes have become such a powerful trend.
You can add the increase of people looking for ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle to the reasons that downsizing is so popular. With all of these factors, downsizing is happening everywhere from New York to San Francisco which means a lot of people are getting ready to move.
But if you’re downsizing, that inevitably means having to figure out what to do with all of your stuff that only fits into a much larger home? Part of the process of downsizing apart from finding the best New York or San Francisco movers is going through what you own and purging the things that you don’t need or will no longer have room for. It can be a huge lifestyle change when you move into a smaller home. Letting go of material things can be a challenge. Let’s take a look at some tips to help make your journey to downsizing more enjoyable and less stressful.
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Clothes
Most of us have things in our closets that we haven’t worn for years, or not at all. Now is the time to clean out all those sweaters, pants and coats that you never use and streamline your wardrobe.
Smaller homes come with less storage space so it’s important to keep your new space in mind when you clean out your closet. There are plenty of charities that are always in need of clothing donations and can use the older items that you don’t want.
If you have more expensive clothing or accessories, you may also be able to sell them online or to specific shops to make some extra cash.
Old Furniture & Appliances
If you have an old appliance that you don’t use just hanging around in your garage or basement, it’s time to let it go. There is no point in taking anything with you that isn’t going to be useful or profitable. Part of the downsizing process is the desire for a simpler life so, let go of the things that aren’t working for you anymore.
Memorabilia
A key factor of minimalism can be helpful when you are getting ready to downsize. A tip for letting go of items is to hold each item in your hand and if it brings you joy or has a useful purpose that you will need then you should keep it. You can repeat this over and over if you need a bit more time to let some things go.
Memorabilia can be one of the toughest things to let go of in the downsizing process. It’s important to sort through your old photos, gifts, and cherished items and decide what you can let go and what you absolutely can’t part with.
Books & Magazines
Thinking about getting rid of even a single precious book can feel like a nightmare for book lovers. But, in a smaller home, you might not have the room to bring your whole library with you. Take a look through your books and decide which ones you are likely to read again. These are the volumes that you should bring.
The same goes for magazines, unless there is an article that you want to save, they can go. Cleaning out your old books and magazines is a great opportunity for you to help out your local charities, doctor’s office or hospital with a donation.
If you are thinking about downsizing, it’s important to balance the benefits with the stressful logistics that come with a big change like this. Keep organized, give yourself lots of time and practice letting go and you will find that you can head into your smaller home with joy and excitement.
