Moving into a smaller space certainly has it’s benefits–it’s easier to maintain and is often less costly. However, what presents a challenge for most people is downsizing their belongings to fit into their new home. Here at Dependable Relo, we have a lot of experience helping people move, so we’ve picked up time-saving ideas. We’re going to give you a few tips to make this process easier for you as well.
First, walk around your house and make a list of essential items that you couldn’t live without. Obviously, you’ll want to include your main furniture and all the basics that frame your home (provided they will fit in your new living space). Other necessary items might be things like toolkits, expensive electronics, or cookware.
As you make your list, try to be realistic about your non-essentials. It can be tough to let go of items you’re familiar with, but be honest about what things you probably won’t use. For instance, donate any clothes you don’t actually plan to wear again. This is also a good time to throw out all those broken appliances, stereos, or exercise machines that have been collecting dust. To seriously declutter and downsize, tackle those “junk boxes” and drawers that have grown over the years.
If there are items with sentimental family value that are too big or too plentiful to take along, consider if you can give them to another family member or close friend to hold onto for you.
Another easy way to scale back is to clean out extra items and duplicates. When you’ve lived in the same place for a long time, you often end up with multiples of the same items. As you take an inventory of your cabinets and drawers, you might find that you now have several identical spatulas and tape measures. People also tend to notice they have dozens of linen or china sets. Pare down to just one or two of each item you need.
Another tip for downsizing? Consolidate. If you have two partially filled bottles of laundry detergent, combine their contents into one container to save space.
The last element you’ll have to consider is your storage space. Do a walkthrough of your new home to take note of the storage spaces and measure the closets and cabinets. If you have a lot of belongings that need to come with you, try to brainstorm some ways you can most efficiently use your new space. Install closet dividers, find tall shelves, or place storage bins under beds and couches. Purchasing coffee tables or bench seats that open up into storage trunks is also a clever place to keep extra blankets, board games, or magazines.
If there are still too many items left over to comfortably fit in your new home, resolve to put the additional belongings in storage and re-assess whether or not you still want them in a few months. Dependable Relo will even offer full service storage so you can maximize the efficiency of your move. We’re here to make sure the transition to your new location goes as smoothly as possible, from start to finish. If you need help with an upcoming move, call Dependable Relo for professional and personalized solutions.