People downsize their homes for various reasons. While some experience an empty nest, others find their home’s upkeep too demanding. The loss of a loved one, divorce, and accessibility are vital reasons people decide to undertake this major change. Although downsizing is common to older people, research indicates that younger Americans are joining the trend. Do you wish to downsize your home? If yes, here are some practical tips you can utilize for the best results.
Create an inventory for your belongings
Since you’ll be moving to a smaller home, you may not have enough space to accommodate belongings you have kept over the years. That said, it’s prudent to create an inventory of these items. This helps you determine which items to keep, throw away or donate. Moreover, it reduces the stress of organizing them. You can list them down on paper or leverage digital options depending on your preference. You can begin by drawing a map of your home to ensure that you don’t forget any place.
Experts also advise that you handle one area at a time, starting with smaller options. For instance, you’ll find it helpful to tackle your closet and proceed to bigger areas. You can also take videos or photos to supplement your inventory and gather your purchase receipt to determine the value of your items. It’s not unusual to complete your inventory in several days, so ensure that your list is current. By all means, avoid rushing the process, so you don’t make mistakes.
Decide on how to eliminate unwanted items
Now you have your belongings sorted out, and it’s time to dispose of unwanted items. That said, deciding how to eliminate them makes sense. Fortunately, there are several means of completing this process, so you can choose the most suitable one. It’s important to sort them out to determine those in good and bad conditions, after which you can throw away the bad ones. You can decide to donate the good stuff to charity or put them up for sale on various online platforms. Organizing a garage sale is also a great way to get rid of them quickly. You can also give them to your family members and friends as gifts if they’re interested. If you lost a loved one and feel sad about going through their belongings, you can hire estate cleanout services to help you out.
Be creative about storage options
A smaller home means smaller storage spaces, as it may not have an attic, basement, or garage. Therefore, being creative about your storage options makes sense. Various options are available to ensure that you don’t run out of ideas. For instance, you can utilize multifunctional furniture like platform beds with drawers, storage ottomans, wardrobes, bookshelves, etc. Likewise, you can install floating shelves to maximize your bathrooms and kitchen space. Homes usually have hidden spaces, and identifying them will prove helpful. For instance, you can convert the space under your stairs into a storage space, so keep this in mind.
What do you think?