As life changes, many parents or older people consider downsizing. A huge home may have worked when the kids were young, but the size is no longer practical. The process of squeezing into a smaller home isn’t easy when you’ve collected enough stuff to fill up your large home over the years. The biggest stressor is going through all your possessions. Here are some tips on how to choose what to keep.
Downsizing Benefits
The smaller the space, the lower utility bills will be. Downsizing can significantly reduce your energy costs. A smaller space requires less energy to heat or cool it. The savings will result in extra cash to spend. There are fewer maintenance costs in smaller homes, and you won’t spend as much time cleaning it. Downsizing also reduces clutter. There won’t be enough space for all your material possessions. Less financial stress also means better health.
How to Downsize
It’s a tough job to try to decide what stays and what goes when you’re moving into a smaller space. Here are important steps that will help make the task easier.
Take Inventory
Go through everything in your home. You’ll likely find items you forgot you had or multiples of the same thing. Set aside a trash pile for stuff that’s broken or no longer usable. Measure the furniture to see what will and won’t fit into your new space. When you take inventory, it will give you an idea of how many moving boxes you’ll need. It will also determine if you should hire a junk removal service.
Get Organized
Come up with categories to sort stuff into. Have separate bins for what you plan to keep, donate, sell, or give away. As you go through your material possessions, decide what bin it will go into. Sentimental items will take more time.
How to Handle Sentimental Items
Start early and give yourself plenty of time to sort through sentimental possessions and family heirlooms. If you have boxes of old photos, go digital. It will take up much less space. You can also scan old greeting cards, postcards, and other mementos you’ve been keeping. Take pictures of your child’s old artwork or school projects and put them into a photo album.
For items like furniture and accessories, evaluate how much the item means to you. Ask yourself if it will be out on display or likely to sit in the basement or a storage box. Consider giving the piece to a family member or passing it down to a grandchild if it’s sentimental.
Deciding What to Get Rid Of
Take your time when deciding what items to keep or let go of. You don’t want to rush a decision or be physically exhausted trying to do too much. You need to be mentally and emotionally ready. Ask yourself if you’ve used the item in the past year. Do you see yourself needing it in the future? Answering these questions can help you make a sound decision.
Selling Your Stuff
Here are a few ideas to consider if you’re going to sell some of your non-sentimental items. Larger items may do well at an estate sale or yard sale. Fewer items can be listed in your local social media marketplace or posted on Craigslist.
Give Your Junk To Us
Furniture, appliances, clothes, and household items we no longer use can pile up in our homes over time. Often, they are put in the attic, basement, garage, or the closet and just take up space. Let Michael’s Junk Removal haul your unwanted items away! Contact us today at 443-929-2251 or visit our website for more information.