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. 

How to Modernize the Layout of Your Home

For years, homebuyers sought homes with wide open spaces, with the kitchen competing for attention with the huge, two-story great room. Meg White, a writer for Realtor Magazine, says that's not the situation anymore. Today's homebuyers want to see carved out spaces with designated uses. As for the competition between the great room and the kitchen, these two areas have combined to comprise the main living space of a home. But the contemporary great room doesn't feature a soaring ceiling anymore--it's much more intimate with 10 foot ceilings. Furthermore, buyers don't want to walk right into their main living space, which then gets cluttered with the day's mail, the kid's homework, and car keys. New homes often feature distinct entryways that contain a "drop zone" to help people keep their homes clean and organized. Lastly, the master suite has gained more importance in recent years. Master fireplaces are on the rise, and home builders are conscious to create spaces that work for couples on different sleep schedules.

Does this not sound like your home? There's a few ways to modernize the flow of your house without tearing down walls or adding on rooms. To make the entryway more prominent, add a small table with a drawer, a mail organizer, key hooks, and a charging station. This can serve as your "drop zone." If you have a vast open space for your great room, consider creating nooks and crannies with specific purposes. Perhaps you could make a corner of the room a "homework space" by placing a desk in it. Both of these alterations will help keep your main living space livable--that is, not overwhelmed by everyday clutter. As for the master suite, it often pays off to moderately update your master bath. Funds used to add onto and improve mid-range bathrooms yield a better return on investment than higher-end projects. If you'd like to upgrade bathroom countertops without spending too much money on granite or marble, a mosaic of colored tiles may be the way to go.

For more information, view the original article here.

Contact me if you're interested in updating and staging your home to sell-when I list homes, I stage them for free!

Beautiful Meets Comfortable: Memmer Homes Conquers Both

Have you had the chance to attend the Parade of Homes? If so, you may have noted house 4’s custom built kitchen, modern floor plan, spa-like master bath, and outdoor deck. Memmer Homes can be credited with this luxurious yet practical home design and construction.

Memmer Homes is managed primarily by two individuals: Mark Memmer (CEO) and Jeff Memmer (president). For more than 30 years, this family company has prided itself on its exceptional craftsmanship and ability to customize homes that are “as beautiful to look at as they are comfortable to live in.” Additionally, the company seeks not to merely meet client expectations, but to far exceed them. This is a value that I have in common with the company. That’s why I’m happy that Memmer Homes is building a home for some of my own clients—I know they are in good hands.

For more information on the Memmer Home in the Parade of Homes, click here.

If you are considering building a home, or are having a hard time deciding between buying or building, please let me know how I can help. Take advantage of my resources and background in home building to best navigate today’s unique market.