Downsizing in 5 Steps

Downsizing can be an overwhelming process, especially if you've lived in the same home for many years. Following these five steps will help minimize the hassle of downsizing.

Step 1: Assess your needs. Differentiate between what you have and what you need (those items that play an active part in your daily lifestyle). When is the last time you used your treadmill? Would a pair of running shoes be more useful and easier to store? Get rid of things you have not used, or have seldom used, in the past year. This ensures you are giving weight to things you already use---not things you might use some day in the future. If you are torn between keeping an item or giving it away, compromise: if you don't use it within the next six months, toss it. Go through your belongings in storage as well. Discard those boxes that have not been touched since being placed in storage. You can donate items to friends and family, join a free cycle group, or sell items online. The amount of things you get rid of should correspond to the amount of storage space in your new home. On that note, be sure to note storage space in your new home before you move.

Step 2: Clear shelves, cabinets, and closets. Decluttering is an important step in downsizing. One good method to see what odds and ends you actually need  is to empty a cabinet or drawer, and only put back what you use over a period of time--perhaps two-four weeks. This can be used for clothing as well. Hang all of your clothes in one direction. When you wear something, hang it up in the other direction. This will help you identify what you do and do not wear, thus making it easy to determine what to keep and what to give away.

Step 3: Measure your furniture. Will your current furniture fit in your new home? Take measurements of your current furniture, and get a floor plan (or at least room dimensions) of your new home. Consider door, closet and window placement when determining how to arrange your furniture in advance. Better Homes and Gardens's free Arange-A-Room online software can help you generate a floor plan.

Step 4: Organize. When packing, label boxes by room. If you know something will end up in storage, go ahead and pack it in a decorative storage box than can simply be moved from one storage area to the next. This will keep your home from getting too cluttered by boxes.

Step 5: Move. Move large items first. This takes the most energy, and will help you determine where smaller items go.  Unpack bathroom and kitchen items next, since these items are likely to be needed soonest. Finally, organize space while unpacking, placing each moving box in its labeled room.

Questions about downsizing? Contact me.