Moving Into a Smaller Home? Here's How to Downsize Effectively

For several families, living in a big home is great. However, for some, the energy and cost needed to maintain them are heavy. That is why according to a survey, 60% of people in the United States living in homes over 2,000 square feet in size reported that they would rather move to a smaller house.

Moving into a smaller home can be a mentally and financially ideal move. This is because less square footage means less space for clutter to build-up and lower energy bills. However, it can be extremely exhausting to downsize to a smaller house. Luckily, we’ve got some tips.

Take Inventory of your Belongings

Remember that you’ve got to separate your needs from your wants to completely declutter and downsize your belongings. This job might appear overwhelming. Thus, try breaking it up by taking it one zone or room at a time. You can also set up a timeline and pace that ideally works for you.

Minimize Duplicate Items

Take a look at your duplicate items and only keep the things you need. Usually, you can find a lot of duplicate items in your kitchen. That is why it is the best area for downsizing. You most probably do not require several sets of silverware or drinking glasses unless you regularly have guests over.

Furthermore, browse through your spice cabinet and pantry. Throw away ingredients or food that have expired or you have not utilized in a while.

Free Items Strategy

If you’ve got a lot of times that are likely not worth selling on eBay, you can just put them outside your yard with a sign telling that they are free. You will likely wake up the next day to find those knickknacks gone depending on your neighborhood. This strategy is certainly handy for cabinets, books, and almost every kind of furniture.

Make the Most of Storage Space

You have a friend. It is your storage space. Thus, make the most of it. Several excellent all-purpose storage options include built-in shelves, the space underneath your bed, the inside of ottomans, and hanging shoe racks. Also, there are a lot of methods to optimize your attic’s storage capacity.

Sell Your Items

Are you familiar with the phrase “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure?” If yes, then that saying is extremely applicable in your situation. Consider having a garage sale if you are planning on eliminating almost every single item you have. Lawn equipment, power tools, kids clothing and toys, and furniture are some of the greatest items to sell.

Start Filling out Your Closets

Even though downsizing for a smaller home can be redeeming, it is easy to go overboard and end up removing items you might require. Filling up the closets in your new home with all of your greatest belongings is one way to avoid this. This may include your towels, shoes, and clothing. You will know you can cut back things more if you end up with many leftover items in less than ideal condition.