10 Tips To Downsize Your Home Without Losing Your Mind

While other people have that desire to live in a spacious home, some people actually prefer to live in a smaller space. Whether you are moving from a huge home to a small condo or you are transferring to a new space with your partner, you would definitely think of downsizing. Sure, you have accumulated a lot of items for years. But you know that not all of these are actually necessary and when you are downsizing, you need to get rid of some items.

If you think of it, it might really be hard to keep all your things especially if you have to let go of some them. As you look around, you would think that looking into all your belongings might drive you crazy. But of course, that is an exaggeration. In truth, downsizing isn’t a horrible experience if you think of the better life you’ll get after you de-clutter. But of course, before you actually downsize, you have to ponder about it and think of the reasons why you have to take the step. Now, if you are certain about downsizing, we have here some tips on how to do it before you move to the new space.

1. List down important items.

There are things in our house that we don’t want to get rid of. These are items which we actually cannot live without. It would surely be a challenge to choose things that you will take and those that you have to get rid of. But this is the idea of downsizing. If you have a list, you won’t be upset that you can no longer keep other items. Create a list of things that you could live without and those that you could replace.

2. Slowly get rid of your belongings.

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It would be tiring on your part if you do this in just one or two days. To make sure that you’ll be able to do things rightly, start thinning your items at least three months before you transfer to a new place. Spend some time each day or maybe a day or two in a week to sort out your belongings.

3. Recycle, sell and donate.

Since you will only be keeping items that are important to you, what are you going to do with those left? Don’t throw them away. Instead, try to recycle them or reuse them. You can even earn from them by having a garage sale. Or you can just donate it. To make it easy for you, you can have three bins or boxes which are labeled To Sell, To Charity and To Keep.

4. Never duplicate your things.

Apparently, duplicating is a terrible idea if you are downsizing. You wouldn’t need too many kitchen utensils or many types of knives. Do not think that you would need multiples of an item even if they have the same function. Hence, you have to give away your duplicates or sell them.

5. Get the feel of a small space.

You can do this by using a certain room or area in the house that could be similar in size to the new place you are moving in. Try squeezing in your belongings in the area so you will get the idea of how it will look like.

6. Layout your new space.

Another way to get the idea on how you can put your things inside your smaller home is by creating a floor plan of the home. With this, you can try arranging items on it. There are many apps and even websites that will allow you to do this.

7. Think before you purchase new items.

After letting go of some of your belongings, you might be buying new things that you don’t own yet and you will be needing. But before you do that, make sure that you know where you can put it without causing clutter in your new home. And before you buy it, make sure that you really need it.

8. Have enough storage spaces.

Since your home is small, you would need plenty of storage areas. Be creative when storing your things. You can use furniture that doubles as storage like a bench or even beds. Vertical storage is also a good idea since it will not be occupying floor space.

9. Be organized.

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Along with having many storage spaces is being organized. See to it that you know where you placed a certain item or it would be better if you put labels on them so that you don’t have to scatter your boxes while looking for something. Also, being organized will help you save time when you need to get something from your storage boxes.

10. Avoid accumulating too much stuff.

We mentioned earlier that you might be buying new things. Well, as long as you really need it and there is a space for it that is okay. BUT, you have to enact a rule in your home to avoid accumulating stuff. When you get something new, something else needs to go. Like if you are getting a new bag, give one bag to a friend so there won’t be too many in your closet.

You might say that it is easier said than done but in truth, you can really do it if you are that serious about downsizing. In the end, you will benefit from this and you will surely have a more comfortable home. It would be nice to live in a house which isn’t crowded with stuff but has everything that you need. Although de-cluttering is an arduous task, you will reap the good fruits after all the hard work you put into it. In the end, you will not just enjoy a simple way of life but you will also get to appreciate everything you own- even if it isn’t that much just like before. Are you thinking of downsizing your home? If you are, we hope that this post has helped you in preparing for that great leap you are about to take.