What to do when downsized

Find more expert tips on room-by-room organizing and decluttering in our ridiculously thorough home declutter guide. We recommend the Three-Box Method, which forces you to make a decision item-by-item. You should keep items that are useful in your daily life. Get rid of items that you no longer have a use for. Sentimental or seasonal items should be put in storage. The kitchen is typically a clutter hotspot for duplicate items, so pay extra attention when decluttering this area.

Over the years, paper clutter can really add up. Store older paper files, such as taxes from the last decade, in a plastic bin. Scan any other records and receipts you may need in the future so you have a digital copy, then shred and throw them away. Home movies, music and photos can also be converted into digital files. When in doubt, throw them out or recycle them. While not every home has designated storage areas like a basement, attic or garage, here are some general tips to keep in mind:.

You may not have enough room in your new, smaller home to fit all of your current furniture. Part of figuring out how to downsize is figuring out when to downsize.

Eliminate the stress of rushing to purge everything, and allow yourself to reflect and make rational decisions on what to downsize and declutter. Recruit family and friends, or even hire a professional service to assist with clearing out your house and moving into your new home.

Downsizing your home can save you time, money and space, but most importantly, it allows you to learn how to live a fuller life with less. However, preparing to downsize your home takes a lot of effort and planning. Save yourself some stress on the next phase of the moving process with these helpful guides:. Moving indeed is stressful, especially if you are downsizing to a new home.

But, if you hire professional movers to do the big work for you, your moving will go smooth and easy. Thank you for sharing these helpful 7 Tips for Downsizing to a Smaller Home. One of the best multifunctional pieces is a storage bed, which has large dresser drawers underneath the bed itself.

They observe a simple principle: Never waste vertical space. When my wife moved in with me, we had nearly 50 pairs of shoes between the two of us most of them hers. I had been keeping my shoes on the closet floor, where they fit. They fit no longer. We fought over it for a week or two, then one day she showed up with a shoe rack her friend no longer needed.

We started looking for other ways to maximize space. She sold her wide dresser on Craigslist and bought a taller, narrower bureau for the same amount also used, also on Craigslist. We used her other wide dresser as a substitute TV stand, where it doubled as more storage space.

We swapped out a coffee table for a storage ottoman with a reversible tray top. When you run out of horizontal space, create vertical space. And if you have to buy furniture, consider buying it used while selling your old furniture to potentially cover the cost. Aim to buy used whenever possible. If you move from a detached house into a condominium, beware of condo fees and assessments. Also watch out for smaller houses that need significant repairs. That quaint little fixer-upper could be a money pit if it needs new wiring, new plumbing, new fixtures, new appliances, or new anything mechanical or structural.

A small house on a large plot could still need plenty of landscaping and grounds maintenance. Be vigilant against letting stuff into your house. Consider instituting a one-in, one-out rule for similar-size goods to keep the clutter from spreading like a disease.

Every year, do a major spring-cleaning , even if you do it in October. Hold garage sales. Sell stuff online. Opt out and reduce the amount of junk mail that comes to your house. As Marie Kondo would tell you, the less stuff you have in your life, the less stress you feel. How much smaller are you thinking about downsizing?

For collectibles and heirloom items, The Spruce has a great list on how to determine the value of antiques. Look at online auction sites to see what similar pieces are going for. Do a little research at the local library — they can usually be counted on to have antique and collectible price guides in their catalog.

What are bedroom sets going for in your area? There are endless options for selling online these days, which is great — it takes away the hassle of organizing sales yourself. For furniture, though, it might be easiest to sell online — there are a lot of sites dedicated to facilitating rummage-sale-type exchanges.

To find a trustworthy one, search for estate sales online or go to a local estate planner and ask if they can give you a referral. They may seem a bit outdated, but they still get results.

They have an easily searchable list that can be sorted by item categories. You may decide you would prefer to donate certain items instead of selling them. There are so many great charities out there that the biggest challenge of donating is deciding where to go. Many of their Habitat ReStores offer free pickup of larger items, keeping it hassle-free for you.

Want to help out locally? Consider donating your clothes and household goods to local shelters, churches, and crisis centers. However, be sure to call ahead. They might not be able to accept the items you wish to donate. These charities provide clothing for interviews Dress For Success is for women, Career Gear is for men.